* Background is here. Press release…

Today, Representative John Connor announced his candidacy for the November 2020 election for Illinois Legislative District 43 in wake of Senator Pat McGuire’s announcement to not seek reelection.

A resident of Lockport who was born and raised in Joliet, Representative Connor spent nearly 20 years serving Will County as a criminal prosecutor in the State’s Attorney’s office, including indicting Drew Peterson and being on the team that tried and convicted him in 2012. In the Illinois House of Representatives he has put his legal background to use serving on the Judiciary Committee among others.

Representative Connor’s tenure in the House of Representatives has focused on supporting progressive issues like creating good paying jobs, ensuring Illinoisans have access to quality, affordable healthcare, and broadening the opportunities students have for higher education. Most recently Representative Connor worked on preventing the Fairmont area’s water system from being privatized, expanding broadband access throughout Illinois through his seat on the Governor’s Broadband Advisory Council, and chairing an Election Cybersecurity subcommittee to examine the state’s election security in advance of the 2020 election.

The 43rd Legislative District is located primarily in Will County with a small portion of DuPage County and includes the communities of Bolingbrook, Channahon, Crest Hill, Elwood, Fairmont, Ingalls Park, Joliet, Lockport, Preston Heights, Rockdale, Romeoville, and Woodridge.

Connor was appointed to the seat in June of 2017. The other House member in the district is Rep. Larry Walsh. But he has built up some seniority and chairs a prime committee (Public Utilities). House members lose their seniority when they move to the Senate.

* Meanwhile…

In April’s non-partisan Joliet City Council elections, incumbent Larry Hug captured 65 percent of the vote in his race against challenger Marc Ragusa. Hug’s was the largest margin of victory of the five contested council races. On Monday evening, Hug confirmed to Joliet Patch he “is about 95 percent sure” he will run for the seat of State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant.

Bertino-Tarrant is the Shorewood Democrat who has already announced she is running for Will County Executive. She is hoping to replace Elwood Democrat Larry Walsh Sr., who will not seek a fifth term of county government office in 2020.

Joliet Patch contacted Hug after several sources indicated Hug was contemplating a run for state senate. Hug confirmed he has obtained the candidate nomination petitions, that he has talked with his wife and two college-aged children about running for state office, and he is now in the process of establishing a committee of campaign volunteers.

Hug said he would run as a Democrat. Hug works in the insurance industry. His wife is a special education teacher in the Plainfield School District. Hug grew up in the Lincoln Way area. His Joliet City Council district represents the Plainfield area.