Carl Hawkinson

Born in Galesburg, Illinois, Hawkinson received his bachelor's degree from North Park University and his Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. He was elected Knox County State's Attorney in 1976, succeeding fellow Republican Donald C. Woolsey.{{cite news|title=County conviction rate 78 percent|newspaper=Galesburg Register-Mail|page=1|date=July 21, 1977|access-date=June 9, 2021|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/14960821/}}

In 1982, after the Cutback Amendment mandated the creation of single-member districts, Hawkinson ran for the 94th district. The 94th district included Warren County and portions of Knox and Peoria counties.{{cite book|title=Illinois Blue Book|page=55|access-date=June 9, 2021|url=http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/bb/id/39335}} Hawkinson defeated incumbent Democratic legislator Samuel M. McGrew.{{cite web|last=Wheeler III|first=Charles N.|title=GOP targets Senate takeover, but LaRouche factor nil|work=Illinois Issues|volume=7|number=9|publisher=Sangamon State University|location=Springfield, Illinois|date=September 1, 1986|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1986/ii860802.html}}

On January 31, 1986, David R. Leitch was appointed to the Illinois Senate to succeed the late Prescott E. Bloom. As Bloom was the only candidate to file for the 1986 Republican primary, Leitch and Hawkinson both ran in the primary as write-in candidates.{{cite journal|editor-last=Gherardini|editor-first=Caroline|title=Leitch and Woodyard new senators; new Rep. Black|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=12|issue=4|page=34|publisher=Sangamon State University|accessdate=December 16, 2020|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1986/ii860434.html}} Hawkinson defeated Leitch in the Republican primary by a large margin.{{cite news|last=Franklin|first=Tim|title=5 Chicago Legislators Rejected|date=March 20, 1986|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=December 28, 2017|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/03/20/5-chicago-legislators-rejected/}} In the general election, Hawkinson faced Democratic candidate and former state legislator John Cassidy of Peoria. Despite the hope of Democrats to capitalize on cross pressure of party affiliation and a hometown state senator to win the Peoria seat, Hawkinson won the general election.{{cite news|last=Egler|first=Daniel|title=Candidates Snap Budget Shoestrings|date=September 15, 1986|access-date=June 9, 2021|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-09-15-8603080836-story.html}} Hawkinson served as Illinois State Senator representing the 47th District from 1987 to 2003.'Illinois Blue Book 2001-2002,' Biographical Sketch of Carl Hawkinson, pg. 118 In the Illinois House, Hawkinson was succeeded by fellow Republican David Hultgren after Hultgren defeated Democratic candidate Samuel M. McGrew's comeback bid.{{cite journal|url=http://www.lib.niu.edu/1987/ii870115.html|author=Klemmens, Michael D.|editor=|title=Expectations of the rookie legislators|journal=Illinois Issues|publisher=Sangamon State University|volume=13|issue=1|accessdate=February 22, 2021}}

In the 1991 Republican-controlled decennial redistricting, the 47th district was redrawn to include all or parts of Bureau, Henry, Knox, Peoria, Stark, and Warren counties.{{cite journal|url= http://www.lib.niu.edu/1992/ii921110.html|author=Wheeler III, Charles N|title=Redistricting '91: the World Series of Illinois politics|publisher=Northern Illinois University Libraries|journal=Illinois Issues|date=1992-11-30|accessdate=2014-02-17}}

In the 2001 decennial redistricting Haskinson's district was divided into the 37th and 47th. In the 37th, Republican Dale Risinger defeated Paul Mangieri, the State's Attorney for Knox County while in the "new" 47th Democratic candidate John M. Sullivan defeated Republican incumbent Laura Kent Donahue.{{cite journal|last=Patterson|first=John|title=The Heat Is On|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=28|number=9|page=32|publisher=University of Illinois Springfield|issn=0738-9663|access-date=August 22, 2021|url=https://archive.org/details/illinoisiss282002sang/page/30/mode/2up}}{{cite journal|editor-last=Miller|editor-first=David R.|title=Biographies of New Senate Members|journal=First Reading|volume=16|number=3|page=5|publisher=Illinois Legislative Research Unit|access-date=August 22, 2021|url=https://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/December2002FirstReading.pdf}}

In 2000 he made an unsuccessful run for the Illinois State Supreme Court, winning the Republican party primary but losing in the general election to Thomas Kilbride. In 2002 Carl Hawkinson ran for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois as the running mate of Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan. Both men won in the Republican primary where Hawkinson received 47% of the vote defeating State Representative William O'Connor, Jack McInerney, and Charles Owens, but lost to Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn in the general election. Carl Hawkinson served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety for the State of Illinois from 2003 to 2005. While holding this position he was the top Republican in the Blagojevich administration.https://www.nprillinois.org/statehouse/2003-02-01/hawkinson-named-to-blagojevich-team

• 2002 Race for Governor / Lieutenant Governor
• Rod Blagojevich / Pat Quinn (D), 52%
• Jim Ryan / Carl Hawkinson (R), 45%
• 2000 Race for Illinois Supreme Court; 3rd District
• Tom Kilbride (D), 52%
• Carl Hawkinson (R), 48%

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Category:1947 births

Category:American prosecutors

Category:Illinois lawyers

Category:Republican Party Illinois state senators

Category:Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives

Category:North Park University alumni

Category:People from Galesburg, Illinois

Category:Harvard Law School alumni

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly

Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly