New districts create new DuPage GOP faceoff
At least two Republican state lawmakers from DuPage County will be out of a job next year because of new state Senate and House districts that force GOP colleagues to face one another in the March 2012 primary election.
Republican leaders say it's the scenario Democratic lawmakers envisioned when they created Illinois' new legislative map, which was approved by Gov. Pat Quinn.
“The Democrats clearly pushed Republican incumbents into the same districts to create infighting,” said Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, who's planning to seek re-election in the redrawn 24th Senate District.
The race for state House and Senate seats officially won't begin until late next month when candidates start filing nominating petitions. Once that happens, Dillard is expected to face a primary battle against state Rep. Chris Nybo of Elmhurst, who's serving his first term in the House.
In announcing his Senate bid last month, Nybo said he didn't want to run against fellow state Rep. Patti Bellock, who lives in the same House district as Nybo. Bellock, a Hinsdale Republican, will run for re-election in the redrawn 47th House District.
“The newly drawn Democratic map has forced difficult choices for many of my colleagues,” Nybo said in a statement.
House Republican Leader Tom Cross said the likelihood of sitting GOP lawmakers being pitted against each other was expected ever since Democrats started working on the map, which must be drawn every decade based on new census numbers. Cross said the new map has districts “designed solely to allow Democrats to win and grab parts of DuPage and Will counties.”
“It's about as partisan a map as you'll ever see,” said Cross, adding that Republicans were “entirely” shut out of the redistricting process.
Annie Thompson, Gov. Quinn's spokeswoman, defended the redistricting effort, saying it “represented the first time the people of Illinois were able to participate in the remap process” during more than 30 public hearings throughout the state. She said the result is a map that represents the state's diversity and “protects the voting rights of minorities.”
Still, Cross said the Democrats' “aggressive” approach to creating districts is the reason state Sen. Carole Pankau of Itasca must face state Rep. Randy Ramey of Carol Stream in the GOP primary. Pankau and Ramey both live in the redrawn 23rd Senate District, which includes all or parts of Addison, Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Itasca, Roselle, Villa Park and other towns.
“When your sole goal is to pick up as many Democratic seats as you can, part of the exercise is to pair up Republicans to let them fight it out in their primaries,” Cross said.
DuPage Democratic Party Chairman Bob Peickert said the redrawn districts are “a part of politics.”
“We have Democrats who are going to be running against each other,” said Peickert, referring to a potential three-person Democratic primary race in the new 84th House District. “There's no difference between what we're going through and what they're going through.”
Here's an early look at how some of the other House and Senate races affecting DuPage are shaping up:
21st Senate District:State Rep. Mike Connelly, a Lisle Republican, will make a bid to become a state senator and represent the new 21st Senate District, which includes large portions of Naperville, Wheaton, Carol Stream and Lisle.28th Senate District:Roselle Mayor Gayle Smolinski and Park Ridge businessman Jim O'Donnell have announced plans for Republican primary bids in the 28th Senate District, which includes parts of Hanover Park and Roselle. Smolinski said she wants to represent the 28th to bring the concerns and expectations of area residents to Springfield. #8220;I understand when the state puts through rules and regulations with no clue as to how they affect people,#8221; said Smolinski, who is serving her fifth term as mayor. On the Democratic side, Park Ridge state Sen. Dan Kotowski has announced his candidacy for the district, which contains much of the two-term Democrat's existing 33rd Senate District.41st House District:State Rep. Darlene Senger of Naperville is seeking to represent the new 41st House District, which includes #8220;a good percentage#8221; of her existing 96th District. The new district includes most of Naperville and a large portion of Warrenville. #8220;I love what I am doing,#8221; Senger said. #8220;I'm working real hard at adding value to the process.#8221;42nd House District:The new 42nd House District seat is wide open after boundary lines shifted the district west, out of the residence area of five-term incumbent Republican Sandy Pihos of Glen Ellyn. As a result, three hopefuls already have announced GOP primary bids for the district, which includes all or parts of Carol Stream, Lisle, Naperville, Warrenville, West Chicago and Winfield. So far, the district's GOP primary battle will feature Winfield businessman Gary Saake, Wheaton City Council member Jeanne Ives, and Laura Pollastrini, a government relations manager who lives in Carol Stream.45th House District:Even though he doesn't yet live in the 45th District, state Rep. Dennis Reboletti of Elmhurst announced he will run for re-election in that new district. Reboletti won't have to face the two other GOP incumbents who live there because they have other plans. State Rep. Franco Coladipietro of Bloomingdale has announced he won't be running again for the House. And state Rep. Randy Ramey is making his bid for the Illinois Senate.46th House District:Democratic party leaders say Deborah O'Keefe Conroy is circulating petitions to run in the new 46th House District. The Elmhurst resident lost a bid last year to challenge Reboletti. On the Republican side, first-time candidate John #8220;Chip#8221; Humes has announced he's making a bid to represent the district, which includes portions of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Oakbrook Terrace and Villa Park.48th House District:Since being drawn out of her existing district, state Rep. Sandy Pihos says she's seeking her sixth term in the Illinois House by running in the redrawn 48th House District. #8220;It is an honor to serve as state representative,#8221; Pihos said in a statement. #8220;It is a position that I don't take lightly and I would very much like to continue to serve in this capacity.#8221; The new 48th includes parts of Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Lombard, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park and Wheaton.49th House District:The district state Rep. Mike Fortner represents won't exist in DuPage once the new legislative map goes into the effect. Still, about half the district #8212; including Fortner's home in West Chicago #8212; is in the new 49th House District. So he's making a bid to represent that area, which includes portions of Aurora, Bartlett, Batavia, Naperville, St. Charles, West Chicago and Wayne. #8220;I felt that I could use my skills working for the people of this area,#8221; Fortner said. It's not yet known if Fortner will face an opponent in the GOP primary. #8220;Obviously, I regret losing the areas that I have been mapped out of,#8221; he said. #8220;I've enjoyed working with people in those areas, but I recognize this happens every 10 years.#8221;81st House District:After redistricting put state Sen. Ron Sandack in the same district as Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, he decided seeking a House seat is a better option than having a primary clash with Radogno. So the Downers Grove Republican will run for the 81st House District seat. Sandack, who was appointed to serve in the Senate last year, is the former mayor of Downers Grove.84th State House District:Aurora Alderman Stephanie Kifowit is planning to run for a seat in the new 84th House District. But she won't be the only Democrat hoping to represent the district, which includes parts of Aurora and Naperville. Democrats Carole Cheney and Alex Arroyo also intend to run, party leaders say.mug641930Chris Nybo mug8177393569Randy Ramey 8177 351509Carole Pankau