Jan.09, 2010, 08:44 PM

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate David Hoffman says that if he’s elected, he won’t become just another cog in the machine.

Hoffman has promised not to take any cash from lobbyists or political action committees, even if that leaves him at a competitive disadvantage compared to some of his better-funded rivals.

The 42-year-old Chicagoan traveled to Galesburg on Saturday and spoke at the Community Center, where he was welcomed by a small crowd of supporters, Mayor Sal Garza and Knox County State’s Attorney John Pepmeyer.

“The level of anger has really reached boiling point,” he said of Illinois voters who have become tired of corrupt politics.

Hoffman said he already has done a lot to clean up Illinois politics and hopes to do more. As inspector general of the for the City of Chicago for the past four years, he has personally taken on some of the most entrenched and destructive elements of Illinois politics.

His office uncovered corruption in Chicago’s system of building safety and zoning inspections. Last January, Gov. Pat Quinn appointed Hoffman to the Illinois Reform Commission, which was charged with recommending anti-corruption and ethics reforms after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s ignominious fall from power.

In 16 years of public service, he also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago, investigating drug trafficking and money laundering.

Now, Hoffman reckons its time to test his skills in the political arena, hoping to take President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat when it is vacated by Roland Burris. He will face a stern challenge in the February primary from Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. His better funded rival, according to Hoffman, is exactly the sort of candidate Illinois doesn’t need. “He has a fortune because he owns a bank,” Hoffman said. “He is the machine candidate.”

Although Hoffman is from Chicago, he has local links. His wife Monique’s family is from Monmouth. That means, he said, he won’t be a Chicago candidate but will aim to represent the whole state.

Hoffman is skeptical of the need to escalate the war in Afghanistan.

“My concern is that the mission of securing all of Afghanistan is very broad, expands beyond our core mission of protecting our country from al Qaida, is likely to be very costly in both lives and dollars, and may very well take a very long time,” he said.

He supports rescinding the tax cuts for wealthy Americans introduced by President George W. Bush. But, most of all, he said he hopes to be an independent candidate who isn’t beholden to special interest groups.