State Rep. John D'Amico Resigns Seat, Hints At Future Campaign

CHICAGO ? Former State Rep. John D'Amico (D-Chicago) resigned from the Illinois House of Representatives Friday, hinting at plans to run for another job in the near future.

D'Amico, 59, was first elected in 2004 as state representative for the 15th District, which extends from Chicago's Northwest Side through parts of Niles and Morton Grove to include a southern portion of Glenview.

The Edgebrook resident is an assistant superintendent of the Chicago Department of Water Management, according to Illinois House Democrats. D'Amico had been the chair of the House Transportation Vehicles and Safety Committee and a member of the Labor and Commerce and Veterans Affairs committees. He is also the director of political affairs for Plumbers Union Local 130.

D'Amico is a member of a prominent local political family. He is the grandson of former Ald. Anthony Laurino, who ran the 39th Ward Democratic Organization, the nephew of former 39th Ward Ald. Margaret Laurino and the son and namesake of a former streets and sanitation commissioner who was sentenced to federal prison for his role in a ghost payroll scheme at the Streets and Sanitation Department that also sent his mother to prison.

Campaign finance records show D'Amico's largest campaign contributors have been funds controlled by former House Speaker Mike Madigan, the Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC and the Illinois Pipe Trades Advancement and Promotion.

In the 2004 Democratic Party primary, D'Amico earned nearly 60 percent of the vote over opponent Dennis Fleming before going on to defeat Republican Bill Miceli in the general election by nearly 34 percentage points.

D'Amico has been unopposed in five of his eight re-election bids and only faced a single primary challenge, although last month community activist Michael Rabbitt declared he would challenge the incumbent.

Under state law, Democratic Party committeepeople representing parts of the 15th District have 30 days to appoint someone to D'Amico's former seat. Their votes are weighted based on geography and previous election results.

State Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), as 39th Ward committeeperson, controls the largest share, with more than 38 percent of the weighted vote, followed by State Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), the Maine Township committeeperson, who commands almost 33 percent of the vote, according to Politico. Niles Township Committeeperson Lou Lang's share is about 18 percent.

D'Amico told the Journal & Topics that he is considering a run for Illinois Secretary of State. With the retirement of Jesse White, several prominent Democrats, including former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia and 17th Ward Chicago Ald. David Moore, have launched campaigns to succeed him.

In a statement announcing his immediate resignation from his Illinois House seat, the former state representative said he has "not ruled out running for office in the future."