Kirk Dillard Explained

Kirk Dillard
State Senate1:Illinois
District1:24th
Term Start1:December 10, 1993
Term End1:August 4, 2014
Predecessor1:Thomas McCracken Jr.
Successor1:Chris Nybo
Office:Chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority Board of Directors
Term Start:2014
Predecessor:John J. Gates, Jr.
Birth Date:1 June 1955
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Party:Republican
Spouse:Stephanie Dillard
Children:2
Residence:Hinsdale, Illinois, U.S.[1]
Alma Mater:Western Illinois University (BA)
DePaul University (JD)

Kirk W. Dillard (born June 1, 1955) is an American politician and the current Chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority Board of Directors. Previously, he served as a Republican member of the Illinois State Senate, representing the 24th District from 1993 until his resignation in August 2014.[2]

Early life and education

Dillard was born in Chicago on June 1, 1955.[3] He graduated from Hinsdale Central High School, where he is now a Hall of Fame Alumnus,[4] received his B.A. from Western Illinois University, and later obtained his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.[3] Dillard serves as a Public Policy School mentor for the University of Chicago.

Early career

Dillard was the chief of staff to former governor Jim Edgar, starting in 1991, for Edgar's first term. He also served as the Director of Legislative Affairs to former Governor James R. Thompson. On April 1, 1987, Governor Jim Thompson appointed Dillard to be a judge on the Illinois Court of Claims for a term ending January 16, 1989. On June 23, 1987, the Illinois Senate confirmed Dillard to said judgeship.[5] The seat filled by Dillard was a newly created seat as part of the expansion of the court from five members to seven members.[6] On April 13, 1989, Dillard was reappointed for a term ending January 16, 1995 and confirmed for said term by the Illinois Senate on June 26, 1989.[7] [8]

Dillard was a member of the Republican Illinois State Central Committee and was a chairman of the DuPage County Republican Party. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Robert Crown Center for Health Education and is a partner at Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP.

Illinois State Senate

Dillard served in the Illinois Senate from 1993 to 2014. Dillard was appointed to the State Senate in December 1993, after Thomas McCracken Jr. resigned.[9] [10] At the start of the 95th General Assembly, Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson appointed Dillard to the Senate Republican leadership team as a Minority Caucus Whip.[11] Dillard is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), serving as Illinois state leader.[12]

In June 2007, he appeared in an Iowa TV ad touting his former state senate colleague, Barack Obama.[13]

Dillard served in the Illinois Senate as the Co-Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee, and Chairman of the High Technology Task Force. He also served on the Senate Committee as a Whole; Environment & Energy Committee; Executive Appointments Committee; Licensed Activities Committee; and the Subcommittee on Amendments; Subcommittee on Special Issues (Where he was the Sub-Minority Spokesperson); and the Environment & Energy Subcommittee.

Dillard cosponsored the Senior Citizens Tax Deferral program.[14] Dillard was a sponsor of Illinois' first major campaign finance and ethics reform in 25 years.[15]

Dillard resigned from the Illinois Senate effective August 3, 2014.[16] The Republican Party for the 24th Legislative District appointed Chris Nybo, the Republican nominee for the 2014 general election, to the vacancy.[17]

Illinois Governor campaigns

2010

See main article: 2010 Illinois gubernatorial election. On July 8, 2009, Dillard officially announced his candidacy for governor in Hinsdale, Illinois.[18] [19] He opened a campaign office on Ogden Avenue in Lisle, Illinois.

Dillard attempted to frame his campaign as focused on enacting Illinois ethics reform and making the state more financially responsible to the taxpayers.[20] The field for the February 2, 2010 primary was crowded, with seven Republicans running. Dillard was dogged through the entire campaign for a commercial in which he appeared to endorse Democrat Barack Obama for president, leading conservative activists to compare him to Dede Scozzafava.[21] [22] [23]

In his campaign for governor, Dillard was endorsed by the Illinois State Rifle Association,[24] NRA Political Victory Fund,[24] Illinois Education Association,[25] Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150, Sangamon County Republican Party, Family-PAC, Aurora Beacon News, Chicago Sun-Times, Crain's Chicago Business, Peoria Journal Star, Elgin Courier, Kankakee City News, Naperville Sun, News-Herald, Southtown Star, Southwest News-Herald, Springfield State Journal-Register, St. Louis Post-Dispatch.[26] He was also endorsed by former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar.[27] [28] [29]

Dillard placed second, losing to Bill Brady by 193 votes. Dillard did not concede the race until a month after the election.

