By Dave Dahl

Springfield Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, who ran for Congress twice and lost both times to U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville), is headed to the Biden administration.

Pending confirmation, Londrigan will be state director for rural development for the USDA. It’s a position Colleen Callahan held while Barack Obama was president. Callahan was also an unsuccessful Congressional candidate, losing to Aaron Schock in 2008.

Asked about the job being possibly a “thank-you” for “taking one for the team,” Callahan answered by describing the personal and family sacrifices and scrutiny in running for office.

Callahan said when she started the USDA job, what was needed was outreach, so she led a roadshow around the state and referred to an old joke. “By the time we finished the information that we came to share – about the rural housing program, about low-interest loans, about grants for community facility needs, rural business needs, energy program, I would conclude by saying, ‘We’re with the federal government, and we’re here to help.’

“Nobody laughed.”

Callahan is now director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Londrigan referred an interview request to the White House, which declined to make her available.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].