Illinois’ state Senate District 36 has some acquainted faces working for the seat.
Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms will face former state Rep. candidate Glen Evans within the Republican main, whereas State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is unopposed within the Democratic main.
Present state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, was drawn out of the district in the course of the state legislative remapping course of, leaving the seat open for the 2022 election.
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The first election on June 28 will decide which Democrat and Republican candidate will likely be on the poll for the Nov. 8 common election.
Might 19 was the primary day to ship in vote-by-mail ballots or vote in individual on the Rock Island County clerk’s workplace, 1504 Third Ave., Rock Island.
Republicans
Mike Thoms
Thoms gained reelection as Rock Island mayor within the April, 2021 municipal election. If he wins election to the state Senate, he could be allowed to stay mayor.
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Thoms, 63, is a lifelong resident of Rock Island and attended Black Hawk School. He retired in 2005 after 29 years with Thoms-Proestler Co., a family-owned wholesale meals service firm the place he labored his manner up from warehouse employee to vice chairman of operations, managing 250 workers.
Thoms has been a longtime group volunteer with a give attention to youth companies. He sits on the boards of administrators for Junior Achievement, HavLife Basis, the Putnam Museum, the YMCA and the YWCA Quad Cities, working to lift cash for building of the brand new facility in downtown Rock Island. He additionally serves on the amenities committee for the Rock Island-Milan Faculty District and beforehand sat on the board of administrators for Bethany for Households and Kids.
When he introduced his candidacy in October, Thoms mentioned his enterprise and administration expertise made him the higher candidate.
“My expertise in coping with folks has taught me the right way to negotiate, compromise and speak to folks. These are a few of my strengths,” he mentioned. “I’ve began a number of companies and investments with folks since then. I perceive the economic system and financial growth higher than my opponent.”
Evans most lately challenged State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, within the 2018 and 2020 elections, shedding each instances. He beforehand ran as a Democrat in about 20 completely different native races. He has misplaced each election aside from two precinct committeeman races. He has run for Rock Island-Milan faculty board, Rock Island metropolis council, Rock Island County board, Rock Island Township supervisor and twice for Rock Island County clerk.
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When he introduced his candidacy for state Senate in August, he mentioned he modified his occasion affiliation from Democrat to Republican 5 years in the past after attending a coaching with People for Prosperity, a Conservative political motion group based by the Koch brothers.
Evan, 52, is an ordained minister with Wings of Religion Ministries, working with a number of church buildings within the space. He is also a member of Laborer’s Native 309, serving as auditor from 2016 to 2018.
“I’m on the poll as a result of I’m dissatisfied with what I see in group I grew up in,” Evans mentioned. “I need to make it higher.”
Halpin is unopposed within the Democratic main election. He was elected state Consultant for the 72nd District in 2016 and reelected in 2018 and 2020. He was elected Rock Island County Democratic Occasion Chairman in Might, 2021.
Halpin, 42, is a local of Voorheesville, New York. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from Roger Williams College in Rhode Island with a bachelor of arts diploma in political science in 2001. He graduated from the College of Illinois in 2008 along with his legislation diploma. He moved to Illinois after being employed by Congressman Lane Evans as a workers assistant and scheduler and served as legislation clerk for the Honorable Rita B. Garman of the Illinois Supreme Court docket from 2008 to 2010.
He presently works as an legal professional for McCarthy, Callas & Feeney, P.C., of Rock Island, specializing in household legislation, labor and employment legislation and actual property legislation.
“Working for Senate is a chance for me to proceed to characterize folks in western Illinois which can be asking for assist and asking for insurance policies which can be going to elevate up them and their households,” Halpin mentioned when he introduced his candidacy in September.
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Photographs: Rock Island by the years