2014

See main article: 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election. Jil Tracy, whose family owns DOT Foods, was Dillard's running mate.

Dillard was endorsed by the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Rifle Association, AFSCME, former Governors Jim Edgar and Jim Thompson, and the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council[30] [31]

Leading up to the March Primary, a Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll indicated that Bruce Rauner was leading in Dillard's home Senate District likely due to a strong television advertising push by Rauner.[32] However, a more recent We Ask America Poll was conducted just a week before the Primary Election and showed a late surge for Dillard.

Rauner defeated Dillard with 40% of the vote to Dillard's 37%.

Post-legislative career

In late June 2014 Dillard was selected to become the RTA's new chairperson.[33] He indicated that his priorities as RTA chair would include eliminating interagency turf wars and improving Metra service reliability. In 2024, Governor JB Pritzker nominated Dillard to the Board of Trustees of Western Illinois University on April 12, 2023. The Illinois Senate confirmed Dillard on May 19, 2023.[34]

Reputation

In 2004, an unsigned opinion piece in The New York Times called on Dillard to run against his old friend Barack Obama for U.S. Senator, stating "Illinois needs you—and so does Mr. Obama."[35]

Dillard has been called an "accomplished and articulate legislator," by Politico.[36]

Awards and honors

The following awards and honors have been given to Dillard during his time in the Illinois Senate:

