SPRINGFIELD - A state senator who made an unsuccessful bid for secretary of state last year may be in line to oversee Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's campaign in Illinois.

Dan Rutherford, a Chenoa Republican who has represented Central Illinois in the General Assembly since 1992, met with Romney in Boston on Wednesday.

On Friday, however, neither Rutherford nor a spokeswoman for Romney's campaign would confirm that the meeting centered on Rutherford being chosen to head up the former Massachusetts governor's campaign operation in Illinois.

"I anticipate that question will be answered next week by Governor Romney," Rutherford said.

Romney is among a number of Republicans seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. He has already racked up the endorsement of former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois.

Rutherford is no stranger to presidential politics. He launched his political career when he served as the executive director of Ronald Reagan's Illinois presidential bid in 1980. He also has served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention.

The announcement about Rutherford's role in the Romney campaign came after Rutherford earlier considered backing Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential bid.

Rutherford has served in both the state House and state Senate and last year made an unsuccessful bid to unseat Democrat Jesse White as secretary of state.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 789-0865.