Litesa Wallace
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Litesa Wallace
| state_house = Illinois
| district = 67th
| term_start = August 4, 2014
| term_end = January 9, 2019
| predecessor = Charles E. Jefferson
| successor = Maurice West
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1978}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| education = Western Illinois University (BA)
Northern Illinois University
(MA, PhD)
| smallimage =
}}
Litesa E. Wallace (born 1978)[http://www.rrstar.com/article/20140730/NEWS/140739955 Chuck Jefferson aide Litesa Wallace tapped for seat in Illinois House] is an American politician who served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 67th district from August 2014 to January 2019.{{cite web|url=http://www.precinctmaps.com/maps/GA/House2011/67thHouse.pdf|author=Veeneman, Drew|title=67th House District|publisher=precinctmaps.com|accessdate=2013-02-01|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108033431/http://www.precinctmaps.com/maps/GA/House2011/67thHouse.pdf|archivedate=2012-11-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wrex.com/story/26194058/2014/08/04/litesa-wallace-takes-oath-of-office-for-67th-district-seat|author=Moon, Audrey|title=Litesa Wallace takes oath of office for 67th District seat
|journal= |publisher=WREX|editor=|date=2014-08-04|accessdate=2014-08-05}}
Early life and education
Wallace was born in Chicago. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Illinois University, followed by a Master of Arts in marriage and family counseling and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Northern Illinois University.{{Cite web|title=Litesa E. Wallace|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Litesa_E._Wallace|access-date=2021-11-11|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}
Career
= Illinois House of Representatives =
Wallace was appointed to the Illinois House of Representatives in August 2014 by the Winnebago County Democratic Party, succeeding Charles E. Jefferson. Wallace had previously served as chief of staff to Jefferson.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-24|title=Jefferson's aide named replacement in Ill. House|url=https://apnews.com/article/elections-illinois-rockford-pat-quinn-72d07664c4594f4499167fd02b0c1c98|access-date=2021-11-11|website=AP NEWS|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-11-10|title=Litesa Wallace brings high-level political experience to race for Bustos’ seat in Congress|url=https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/former-illinois-state-rep-litesa-wallace-is-4th-democrat-to-run-for-17th-district-seat/|access-date=2021-11-18|website=WHBF - OurQuadCities.com|language=en-US}}
= 2018 Illinois gubernatorial campaign and aftermath =
{{see also|2018 Illinois gubernatorial election}}
Wallace ran for lieutenant governor of Illinois in the 2018 Democratic primary alongside State Senator Daniel Biss, replacing Biss's initial pick, Chicago alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa.{{cite news|last1=Vinicky|first1=Amanda|title=Daniel Biss Replaces Ramirez-Rosa with Rep. Litesa Wallace|url=http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/09/08/daniel-biss-replaces-ramirez-rosa-rep-litesa-wallace|accessdate=25 January 2018|work=Chicago Tonight|agency=WTTW|date=8 September 2017|language=en}} In a video announcing the joint ticket, Wallace commented that she and Biss had both "fought for childcare assistance, a $15 minimum wage, to expand healthcare, and to make millionaires pay their fair share."{{cite news|title=Biss picks Rep. Litesa Wallace as his new running mate|url=https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/biss-picks-rep-litesa-wallace-as-his-new-running-mate/article_181a83aa-94bd-11e7-ba3d-fbcb04cb2a11.html|accessdate=9 October 2017|work=Illinois News Network|date=8 September 2017|language=en}} Biss and Wallace lost the Democratic primary to J. B. Pritzker and his running mate Julianna Stratton.{{cite news|last=Sfondeles|first=Tina|title=J.B. Pritzker runs away with Democratic nomination for governor|date=March 21, 2018|accessdate=January 13, 2019|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/j-b-pritzker-runs-away-with-democratic-gov-nomination/}}
In the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, Wallace was a supporter of Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign.{{Cite web|title=Bernie Sanders 2020 Rolls Out List of Endorsements from Across the Country|url=https://blog.4president.org/2020/2019/10/bernie-sanders-2020-rolls-out-list-of-endorsements-from-across-the-country.html|access-date=2021-11-18|website=2020 Presidential Campaign Blog}}
= 2022 congressional election =
{{see also|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois#District 17}}
In November 2021, Wallace declared her candidacy for Illinois's 17th congressional district in the 2022 election.{{Cite web|last=Hayden|first=Sarah|title=Former Illinois State Rep. Litesa Wallace announces bid for Illinois' 17th Congressional District|url=https://qctimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/former-illinois-state-rep-litesa-wallace-announces-bid-for-illinois-17th-congressional-district/article_f2130348-103d-5d97-942b-e487e3c1f460.html|access-date=2021-11-11|website=The Quad-City Times|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=98&MemberID=2071 Illinois General Assembly Page]
- [http://www.staterepwallace.com Official Website Rep Litesa Wallace]
- [https://www.litesawallaceforcongress.com/ Litesa Wallace for Congress]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, Litesa E.}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:African-American state legislators in Illinois
Category:African-American women in politics
Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
Category:Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
Category:Northern Illinois University alumni
Category:Politicians from Rockford, Illinois
Category:Western Illinois University alumni
Category:Women state legislators in Illinois
Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly