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Carl Hawkinson
Member of the Illinois Senate
from the 47th district
In office
January 1987 (1987-Jan) – January 2003 (2003-Jan)
Preceded byDavid Leitch
Succeeded byJohn M. Sullivan
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 94th district
In office
January 1983 (1983-Jan) – January 1987 (1987-Jan)
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byDavid Hultgren
Personal details
Born (1947-10-07) October 7, 1947 (age 76)
Galesburg, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Alma materNorth Park University
Harvard Law School
ProfessionAttorney
Politician

Carl E. Hawkinson (born October 7, 1947) is an American attorney and former Republican member of the Illinois General Assembly, serving in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987 and the Illinois Senate from 1987 to 2003.

Early life and career[edit]

Born in Galesburg, Illinois, Hawkinson received his bachelor's degree from North Park University and his Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.[1] He was elected Knox County State's Attorney in 1976, succeeding fellow Republican Donald C. Woolsey.[2]

Illinois General Assembly[edit]

In 1982, after the Cutback Amendment mandated the creation of single-member districts, Hawkinson ran for the 94th district. The 94th district included Warren County and portions of Knox and Peoria counties.[3] Hawkinson defeated incumbent Democratic legislator Samuel M. McGrew.[4]

On January 31, 1986, David R. Leitch was appointed to the Illinois Senate to succeed the late Prescott E. Bloom. As Bloom was the only candidate to file for the 1986 Republican primary, Leitch and Hawkinson both ran in the primary as write-in candidates.[5] Hawkinson defeated Leitch in the Republican primary by a large margin.[6] In the general election, Hawkinson faced Democratic candidate and former state legislator John Cassidy of Peoria. Despite the hope of Democrats to capitalize on cross pressure of party affiliation and a hometown state senator to win the Peoria seat, Hawkinson won the general election.[4][7] Hawkinson served as Illinois State Senator representing the 47th District from 1987 to 2003.[1] In the Illinois House, Hawkinson was succeeded by fellow Republican David Hultgren after Hultgren defeated Democratic candidate Samuel M. McGrew's comeback bid.[8]

In the 1991 Republican-controlled decennial redistricting, the 47th district was redrawn to include all or parts of Bureau, Henry, Knox, Peoria, Stark, and Warren counties.[9]

In the 2001 decennial redistricting Haskinson's district was divided into the 37th and 47th. In the 37th, Republican Dale Risinger defeated Paul Mangieri, the State's Attorney for Knox County while in the "new" 47th Democratic candidate John M. Sullivan defeated Republican incumbent Laura Kent Donahue.[10][11]

Runs for higher office[edit]

In 2000 he made an unsuccessful run for the Illinois State Supreme Court, winning the Republican party primary but losing in the general election to Thomas Kilbride. In 2002 Carl Hawkinson ran for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois as the running mate of Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan. Both men won in the Republican primary where Hawkinson received 47% of the vote defeating State Representative William O'Connor, Jack McInerney, and Charles Owens, but lost to Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn in the general election. Carl Hawkinson served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety for the State of Illinois from 2003 to 2005. While holding this position he was the top Republican in the Blagojevich administration.[12]

Electoral history[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b 'Illinois Blue Book 2001-2002,' Biographical Sketch of Carl Hawkinson, pg. 118
  2. ^ "County conviction rate 78 percent". Galesburg Register-Mail. July 21, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  3. ^ Illinois Blue Book. p. 55. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Wheeler III, Charles N. (September 1, 1986). "GOP targets Senate takeover, but LaRouche factor nil". Illinois Issues. Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon State University.
  5. ^ Gherardini, Caroline (ed.). "Leitch and Woodyard new senators; new Rep. Black". Illinois Issues. 12 (4). Sangamon State University: 34. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  6. ^ Franklin, Tim (March 20, 1986). "5 Chicago Legislators Rejected". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  7. ^ Egler, Daniel (September 15, 1986). "Candidates Snap Budget Shoestrings". Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  8. ^ Klemmens, Michael D. "Expectations of the rookie legislators". Illinois Issues. 13 (1). Sangamon State University. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  9. ^ Wheeler III, Charles N (1992-11-30). "Redistricting '91: the World Series of Illinois politics". Illinois Issues. Northern Illinois University Libraries. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
  10. ^ Patterson, John. "The Heat Is On". Illinois Issues. 28 (9). University of Illinois Springfield: 32. ISSN 0738-9663. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  11. ^ Miller, David R. (ed.). "Biographies of New Senate Members" (PDF). First Reading. 16 (3). Illinois Legislative Research Unit: 5. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  12. ^ https://www.nprillinois.org/statehouse/2003-02-01/hawkinson-named-to-blagojevich-team
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
2002
Succeeded by