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Illinois Issues
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Illinois' 95th General Assembly convenes this month with eight new faces in the House and seven in the Senate. Suburban Chicago districts proved key in the 2006 general elections, which granted Democrats a 66-52 majority over Republicans in the House and a politically significant 37-22 majority in the Senate. Sen. President Emil Jones Jr. gained enough Democratic seats to overturn the governor's vetoes and approve major spending without Republican support.Here are four newcomers who either won tight races or reversed party control of a seat, contributing to the new dynamic in the legislature.

Rep. Fred Crespo
The Hoffman Estates Democrat will represent House District 44 in Cook County. In an upset win, he unseated 22-year Republican Rep. Terry Parke by 915 votes, according to State Board of Elections records. Crespo, a former People's Energy administrator, is now a real estate agent and a Hoffman Estates village trustee. He was elected to that nonpartisan position with Republican support, but Crespo said this summer he considers himself a Democrat based on his philosophy of ensuring a safety net for low- to moderate-income residents. He said he is a fiscal conservative and a social moderate (see Illinois Issues, September 2006, page 21).

Rep. Dennis Reboletti
The Elmhurst Republican will represent House District 46 in DuPage County. His defeat of Elmhurst Democrat Joe Vosicky by 299 votes is being challenged. Reboletti is a Will County assistant state's attorney and has served as an alderman and an Addison Township trustee, according to the Legislative Research Unit. He replaces Rep. Lee Daniels of Elmhurst, a 32-year lawmaker, former House Republican leader and party chairman who chose not to seek re-election. A federal probe into his office staff doing campaign work on state time led him to step down as chair.

Sen. Michael Frerichs
The Gifford Democrat will represent Senate District 52 covering parts of Champaign and Vermilion counties. The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform shows the three-way race cost a combined $1.9 million. Frerichs defeated former state Sen. Judith Myers of Danville by 542 votes. Third-party candidate Joseph Parnarauskis of Westville got 1,894 votes, State Board of Elections records show. Frerichs is Champaign County auditor and a former county board member. He graduated from Yale before studying Chinese and teaching English in Taiwan. He previously managed a local engineering firm, directed a nonprofit nursing home and was a volunteer firefighter, according to the Legislative Research Unit.

Sen. Linda Holmes
The Aurora Democrat will represent Senate District 42 covering parts of Kane, Kendall and Will counties. Holmes, a Kane County Board member, took the seat from Republican control by defeating Bolingbrook Republican Terri Ann Wintermute, a three-term Will County commissioner. The race cost a combined $1.1 million, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. Holmes replaces retired Republican Sen. Edward Petka of Plainfield. She also is a Kane County Forest Preserve commissioner and supports several national environmental groups, according to the Legislative Research Unit. She has a bachelor's degree in business and a background in marketing research and currently owns a remodeling company with her husband.

Bethany Carson

New lawmakers in 
the 95th General Assembly

HOUSE

• Daniel Beiser, an Alton Democrat. Elected in November, the former city treasurer was appointed in 2004 to fill the seat of Rep. Steve Davis, who resigned. 

• Franco Coladipietro, a Bloomingdale Republican. He's the managing partner of a Bloomingdale law firm and has been active in the DuPage County Republican organizations.

• Sandy Cole, a Grayslake Republican. She's been a Lake County Board member for 10 years.

• Jim Durkin, a Western Springs Republican. He was appointed in 2006 to replace Rep. Eileen Lyons. The former House member and assistant Illinois attorney general was elected in November.

• La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat. The former history teacher and basketball coach started his own real estate firm.

• Mike Fortner, a West Chicago Republican. The current West Chicago mayor also teaches physics at Northern Illinois University.

• Esther Golar, a Chicago Democrat. She was appointed in 2006 to replace Rep. Patricia Bailey. A graduate of Malcolm X College, she as elected.

• Gregory Harris, a Chicago Democrat. He serves as chief of staff for Chicago Ald. Mary Ann Smith and previously directed the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, among other groups.

• Elizabeth Hernandez, a Cicero Democrat. The 17-year employee of Cicero Public School District 99 oversaw the educational grant office. She previously was a senior policy adviser to Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.

• Elga Jefferies, a Chicago Democrat. The 19-year administrative assistant for the late Rep. Lovana Jones was appointed in 2006 to fill her term. She was elected.

• Harry Ramey Jr., a Carol Stream Republican. The former manager of restaurants was appointed in 2005 to replace then-Rep. John Millner, who moved to the Senate.

• Jil Tracy, a Mount Sterling Republican. The lawyer replaced retired Rep. Art Tenhouse and formerly was the director of the Illinois attorney general's west central Illinois regional office. Her family owns DOT Foods distributing company.

SENATE

• Michael Bond, a Grayslake Democrat. The director of corporate finance for Allstate Insurance Co. is a board member of the Woodland District 50 Consolidated School System.

• William Delgado, a Chicago Democrat. The former probation officer served in the House from 2000 and was appointed to replace Sen. Miguel del Valle, who resigned to become Chicago city clerk. 

• Randall Hultgren, a Winfield Republican. The lawyer served in the House since 1999 and now joins the Senate.

• Michael Jacobs, a Moline Democrat. The former downstate liaison to the secretary of state's office filled the seat of his father, Denny Jacobs, in 2005. He was elected.

• David Koehler, a Peoria Democrat. The former Peoria County Board and City Council member is vice chairman of the Illinois Adequate Health Care Task Force.

• Dan Kotowski, a Park Ridge Democrat. The former executive director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence is now vice president of development and public affairs for the Uhlich Children's Advantage Network.

• John Millner, a St. Charles Republican. The former House member was appointed to the Senate to replace Sen. Kay Wojcik. The 16-year Elmhurst police chief was elected.

• Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican. The lawyer is a trustee of William Rainey Harper College in Palatine.

• Michael Noland, an Elgin Democrat. The former Navy Corpsman practices law and has been on the staff of the Kane County public defender.

• Arthur "AJ" Wilhelmi, a Joliet Democrat. He was appointed in 2005 to replace Sen. Larry Walsh, who resigned. He is a partner in a law firm and concentrates on real estate and business law. He was elected.

Illinois Issues January, 2007

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