Mark Luft | |
---|---|
Member of the IllinoisHouseofRepresentatives from the 91st district | |
In office January 13, 2021 –January 11, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Michael D. Unes |
Succeeded by | Sharon Chung (redistricted) |
Mayor of Pekin,Illinois | |
In office April 2019 –January 2023 | |
Preceded by | John McCabe |
Succeeded by | Mary Burress |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Lelonie |
Children | Five |
Residence | Pekin,Illinois |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1987–1994 |
Unit | Army Reserve |
Mark A. Luft is an American politician who served as the mayor of Pekin,Illinois and as a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 91st district. [1] The 91st district,located in the Peoria metropolitan area,included all or parts of Banner,Bartonville,Bryant,Canton,Creve Coeur,Cuba,Dunfermline,East Peoria,Fairview,Farmington,Glasford,Hanna City,Kingston Mines,Lake Camelot,Lewistown,Liverpool,Mapleton,Marquette Heights,Morton,Norris,North Pekin,Norwood,Pekin,South Pekin,and St. David. [2]
Luft was born in Pekin,Illinois. He "graduated from Pekin Community High School and attended Eastern Illinois University." [1] He worked for the Illinois American Water Company for 26 years. [1] He served in the United States Army Reserves from 1987 to 1994. [1] He previously "served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Pekin JFL." [1]
In 2015,Luft was elected to the Pekin City Council. [3] In 2019,he successfully defeated incumbent Mayor John McCabe. [4] In 2022,he announced he would not run for a second term as mayor and endorsed former Tazewell County Treasurer Mary Burress for the position. [5] Luft ultimately stepped down in January 2023. In the April 2023 election,Burress defeated two members of the Pekin City Council to become the Mayor and took office in May 2023. [6]
In November 2019,Luft decided to run to succeed retiring Republican incumbent Michael D. Unes in the 91st district. [7] Luft was originally going to face two primary candidates,Sam Goddard and Corey Campbell,before they were removed by the Illinois State Board of Elections from the ballot failing to meet the minimum number of required signatures on their nominating petitions. [8] After winning his primary,Luft would win in the 91st district general election with a 26% vote margin. In the 2021 decennial reapportionment,Luft was drawn into the new 93rd district. On June 28,2022,Travis Weaver,son of former Senator Chuck Weaver,defeated Luft for the Republican nomination in the newly drawn 93rd district. [9] [10]
While a legislator,Luft was a member of the following Illinois House committees: [11]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Michael Ritchason | 1,889 | 19.55 | |
Nonpartisan | John P. Abel (incumbent) | 1,492 | 15.44 | |
Nonpartisan | Mark A. Luft | 1,481 | 15.33 | |
Nonpartisan | Jason Juchems | 1,091 | 11.29 | |
Nonpartisan | James Schramm | 842 | 8.71 | |
Nonpartisan | Ron Knautz | 662 | 6.85 | |
Nonpartisan | Nathan Schmidgall | 583 | 6.03 | |
Nonpartisan | Bob Kieser | 560 | 5.80 | |
Nonpartisan | Robert E. Bramham | 475 | 4.92 | |
Nonpartisan | Steve Dennis | 349 | 3.61 | |
Nonpartisan | Charles T. Layne | 238 | 2.46 | |
Total votes | 9,662 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Mark A. Luft | 2,000 | 59.88 | |
Nonpartisan | John McCabe (incumbent) | 1,340 | 40.12 | |
Total votes | 3,340 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mark A. Luft | 4,530 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 4,530 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mark A. Luft | 29,888 | 63.20 | |
Democratic | Josh Grys | 17,403 | 36.80 | |
Total votes | 47,291 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Travis Weaver | 7,484 | 63.71 | |
Republican | Mark Luft | 4,268 | 36.29 | |
Total votes | 11,752 | 100.00 |
Luft currently resides in Pekin,Illinois with his wife Lelonie. They have five children. [3]
Tazewell County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census,it had a population of 131,343. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. It is pronounced with a short "a",to rhyme with "razz" rather than "raze."
Pekin is a city in and the county seat of Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located on the Illinois River,Pekin is the largest city of Tazewell County and the second most populous municipality of the Peoria metropolitan area,after Peoria itself. As of the 2020 census,its population is 31,731. A small portion of the city limits extend into Peoria County. It is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Robert "Bob" Rita is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 28th District since January 8,2003. Rita is also the Calumet Township Democratic committeeman and a trustee on the township board. His state representative district includes parts of Chicago's 9th and 34th wards,as well as several suburbs. Rita lists economic redevelopment,equitable school funding and increased health care availability as his top priorities in the state legislature. Rita is an Operating Engineer and a member of Local #150. He is currently being investigated for felony intimidation following an incident in Orland Park,IL on October 4. 2023.
