North Cook News

Park Ridge Republican Marilyn Smolenski isn't just looking to unseat state Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) in the 55th District in this year's general election, a prominent Maine Township Republican said during a recent interview.

Smolenski's campaign also is taking on Illinois' powerful and long-time House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), Republican Women of Park Ridge President and Maine Township Board Trustee Susan Sweeney told North Cook News. 

"I am supporting Marilyn because she will challenge Mike Madigan and (the) status quo," Sweeney said. "Marilyn understands that the issues of soaring property taxes and the pension crisis are bringing Illinois to the brink of insolvency."

Park Ridge Republican Marilyn Smolenski

The 55th House District includes Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights and Chicago's Northwest Side.

Smolenski, owner of Nickel and Lace, a women's concealed bodywear holster brand, is a Republican Women of Park Ridge board member. She is running on the campaign slogan "Fighting for Our Families and Homes", and maintains a stated belief in strong family traditions. 

Illinois families have felt the strain of Illinois property taxes growing six times faster than incomes, which is helping to drive the families out of Illinois because they can no longer afford to live in the state, she has said.

"We should always have hope for a place that we love, but Illinois needs immediate changes starting with new leadership," Smolenski said during a North Cook News interview.

Smolenski also opposes the gas tax hike, and has spent much of her campaign focusing on constituents and their concerns. At the end of 2017, Smolenski added Oak Park Police Detective Ron Bongat to her campaign as an adviser on law enforcement. 

"She is a small business entrepreneur with passion and will not back down from the Mike Madigan machine of three-term incumbent Marty Moylan," Sweeney said.

Smolenski's run against Moylan is her first time seeking elected public office. The Republican Women of Park Ridge board member announced her candidacy in September. She told the Chicago Tribune that she felt motivated to run because Moylan otherwise would have been unopposed. 

"I felt people in our district really deserved to have representation," she said in that interview.

Moylan, who was first elected to the state House in 2012, previously was mayor of Des Plains and worked as an electrical inspector and deputy director of the city's building department. He is a member of the Cities & Villages, Intermodal Infrastructure, Tollway Oversight, Veterans' Affairs, Youth & Young Adults, and Transportation committees. 

The district has had enough of Moylan's constant support of Madigan, Sweeney said. 

"Moylan has voted in the House Speaker three times," she said. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over. We can't allow or afford a fourth term for Moylan, which will be a fourth vote for Madigan."

Smolenski will see the campaign through to November, but she can't do it alone, Sweeney said. 

"Marilyn has the backbone we need to stand up and save our state," she said.

"Her campaign is moving into full swing, but she needs to build an army to beat the machine."