Ready-mix concrete magnate Martin Ozinga III of Homer Glen Monday announced his candidacy for the 11th Congressional District Republican nomination.

Ozinga, 58, president of Ozinga Brothers, Mokena, said in a statement that he decided to run "at the urging of Republican leaders, 11th District voters and my family," and that he is running to "be a positive part of the process of returning to the foundational truths established by our forefathers."

Ozinga still needs to formally win the nomination, though he is confident he will be slated, according to his campaign director Andy Sere.

The district's county Republican chairmen are to pick the nominee Wednesday, April 30, the Illinois Republican Party announced Monday. They have been forced to slate a candidate after Republican primary winner Tim Baldermann of New Lenox withdrew from the race, citing time constraints.

Waiting the Republican pick in the general election are state Sen. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, and Green Party candidate Jason Wallace of Normal.

Ozinga immediately was attacked by national Democrats, who have been pointing to a Chicago Tribune story from 2005 that contended the Ozinga company recruited minority partners solely to win minority-business contracts from the city of Chicago. Ozinga has denied violating any laws or regulations.

"Martin Ozinga is the last thing Illinois voters need," said Ryan Rudominer, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "There are a lot of questions about Ozinga's ethical problems and willingness to bend or break the rules to make a buck."

The committee, which seeks to elect Democrats to the House, has filed an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request seeking e-mail correspondence between members of the Will County Board, Ozinga and Richard Kavanagh, the new county Republican chairman and attorney for the Will County Forest Preserve District. Rudominer confirmed the request but would not comment further.

Sere disputed the notion that Ozinga, whom observers expect will self-fund his campaign because national Republicans are strapped for cash, will pay for the bulk of his campaign costs.

"That's a bit of a misrepresentation," Sere said. "Marty has made it clear to everyone that he's willing to seed his campaign with some money, but he wants this to be a grassroots campaign."

Sere said Ozinga has pledged no specific amount of his own money to his candidacy.

"He is definitely not going to rely (solely) on personal funds for this race."

While Ozinga has more than a month to go before county chairmen grant the nomination, he will start raising money immediately and form a campaign team, Sere said.

The Joliet-based 11th district includes much of Will and Bureau counties along with all of Kankakee, Grundy and La Salle counties and parts of Woodford and western McLean County. Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Morris, first elected in 1994, is stepping down from office after seven terms.

Ozinga, who has given to Weller, Baldermann and other Republicans, also made a $1,000 donation to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. in 2001. His family, likewise, has donated to politicians from both parties, including the 1998 campaign of imprisoned former Republican Gov. George Ryan and the 2002 campaign of current Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Sere said the donations to Democrats "demonstrates he's someone who would work across the aisle with other Democrats in Congress to get positive things done for the district."