House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, Fellow GOP Lawmakers and Candidates Call for Term Limits and Other Political Reforms
Political Reforms Needed to Return State Government to Illinois Citizens
Mike Madigan has rigged the system. He picks the voters for the politicians he controls and backs them with special interest cash. Now that a Cook County judge has ruled against the Independent Maps Initiative, many Republican statehouse candidates are pushing for political reforms, including term limits and fair maps, to restore citizen control over state government. Illinois is broken and we can no longer afford the rigged system built by the supermajority in Springfield.
Jim Durkin, House GOP Leader and 82nd District State Representative:
"The General Assembly is in desperate need of balance, but unfortunately that cannot come until we reform our political system. Term Limits and Fair Maps are the surest way to overcome the lopsided power structure in each statehouse chamber and return control of State government back to the people of Illinois. Powerful special interests will fight these reforms, but an overwhelming majority of Illinoisans – Democrat, Republican, Independent, you name it – support the Term Limits and Fair Maps initiatives. I call on Speaker Madigan and President Cullerton to pass these constitutional measures during the fall veto session and let the people of Illinois have the final say on these hugely important issues."
Sue Rezin, 38th District State Senator:
"Illinois needs term limits, plain and simple. For decades, we have seen corruption and waste from career politicians. They have gone on a spending spree and raised our taxes to pay for it. Enough is enough! It's time to enact term limits and bring sanity to state government. I will continue to be a proponent for term limits and fight to get a term limits amendment on the ballot so the people of this state have the opportunity to weigh in on this important issue."
David Welter, 75th District State Representative:
"Term limits in Illinois are long overdue. The people of Illinois deserve better, smarter and more effective government. To achieve that, we must act now to pass real reforms, such as term limits. This is an issue that both Democrats and Republicans agree on. Let's improve the political climate in Springfield and unite behind reform that protects the people, not the political class. With term limits, we can ensure that state government in Illinois will be run by the people and for the people."
Jerry Long, Candidate for 76th District State Representative:
"Career politicians have created a mess in Springfield. Instead of doing the people's work, we have politicians focused on political profit and lining their own wallets. I am campaigning to restore public trust in the Illinois Valley, and our state desperately needs common sense political reforms. First and foremost, Illinois needs term limits to promote fresh, new ideas and eliminate gridlock. I support a term limits referendum and empowering voters to take back our state."
Lindsay Parkhurst, Candidate for 79th District State Representative:
“Professional, career politicians have no place serving in our state legislature, a body that should truly be a citizen legislature. Public servants are supposed to be citizens who represent their communities for a short period of time, then return home to continue their normal lives. The broken system we have today only allows for the self-serving, self-aggrandizing politicians we see in Illinois. I will fight for term limits and be the public servant the 79th district rightly deserves instead of another professional politician.”