External links

Illinois General Assembly

Notes and References

  1. News: July 1, 2014. Kirk Dillard to be New RTA Chairman. WTTW.
  2. Web site: August 4, 2014. Kirk Dillard resigns as state senator. October 15, 2019. ABC7 Chicago.
  3. Book: Edgar, Jim. Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990. Judiciary. 194. Illinois Secretary of State. Springfield, Illinois. August 14, 2022.
  4. Web site: Hall of Fame. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080512143923/http://www.hchsfoundation.org/hall_of_fame.htm. May 12, 2008. HCHS Foundation.
  5. Web site: Lechowicz. Ted. Re: Governor's Message of April 1, 1987. June 23, 1987. 19. August 14, 2022.
  6. Gherardini. Caroline. Court of Claims expanded; three appointed. Illinois Issues. 13. 6. 29. August 14, 2022. live. November 2, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131102155727/https://www.lib.niu.edu/1987/ii870629.html.
  7. Gherardini. Caroline. Names: Boards and Commissions. Illinois Issues. 15. 5. 35. 0738-9663. August 14, 2022. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220814223922/https://www.lib.niu.edu/1989/ii890533.html.
  8. Kelly. Richard F.. Re: Governor's Message of April 13, 1989. Journal of the Illinois Senate. 86. 55. Illinois Senate. June 26, 1989. 9. August 14, 2022.
  9. Web site: Mehler. Neil H.. December 11, 1993. Ex-Edgar Aide Named to Senate Seat. Chicago Tribune.
  10. Web site: December 10, 1993. IL State Senate 41-Appt Race. Our Campaigns.
  11. Shipley. Deborah (Secretary of the Senate). Election of the Senate President. Journal of the Illinois Senate. 95. 1. 6-7. Illinois Senate. Springfield, Illinois. August 15, 2024.
  12. Web site: State Chairs. American Legislative Exchange Council.
  13. Web site: June 27, 2007. Topic Galleries. Chicago Tribune.
  14. Web site: January 2003. New School Laws 2003. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20060512014552/http://www.iasb.com/files/digest03.htm. May 12, 2006. Illinois Association of School Boards.
  15. Web site: Wojcicki. Ed. September 2006. Still the Wild West? A 10-Year Look at Campaign Finance Reform in Illinois. Southern Illinois University. Carbondale.
  16. Dillard. Kirk. Tim Anderson, Secretary of the Illinois Senate. Resignation. Illinois Senate. August 14, 2022. July 31, 2014. https://www.ilga.gov/Senate/journals/98/2014/SJ098134R.pdf.
  17. White. Jesse. Tim Anderson, Secretary of the Illinois Senate. Notice of Vacancy from Legislative Committee. August 6, 2014. August 14, 2022. https://www.ilga.gov/Senate/journals/98/2014/SJ098134R.pdf.
  18. Web site: July 8, 2009. Kirk Dillard Launches Campaign For Governor. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090710013441/http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/kirk.dillard.governor.2.1077105.html. July 10, 2009. July 8, 2009. CBS2 Chicago.
  19. Web site: Dillard to announce run for Ill. governor. KWQC.
  20. Web site: Dillard announces his candidacy for governor. https://web.archive.org/web/20090713183928/http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1657037,dillard-candidacy-governor-070809.article. July 13, 2009. dead.
  21. Web site: Kraushaar. Josh. January 26, 2010. Attacking Obama in Illinois. Politico. https://web.archive.org/web/20100201015247/https://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/0110/Attacking_Obama_in_Illinois.html. February 1, 2010. live.
  22. Web site: Zorn. Eric. January 27, 2010. Shame on Kirk Dillard for showing even a hint of bi-partisanship!. Change of Subject. Chicago Tribune. https://web.archive.org/web/20100131081307/https://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2010/01/shame-on-kirk-dillard-for-showing-even-a-hint-of-bipartisanship.html. January 31, 2010. live.
  23. Web site: Fund. John. March 11, 2010. With Friends Like These.... The Wall Street Journal. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314162514/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703625304575115930408897438. March 14, 2016. live.
  24. Web site: Dillard gets NRA/ISRA endorsements.
  25. Web site: Ritterbusch. Mark. January 23, 2010. IEA recommends Hynes, Dillard for governor. live. https://archive.today/20120715055712/http://illinoiseducationassociation.org/featured/iea-recommends-hynes-dillard-for-governor/#selection-601.5-601.16. July 15, 2012. Illinois Education Association.
  26. Web site: Kirk Dillard Endorsements. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20100216080339/http://www.dillardforgovernor.com/endorsements/Website-Endorsement-Section.pdf. February 16, 2010. Dillard for Governor.
  27. Web site: Kirk Dillard gets formal endorsement from Jim Edgar. 18 October 2022 .
  28. Web site: January 27, 2010. Endorsement: State Sen. Dillard is best choice in strong GOP field. dead. https://archive.today/20120913053420/http://www.rrstar.com/carousel/x231960780/State-Sen-Dillard-is-best-choice-in-strong-GOP-field. September 13, 2012. January 29, 2010. Rockford Register Star.
  29. Web site: Orichuia. Nicola. October 12, 2009. Former Gov. Jim Edgar Endorses Kirk Dillard. NBC Chicago.
  30. Web site: Bond. Brendan. February 17, 2014. Dillard to Receive Much-Needed Major Endorsement Today. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140308015226/http://politics.rebootillinois.com/2014/02/17/editors-picks/brendanbond/dillard-receive-much-needed-major-endorsement-today/379/. March 8, 2014. March 10, 2014. Reboot Illinois.
  31. Web site: March 5, 2014. State's largest public workers union backs Dillard. dead. https://archive.today/20140310200452/http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/state-s-largest-public-workers-union-backs-dillard/article_5c57dcae-4f79-50fe-abfe-85143dc8df14.html. March 10, 2014. March 10, 2014. Associated Press. The Pantagraph.
  32. Web site: Miller. Rich. February 23, 2014. Poll: Rauner Has Big Lead In Dillard's Senate District. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140310213154/http://politics.rebootillinois.com/2014/02/23/uncategorized/richmiller/poll-rauner-big-lead-dillards-senate-district/795/. March 10, 2014. March 10, 2014. Reboot Illinois.
  33. News: Wronski. Richard. June 25, 2014. Dillard elected RTA chairman. Chicago Tribune.
  34. JB . Pritzker . Illinois Senate . Appointment Message 103-0162 . April 12, 2023 . https://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1030162&GAID=17&DocTypeID=AM&LegId=149668&SessionID=112&GA=103 . August 14, 2024 . English .
  35. News: July 21, 2004. Chase the Guy With the Ball. The New York Times.
  36. Web site: Adler. Ben. July 18, 2008. Barack Obama's accidental surrogate. Politico.
  37. Web site: Hall Of Fame 2001 Inductee Kirk W. Dillard. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070808075625/http://hchsfoundation.org/hof_inductees/2001/hof_2001_dillard.htm. August 8, 2007. May 13, 2008. HCHS Foundation.

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