Palatine man to challenge Bassi for 54th House seat

Tom Morrison thinks he's the man to clean up the disaster that is Illinois government.

The 34-year-old Palatine man, who runs two Northwest suburban fire- and water-damage cleanup ServPro franchises, will challenge incumbent state Rep. Suzie Bassi in February's Republican primary.

"Illinois is a disaster and I know. I face disasters everyday," Morrison says in his promotional YouTube video. "But it's time to take disaster cleanup to the next level."

Morrison said the state needs stronger leadership and cited his business experience as one reason he's qualified to run for the 54th House district, which Bassi has held since 1998. He said he's created jobs, tripled sales and cut costs in his business in a tough economy.

"There are very few people in Springfield who have run a successful small business," said Morrison, who moved to Palatine in 2003. "What we need in this state is fiscal discipline and leadership with integrity."

Morrison, who's married and has two children, grew up in Glenview and graduated from Glenbrook South High School. Before going into the disaster cleanup business with his brother, he worked briefly as a broadcast journalist in Iowa and then taught fifth grade at Christian Liberty Academy for six years.

He officially announces his candidacy at an event tonight from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at his Palatine campaign headquarters, located at 401 N. Northwest Highway.