3-14-2022 6:06pm

Roscoe Village President Mark W. Szula joins Republican primary for District 90 State Representative

Michael McGinnis Editor

Village of Roscoe President Mark W. Szula's union has announced he has filed to run for State Representative in Illinois’ 90th District. He will face former District 68 Representative John Cabello in the June 28 Republican primary. District 90 incumbent Tom Demmer has announced he is running for Illinois State Treasurer instead.

Szula is a business representative for The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150. Cabello is a detective at the Rockford Police Department.

After redistricting, the boundaries of Illinois Legislative District 90 includes Roscoe, Rockton, South Beloit, Javon Bea Hospital, MercyHealth SportsScore One and Two, Durand, Freeport, and northwest Poplar Grove.

In his initial filing document with the Illinois State Board of Elections, Szula didn't list a party affiliation. But on the March 14 deadline, as he told The Illinoize he would, Szula filed as a Republican, submitting more than 1,000 petition signatures.

In 2017, Szula ran successfully for Village of Roscoe trustee, telling reporter Jean Seegers, “I have never held a public position before, but I would like the opportunity to make a positive difference in the Roscoe community.” He said at the time that he planned to run for no more than two terms as trustee. In 2019, he ran unopposed for Roscoe’s Village President. Szula has been a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 for more than 35 years. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Szula was deployed in Beirut and Grenada.

In 2016, John Cabello was co-chair of the Illinois Trump Victory Committee. Before becoming a state representative, he served as a trustee for Winnebago County and Harlem Township. Cabello was appointed to the 68th district of the Illinois House of Representatives in August 2012. He was reelected three times before being defeated by 239 votes by Democrat David Vella in November 2020. A resident of Machesney Park, he also represented Rockford, Loves Park and Cherry Valley before returning to the police force.

Announcing his candidacy, Mark Szula issued the following statement:

The 90th District needs a leader who is willing to fight for all of us. As a Marine, I set goals and I achieve them, and I won’t shy away from a fight if that is what it takes to ensure that the residents of the 90th District won't be left behind. Our communities have been left out of the important discussions in Springfield because our representative hasn’t been putting us first. [NOTE: Roscoe and Rockton weren't in District 90 before redistricting, so Szula wouldn't be talking about Demmer here.]

I spent my career operating heavy equipment, and I know a thing or two about building bridges. People have to come before politics, and as State Representative, I will go to work every day with one goal – to get results that improve the lives of the people in the 90th District.

As the Village President of Roscoe, I returned our police department to full staffing, strengthened our local procurement to keep local tax dollars in the local economy, and expanded the scope of our infrastructure maintenance programs to keep people safe. I have attracted and maintained top talent in our workforce, and together we have made life better for our residents. That is what I intend to do for our District.

There is so much more we can do to strengthen our local economy, improve education, and enhance public safety - all while protecting the rights of every man, woman and child. Let’s get to work.

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