The 17th congressional district of Illinois is represented by Democrat Eric Sorensen. It includes most of the northwestern portion of the state,with most of its population living on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities,as well as parts of Peoria and Rockford.
Shane Cultra is an American politician and former Republican member of the Illinois General Assembly.
David Koehler is a Democratic politician from Illinois,and has been the Illinois State Senator from 46th Legislative District since December 2006. The district includes Canton,East Peoria,Fairview,Lewistown,Mapleton,Peoria,Pekin and West Peoria.
Michael K. Smith was a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives,representing the 91st District from 1995 until 2011.
Stephanie Kifowit is the Illinois state representative for the 84th district,which includes all or parts of Aurora,Boulder Hill,Montgomery,Naperville,and Oswego. Kifowit is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps,a former substitute teacher,and previously served as an alderman in the city of Aurora. She is currently serving on the Healthcare Licensing,Financial Institutions,Intermodal Transportation,General Services Appropriation –Vice Chairman,and Business Growth Committees for the 99th General Assembly.
Martin J. "Marty" Moylan is the Illinois state representative for the 55th district. The 55th district includes all or parts of Arlington Heights,Des Plaines,Elk Grove Village,Park Ridge and the Edison Park Neighborhood.
Norine K. Hammond is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives. She has served since her appointment in December 2010 to replace the late Rich Myers. Hammond represents the 94th district,located in western Illinois,which contains all or parts of Fulton,Hancock,Henderson,McDonough,Mercer,and Warren counties.
The Columbia,sometimes called the Steamer Columbia,was a paddle steamer excursion boat on which 87 people died,on the Illinois River on July 5,1918,across from Creve Coeur,between Peoria and Pekin,Illinois.
Chuck Weaver is a former Republican member of the Illinois Senate for the 37th Senate District. He was appointed in October 2015. The district he represented included all or parts of Mercer,Lee,Bureau,Henry,Knox,Stark,Peoria,Woodford and Marshall counties in Central Illinois.
Lance Yednock is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 76th district which includes Bureau,LaSalle,DeKalb County,Illinois,Putnam and Livingston counties in north central Illinois. Yednock was sworn in to office on January 9,2019. Yednock,a business representative with International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150,defeated one term incumbent Jerry Lee Long in the 2018 general election. He has a degree from Northern Illinois University.
Maurice A. West II is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 67th district. West took office on January 9,2019. The 67th district includes portions of the City of Rockford.
The 2020 elections for the Illinois Senate took place on November 3,2020 to elect senators from 22 of the state's 59 Senate districts to serve in the 102nd General Assembly,with seats apportioned among the states based on the 2010 United States census. Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970,senators are divided into three groups,each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses,with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. The Democratic Party has held a majority in the Senate since 2003. The inauguration of the 102nd General Assembly occurred on Wednesday January 13,2021.
Margaret Croke is a Democratic member of the Illinois House from the 12th district. The 12th district includes parts of the Chicago neighborhoods of Lake View,Lincoln Park,Near North Side,and Uptown.
Amy Elik is a Republican member of the Illinois House from the 111th district since January 13,2021. The 111th district,located in the Metro East,includes all or parts of Alton,Bethalto,East Alton,Edwardsville,Elsah,Godfrey,Granite City,Hartford,Holiday Shores,Madison,Mitchell,Pontoon Beach,Rosewood Heights,Roxana,South Roxana,and Wood River.
David Friess is a Republican member of the Illinois House from the 116th district since January 13,2021. The 116th district,located in part of the Metro East,includes all or parts of Baldwin,Cahokia,Chester,Columbia,Coulterville,Cutler,Darmstadt,Du Quoin,Dupo,East Carondelet,Ellis Grove,Evansville,Fayetteville,Floraville,Fults,Hecker,Kaskaskia,Lenzburg,Maeystown,Marissa,Millstadt,New Athens,Paderborn,Percy,Pinckneyville,Prairie du Rocher,Red Bud,Rockwood,Ruma,Sauget,Smithton,Sparta,St. Libory,Steeleville,Tilden,Valmeyer,Waterloo,and Willisville.
William E. Hauter is an American doctor and Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 87th district. The 87th district,located in Central illinois,includes parts of DeWitt,Logan,Macon,McLean,and Sangamon counties.
Travis Robert Weaver is an American legislator serving as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 93rd district.