Moylan Re-Elected To State House 55th District In Nail-Biter

Caption: Des Plaines Democrat Marty Moylan prevailed over his Republican challenger, Mel Thillens’ attempts to tie him to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, by winning a second term in the state house. 

The hotly contested 55th District race returned Democratic incumbent Martin Moylan to a second term in the Illinois House.

The former Des Plaines mayor edged out his Republican challenger, Mel Thillens, in a race that ran neck and neck throughout the evening, capturing 14,219 votes to Thillens’ 13,020.

Throughout the campaign, Thillens tried to link Moylan to Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan. Moylan has broken ranks with state house democrats by opposing the 2011 tax hike and its extension, and does not support transferring pension debt to school districts, the Daily Herald said in its endorsement of him.

During his first term in the state house, Moylan helped to pass anti-hazing legislation after the Maine West hazing scandal. He proved his mettle as a can-do legislator by making painful budget cuts and balancing Des Plaines’ budget with an $18 million surplus while mayor of Des Plaines.

Thillens, of the Chicago-armor truck Thillens, sits on Park Ridge’s park district board. He told the Daily Herald he decided to run for the state house to stop Illinois’ bleeding economy, and retain and attract businesses.

The Illinois State House 55th District is comprised of all or parts of Park Ridge, Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village and Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood.