* Press release…

State Rep. Michael McAuliffe (R-Chicago) today released the following statement announcing his retirement from the Illinois House of Representatives, effective today:

“I have had the honor of representing the families and businesses of the 20th District in the Illinois House of Representatives for 23 years. While I never set out to spend 13 terms in Springfield, I felt a higher calling for public service and responsibility to my community. I’ve worked extremely hard to represent my constituents and bring their minds and hearts with me on every 200-mile drive to Springfield, but I’ve decided it’s time to yield to an even higher calling, my family. While this decision did not come easy, I’ve offered my resignation as State Representative of the 20th District effective today.

My family has always been the most important thing in my life, which was instilled into me by my parents, Roger and Judy. Now that my children, ages 7 and 9, are more active in and out of school, I realize that I have already missed too many of their milestones.

Throughout my career, I’ve been proud of the work we’ve done championing for healthcare by making breast cancer screenings more accessible to women, raising awareness for Hepatitis C, and improving life-saving disease-screenings for newborns. And I’ve always worked to ensure that those who need our help the most, the elderly and disabled, have access to the care and support services they need.

As spokesperson for the House Veterans Affairs Committee, we worked collaboratively to enact legislation to better protect our veterans and ensure that the state’s veterans homes have the resources they need to ensure the health and safety of our nation’s heroes.

I know that our neighborhoods are better when our schools and teachers have the support they need, so I was proud to back the landmark school funding reform legislation that put more money into the classrooms while expanding education options for children from low-income families. And I have always, always fought for our first responders, the men and women keeping our neighborhoods safe, and their families. We can never thank them enough for what they do for us, each and every day.

I am proud of our accomplishments and will continue to be an active part of this community. It has truly been an honor serving the wonderful people the 20th District.”

McAuliffe insisted that he does not have a replacement in mind. He’s obviously been thinking about retiring for a while, and he said he made the final decision when he received a letter about nominating petitions. “I’m done,” he said. “My dad was there 23 years, I was there 23 years,” he said about his father, the late Rep. Roger McAuliffe (R-Chicago).

McAuliffe’s Senator, John Mulroe, announced last week that he was stepping down to accept a judgeship. The other House member in the district, Robert Martwick, might be replacing Mulroe. So, it’s conceivable that all three slots in that Senate district might change hands in the coming days.

…Adding… Leader Durkin…

For the first time in 45 years, there won’t be a McAuliffe representing the Northwest side communities of Chicago. It has been an honor to serve with Mike McAuliffe in the Illinois General Assembly for almost twenty years together. Mike has seen Illinois in its best and worst of times - and he has been a part of making this state, and his district, a better place for Illinois residents. Throughout Mike’s tenure in Springfield, he fought resiliently for the priorities of the families in the 20th district and hard-working men and women who would turn to Mike for solutions to their community issues. Mike is a symbol of the Illinois House of Representatives and has been a respected leader of the House Republican caucus. He will be sorely missed by all under the dome in Springfield and throughout Illinois.

…Adding… Hmm…