BLOOMINGTON -- State Sen. Bill Brady talked politics all day on Monday. During a fly-around tour of eight Illinois cities, the newly anointed Republican gubernatorial candidate from Bloomington talked shop with media outlets in Chicago and visited Rockford, Cahokia, Quincy, Moline, Marion, Peoria and Champaign.

So by the time the day ended with a rally at the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center in Bloomington, he said he just wanted to talk about friends and family.

"What a way to end a great day," Brady told an audience of about 400 people in a packed ballroom. "I'm here with family, friends and supporters, and you don't know what that means. It's been an exciting day, but our purpose was to fly around the state to say thank you to those who helped us."

Flanked onstage by members of his immediate and extended family, Brady told the crowd that he and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 27 years.

It was as newlyweds that they decided to raise a family and go into a business in Bloomington. He said realizing that dream would be harder now, but he hopes to change that as governor.

"In our state, we have a record deficit and lots of problems," he said. "But, I believe Illinois is the richest in terms of assets and opportunities. We are located in the center of the economic universe, and we have 13 million people here who are energized and educated.

"We can pull out of this mess, but it's going to take sending the right people to Springfield."

Brady personally thanked members of his family, including his mother, brothers, nieces and nephews. He also thanked his business associates and the volunteers who have helped his campaign such as Emily Brown, a University of Illinois student who attended Brady's stop in her hometown of Champaign and then drove to Bloomington to see the finale.

"Today is such a great day because for the past month we have been sitting on pins and needles waiting to make sure that he was going to be the candidate," Brown said. "Tonight, it was a well-deserved celebration for Bill and his supporters."

She was referring to Brady's 193-vote margin of victory in the Feb. 2 primary over state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, which was certified Friday by state election officials.

For Logan County Economic Development Partnership Director Joel Smiley, it was also a business trip. Smiley took the opportunity to meet with Brady and his running mate for lieutenant governor, Jason Plummer, a construction business executive from Edwardsville.

"It's really great to have this downstate connection," Smiley said. "We're doing great things in Logan County, and it helps to have someone who knows something about our area."

Brady remained at the hotel well after his speech, greeting supporters and thanking them for their support.

"It's so good to finish this day in Bloomington," Brady said. "There was no other choice in our minds. This is where it starts and where it ends."