Lake County Gazette

Mike Amrozowicz, Republican candidate for the District 31 State Senate seat, has been active on social media, utilizing it as a viable and vital tool for his campaign.

Recently, Amrozowicz has taken advantage of the Twitter platform to spread a message about Speaker of the House Michael Madigan (D-Dist. 22) with #WhenMadiganWasFirstElected.

Mike Amrozowicz | Contributed photo

Amrozowicz sees it as a humorous jab at Madigan, as well as a serious look at Madigan’s lengthy stay in politics.

“#WhenMadiganWasFirstElected was intended to be a fun and lighthearted way to draw attention to what is actually a very serious issue,” Amrozowicz told the Lake County Gazette. “The most popular points we made were that when Madigan was first elected in 1970: Richard Nixon was still president and three years away from resigning, Disney World and the Sears Tower were still under construction, and that it was the same year the floppy disk and home VCR were invented.”

The hashtag has received multiple shares and likes on Facebook, and it has resonated with many residents wanting a change in Springfield.

“Overall, the reception was very positive,” Amrozowicz said. “The voters in Illinois want term limits and fair-map reform to restore citizen control of government, and it's no coincidence that Mike Madigan and other top Democrats are standing in the way of letting voters decide on the issues at the ballot box.”

Amrozowicz said Madigan and his party have parlayed the state's welfare away in lieu of protecting their own interests. All of the state's problems can be traced back to this longtime political apparatus, Amrozowicz said.

“Michael Madigan and his Chicago Democratic Machine have had a stranglehold on this state for far too long.” Amrozowicz said. “Voters in Illinois are angry. Their property taxes are too high, businesses and jobs are fleeing the state, and it's harder and harder to get ahead every year. All of these problems can be traced back to the career politicians in Springfield who have rigged the system for their own personal ambitions and to benefit their special-interest donors, instead of representing the people who elected them in the first place.”

While Madigan and his party have opposed the push for term limits and fair mapping, a large number of constituents and candidates are in favor of the reforms. Gov. Bruce Rauner has promised to keep pushing term limits on the legislative floor.

“A recent poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy institute found that nearly 80 percent of voters in Illinois support term limits,” Amrozowicz said. “It's an issue that has broad support among the people, whether you're a Democrat, Republican or Independent. Most of the arguments against term limits are made by those who would be personally affected by them.”

Amrozowicz said his opponent in the race, incumbent State Sen. Melinda Bush, has been dragging her feet in support of term limits.

“My opponent in this race claims to support term limits on 'party leaders,' which is just career-politician-speak for ‘I don't want the term limits to affect me personally,' " Amrozowicz said.

“Basically, she is trying to get the political points with the voters without having the courage to stand up for what's right," Amrozowicz said. "But the voters of the 31st District are smarter than she thinks they are; they're going to see right through her games. If she really supports term limits, why did she vote for John Cullerton as Senate president? Cullerton has been in office for 37 years. How long is her idea of a term limit?"

With the prospects of passing possible term limits still up for discussion, the prospects for fair mapping have hit several roadblocks. Amrozowicz said he hopes the Illinois Supreme Court will allow voters to decide on the issue come November, rejecting Cook County Circuit Judge Diane Larsen’s ruling last month. Amrozowicz said fair mapping is critical to restore citizen control of the government.

“This year, 88 percent of candidates faced no primary challenge, and voters will not be able to choose between two candidates in 2/3 of the state legislative races in the general election,” Amrozowicz said. “Changing the way we draw district maps is exactly the type of change that the amendment process in our constitution was designed for.”

If the Supreme Court decides against fair mapping, Amrozowicz promises to never stop fighting to bring the amendment to a vote in the State Senate, stating that he will stand up to anyone who opposes it, regardless of party affiliation.

Amrozowicz said he knows what it is like to stand up for the little guy. Amrozowicz has owned a small business for years and witnessed firsthand the impact of the state’s policies toward businesses. Many have voiced their disapproval over how the state allegedly punishes inspiring entrepreneurs.

“As a small-business owner for 12 years, I know firsthand how hard it can be to start and grow a business in Illinois,” Amrozowicz said. “Small businesses and entrepreneurs are the engine of our economy. They create jobs, raise family incomes and produce products that improve the lives of all Illinois citizens.”

Amrozowicz said he is in favor of reforms to restore Illinois’ alleged business practices.

“I support comprehensive tax and regulatory reform to make it easier to do business here,” Amrozowicz said. “One of my most important jobs as state senator will be to get government off the back of small-business owners.”