House hopeful Marilyn Smolenski has joined forces with an Oak Park Police Department detective in her campaign in the 55th District.
The Park Ridge Republican, who is vying for the seat held by Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) in the district that includes parts of Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights and the Northwest Side of Chicago, used social media to announce that Detective Ron Bongat will be her campaign's adviser on law enforcement.
“Ron is an experienced and well-respected member of our community and the Oak Park Police Department,” Smolenski said in her Facebook posting. “His decades of experience will be a critical resource in advising me and the campaign team on the important issues facing our police officers, the families in our communities and the state overall. I’m thrilled to have him on our team.”
Smolenski, the owner of Nickel and Lace, a women’s concealed bodywear holster brand and board member of the Republican Women of Park Ridge, announced her decision to run for office in late September. The House hopeful, who is a outspoken advocate for responsible firearm possession, has a history of working with local and state law enforcement officials, according to her social media page.
“I'm joining Marilyn's team because she is exactly the type of independent leader that law enforcement can partner with to help keep our communities safe, our children protected, and our officers prepared,” Bongat said in the Facebook post.
Along with her campaign slogan, “Fighting for Our Families and Homes,” Smolenski can be seen in recent Facebook posts petitioning her district constituents and attending veterans events. She has also used the social media account to speak out against sexism, a subject that has taken the Capitol by storm since recent sexual harassment allegations were made against Sen. Ira Silverstein (D–Chicago) and other unnamed officials.
“Together we represent a wide range of professions, backgrounds and personal experiences,” Smolenski wrote on her Facebook page. “We’re running to improve the lives of the families in our districts and across the state. This starts with changing the culture in Illinois politics, because there is no room for sexist behavior at any level of our government.”
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