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Rep. Unes announces he won’t run again

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Illinois

* Rep. Mike Unes (R-East Peoria) announced he isn’t running again…

Today I am announcing that I will not seek a 6th term in the November 2020 election. I plan to complete my current 2-year term which ends in January 2021.

I am eternally grateful to the people of the 91st District for the opportunity to serve as their State Representative for the past 9 years. It has been a special experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. By far, the most rewarding part of my position has been the ability to make positive differences in the lives of many throughout the district.

In spite of serving in the super minority, my work in Springfield has been very productive. I am proud to say that I have been among the most active legislators in the Illinois House, passing many pieces of impactful legislation into law. From helping those with special needs, to advocating for fairness for seniors in downstate long term care facilities, to providing protections for children who have been sexually abused, to supporting our veterans who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom, I have taken your voice with me to Springfield to fight with passion for the betterment of our area and our state.

I have given this job the very best that I have every day, and that will continue as I complete my final term. I can proudly say that I have done so without changing who I am and what I believe in. I am a better person because of the work I have been able to do and the people that I have worked alongside. I am also very proud to have poured my heart into constituent service work over the past decade.

Above all, I am thankful to have a loving family that has been my rock through the ups and downs. Right now, I’m excited to spend more time supporting them as they have supported me.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank the many thousands of supporters that have given me the opportunity to represent the 91st District in Springfield. I will forever cherish the opportunity that has been lent to me. I wish for many blessings for you and our great State well into the future.

This could be a competitive district for the Democrats, but it wasn’t with Unes in the seat.

Rep. Unes voted for the 2017 tax hike and then lost his leadership slot at the start of this year. His East Peoria riverboat was given permission to move to Peoria in the gaming bill.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 4:48 pm

Comments

=His East Peoria riverboat was given permission to move to Peoria in the gaming bill.=

That literally means cross to the other side of the river.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 4:53 pm
While Rep. Unes voted for the tax hike… and I thank him for that, saving the state…

… for an entire General Assembly, two years, Mr. Unes supported this state not having a budget, and voted to hurt Illinois… and his district… for an agenda and a governor pushing that agenda.

That is also his legacy.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:00 pm
Seems like a pretty classy announcement.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:03 pm
Fire, aim, ready! I guess Democrats aren’t the only ones who punish a member’s district for a member’s decisions. We’re just a little smarter about it.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:25 pm
Work hard, gain respect, and have real impact.

Comment by walker Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:26 pm
Mike was solid- can’t see how anyone could come close to his
Level of dedication.

Comment by Rock star Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:51 pm
=== I guess he is no longer a member of the brave 15 now===

Mr. Unes’ legacy is… what it is.

I thanked him for that.

Mr. Unes still hurt Illinois purposely. Can’t change that either, just as you can’t change the Brave 15.

Had those stood up to be counted in 2015, 2016, then there would be no need for the Brave 15.

I thanked him. I’m good.

His legacy includes the 99th GA

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:55 pm
=== Interesting how it is only…===

Oh. Sorry. My bad.

Drury, Dunkin, and Franks.

Democrats.

Anything else?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:56 pm
- Anonymous -

Choose a name.

It was Franks, Drury, and Dunkin and the 99th GA Raunerites who made sure Illinois had no budget.

Rauner could get 71, so he choose to make sure the state hurt.

Raunerism, and folks aiding it. That’s the legacy.

Choose a name. You sound familiar.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:09 pm
OW- Unes deserves your respect - you NEVER took a tough vote but seem to be able to make recommendations about when yo do it- wish Rep Unes nothing but the best and have no respect for trolling negative second guesses who DO KOT HAVE A CLUE about how tough the job is

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:10 pm
He got one of the few 4 lane projects US 24 . He was effective as OW says If the GOP is nothing but the Easter Bloc the feds could arrest every den legislator and the Repubs still won’t gain seats.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:26 pm
Nice way to stick it to the House GOP by waiting this late in the game. Heh heh.

Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:45 pm
- Anonymous -

=== and you lose respect, period===

Tell that to the social services closed, and those laid off, like at LSSI.

#Legacy.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:46 pm
Unes is a nice enough guy, he didi do the right thing in 2017 which did not hurt his district, it helped and now they are getting some nice infrastructure.

Before that? Not so much. Just a fact, not trolling like some (banned words) here want you to think.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:52 pm
Seems like Rep Unes did lots of good, hate to see the negative that Willy always seems to bring to the table, Unes was a good legislator who tried to stick with his caucus until he couldn’t, plenty of Dems to blame for the funding issue too but when they retire we near crickets from Willard the Owl

Comment by Elliott Ness Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:56 pm
Forgetting how Mr. Unes helped Rauner in the 99th GA is forgetting all the damage done by Rauner and why the Raunerites are in super-minorities in both chambers.

