Walker of Arlington Heights poised to hold onto state Senate seat

Arlington Heights legislator Mark Walker held a large lead in what would be his first election to the state Senate, unofficial returns Tuesday show.

Walker, a former Democratic state representative who was appointed to the 27th District Senate seat in May, led Republican opponent Tom Schlenhardt of Arlington Heights 47,818 votes to 37,385 votes as of 10 p.m., according to the unofficial results.

The race for the 2-year term comes after former Arlington Heights Democratic Sen. Ann Gillespie was tapped by Gov. JB Pritzker in April as director of the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Walker, who has been involved in behind-the-scenes Bears stadium discussions, predicted during the campaign that the NFL franchise would come to Arlington Heights, but that any deal would not include substantial state funding.

“I’m in the position right now of, ‘OK, Bears, you tell me what you want, what this deal is going to be,’” Walker said. “‘We’re done in the House and Senate coming up with wonderful solutions out of our heads. I mean, you have a really giant team working on it. Make your proposal that makes sense.’”

Schlenhardt said he opposed state funding for the Bears, but favors local tax incentives that could bring the team to Arlington Heights.

Walker is the Wheeling Township Democratic committeeman who served in the state House from 2009 to 2011, and again from 2019 until his recent appointment to the Senate.

As a former corporate executive and consultant, Walker said he would use his financial background to apply understanding of operations management, leadership and financial control in the legislature.

Schlenhardt, a lawyer and lobbyist who previously worked under four gubernatorial administrations, characterized himself as a fiscal conservative and social moderate who was running to have more balance in state government.

The 27th District — where the former 326-acre Arlington Park racetrack the Bears purchased in 2023 is located — includes all or parts of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg.