Illinois Republican Henry W. Meers Jr., has filed paperwork to organize a campaign against first-term Democratic Rep. Debbie Halvorson in the 11th District south and west of Chicago.

Meers, a self-described conservative, is a real estate investor and a frequent donor to the Republican Party.

According to CQ MoneyLine, Meers has donated in recent years to the Republican National Committee and to former Rep. Jerry Weller, among other GOP organizations and candidates. He also gave to the 2004 Pennsylvania Senate campaign of then-Rep. Pat Toomey, a conservative who narrowly lost to Sen. Arlen Specter in a Republican primary, and to the 2008 New Mexico Senate campaign of then-Rep. Steve Pearce, who defeated the more moderate Rep. Heather A. Wilson in a primary but then lost decisively to Democratic Rep. Tom Udall in the general election.