Mr. Unes can be a nice guy, and…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 6:58 pm
Not the point Willy, Unes is a good man caught in a bad situation (Rauner) that showed more courage than most of the Madigan stooges and you always seem to ignore with your negative posts, you seem to think this stuff is easy but YOU have never had to make the tough decisions but quick to be negative- your M.O. I think

Comment by Elliott Ness Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 7:06 pm
That seat never had a Republican represent it in history before Unes. Especially in a presidential year Republicans are almost certain to lose that seat. Unes won it because of unparalleled relentless hard work. It’s fundamentally a Democrat seat even though Pollyanna Republicans will cite this or that Republican who won it because of unique circumstances. It’s very highly unionized also.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 7:10 pm
Mike is a good guy. Honest and very hard working

Comment by Illinifan Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 8:25 pm
=== Unes is a good man caught in a bad situation (Rauner)===

Tell that to the social services hurt.

Tell that to the people who suffered.

Funny, if ya woulda stood up and told folks like Mr. Unes “we’re with you, do the right thing” … Rauner woulda had no power.

I’m speaking for those 2 years, a whole GA, where the state was hurt by those Raunerites.

It’s part of their legacy.

=== you seem to think this stuff is easy===

Doing the *right* thing is hard. Helping Rauner was the easy way out.

Then he’s also part of the Brave 15… I thanked him for that.

=== YOU have never had to make the tough decisions but quick to be negative- your M.O. I think.===

Mr. Unes voting record in the 99th says more than I could, and those hurt are still recovering.

You can be a great guy… but a legacy is what it is.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 8:50 pm
=== you NEVER took a tough vote but seem to be able to make recommendations about when yo do it===

You choose Rauner’s money over social services closing, the easy thing is to vote with Rauner. A whole GA.

Forgetting what Raunerites did in the 99th? Nope. It’s their legacy.

Ask yourself, why is that that not the press release?

“I voted to hurt social services every chance I got in the 99th General Assembly.”

Why is that missing?

==wish Rep Unes nothing but the best===

You can be a good guy…

===have no respect for trolling negative second guesses who DO KOT HAVE A CLUE about how tough the job is===

Yep.

It’s about me.

Not about those who’s votes who helped Rauner close social services, hurt the needy, those who needed those services, but you’ll give a “pass” for that. Yikes. Wow.

Sugar coating the Rauner legacy so those retiring feel good, and we “forget”.

Nope. Sorry. It’s part of the legacy.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 10:07 pm
In the end, members tend to stick with their leaders. For the most part, until the state almost went into junk status, Republicans stuck with Durkin who was sticking with the Republican Governor. Many believe that term limits and fair maps would be a good addition to the debate in illinois. Madigan does not as it would chip away at the majority power. But Democratic members stay the course. If People on this blog want to whack members for sticking with their republican leadership then maybe talk about democratic members enabling their leaders from enacting good government reforms.

Comment by Nagidam Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 10:41 pm
Willy - stop living in the past. You will be a much happier person if you let it go. I bet when you look back on your life you will regret not spending more of it arguing with strangers on the internet. Now having made my point I am going to move on. P.S. Rauner is gone. You can stop the psychotic ranting about him now.

Comment by Captain Obvious Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 11:05 pm
=== stop living in the past===

Nope. No way. No.

Those who ignore the past tend to repeat it

Tell those like LSSI, Catholic Charities “stop living in the past. Those who hurt you are good blokes.” Nope.

=== You will be a much happier person if you let it go. I bet when you look back on your life you will regret not spending more of it arguing with strangers on the internet.===

I’m happy, thanks. Your concern is thoughtful. I know it’s snark, but I’ll try to take it as a thoughtful thing.

=== You can stop the psychotic ranting about him now.===

The damage will take years to fix. We’re living that fixing every day. You may not, but others are.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 11:20 pm
O Willy, your first 10 posts on this topic weren’t clear to me. How do you really feel about Rauner, the budget impasse, and the House Republicans?

Comment by Oldtimer Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 7:06 am
=Unes is a good man caught in a bad situation=

He ran for the position, he chose to be in that spot. He was one of the votes to hurt Illinois until he wasn’t.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 8:01 am
Captain Obvious: “Willy - stop living in the past. You will be a much happier person if you let it go.”

It’s a comments section for a politically focused blog. Where people have (shockingly) opinions about politicians. Maybe Captain Obvious would be happier person at a mall Hallmark card store, reading all those nice messages inside those cards.

Comment by 17% Solution Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 8:50 am
This is too bad. I worked with Mr. Unes on a topic of mutual interest during the budget impasse, and he tried hard to protect it from Rauner’s cuts. I disagreed with him on politics in the large sense, but I found him to be a decent dude, and one who wanted government to work well. (Unless many GOP folks who want to make it incompetent to justify getting rid of it.) He was informed about the issues and kind to people who contacted him, and he was willing to listen to people (like me) explain why X was important. I honestly had much better interactions with him than with most legislators; he seemed like a curious person who was interested in understanding with other people thought and knew and cared about, and didn’t interrupt every 10 seconds to pivot to his talking points.

I admit I wondered the last few years how he was staying in the GOP, because the Eastern Bloc/MAGA-heads seemed very much not his thing and it didn’t seem like there was a lot of room left in the party for thoughtful guys who want good government. So I’m not surprised he’s leaving the GA, but I think it’s a big loss for the Illinois GOP and it’s too bad the party is drifting ever-further away from people like Unes.

Comment by Suburban Mom Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 10:38 am