Walter W. Dudycz (born March 11, 1950) is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from 1985 until 2003.
Biography
Dudycz, a Ukrainian American was born in Chicago to a janitor mother and a factory worker father. He was raised on the West Side of Chicago.[1] Dudycz was a veteran of the United States Army and served during the Vietnam War.[2] After the war, he became a detective with the Chicago Police Department.[3] Dudycz was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1984. Dudycz earned a bachelor's degree from Northeastern Illinois University.[4] In 1990, Dudycz ran for the United States House of Representatives against longtime Democratic incumbent Frank Annunzio, but lost.[1] After the 2001 decennial redistricting, he chose to retire from the Illinois Senate in 2001. His old district had been dismantled, and he faced the prospect of running against incumbent Democrat James DeLeo, whose district had absorbed most of the Chicago portion of his old district, or incumbent Republican Dave Sullivan, whose district had absorbed much of the suburban portion. He was the last Republican state senator representing a significant portion of Chicago.[5]
During the 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries, Dudycz ran to be a delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention from Illinois's 9th congressional district for the presidential campaign of former Governor Mitt Romney.[6]
Personal life
Dudycz is married to Oksana.[7] He had two daughters; one of whom is writer Valya Dudycz Lupescu.
References
- ^ a b Miller, Bryan (October 18, 1990). "Mr. Dudycz Goes for Washington". Chicago Reader. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ Marszałek, Joanna (2022-03-24). "Walter Dudycz, były senator stanowy ukraińskiego pochodzenia, do Polonii: Wasza hojność porusza mnie do łez". Dziennik Związkowy | Polish Daily News (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ Jr, R. w Apple; Times, Special To the New York (1990-11-01). "THE 1990 CAMPAIGN; Fierce Fight for Illinois Seat Pits Old Against New". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ Illinois blue book, 1997-1998 Biographical Sketch of Walter W. Dudycz pg 77
- ^ Long, Ray (December 14, 2001). "Dudycz won't seek re-election to Senate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ Peters, Gerhard; Woolley, John T., eds. (November 8, 2007). "Press Release - Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Illinois Delegate And Alternate Slate". The American Presidency Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Illinois blue book, 1985-1986 Biographical Sketch of Walter W. Dudycz pg 70
This page was last edited on 9 March 2024, at 15:54