Pulse: Quitting won’t take Wilhelmi off ballot
February 5, 2012 10:32PM
Former state Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi, D-Joliet
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Updated: March 7, 2012 8:04AM
State Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi said Friday he doesn’t know exactly when he will step down from his Senate seat, so his name will remain on the March 20 primary ballot. (Ballots are being printed this week).
The Joliet Democrat told Pulse it’s tricky because he has to resign from both the Senate and his job at Murer, Brick and Wilhelmi LLC before he can start working at the Naperville-based Illinois Hospital Association. Wilhelmi announced last week he is taking a job as senior vice president of government relations for the association. “I’m getting close to knowing some of those details,” he said. “It’s not easy. There is a lot of complexity to it.”
Who will replace Wilhelmi? No one knows yet. But Lisa Morel Las , executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties, and former Joliet City Councilman Warren Dorris are both leaning toward applying.“I’m seriously considering it,” said Las, who worked on two of Will County State’s Attorney
Jim Glasgow’s campaigns and was an office manager for former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson when she was a state Senate majority leader. “I think it’s a great opportunity,” Las said. Dorris served for 24 years on the city council before he ran unsuccessfully for mayor. He also is a retired Caterpillar Inc. executive and a pastor at Prayer Tower Church of God in Christ in Joliet. “I’ll make a final decision by Wednesday of next week,” Dorris said.
Wilhelmi will join Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and J.D. Ross , executive director of the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic, when they receive Salute to Courage Awards from the Will County Democratic Party during the party’s annual dinner March 16.
The dinner is at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 176 Hall in Joliet, where Democrats also will present their Outstanding Volunteer Award to Steve Magruder , business manager of Local 176. The Jesse White Tumblers will perform.
Cindy Wojdyla Cain contributed to Pulse.
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