Walter Dudycz
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Walter Dudycz
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name_lang = uk
| native_name = {{nobold|Володимир Дудич}}
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|3|11}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, United States
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = Legislator
}}
Walter W. Dudycz{{efn|{{langx|uk|Володимир Василь Дудич|{{transliteration|uk|ukrainian|Volodymyr Vasyl Dudych}}}}}} (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. Dudycz was a veteran of the United States Army and served during the Vietnam War.{{Cite web |last=Marszałek |first=Joanna |date=2022-03-24 |title=Walter Dudycz, były senator stanowy ukraińskiego pochodzenia, do Polonii: Wasza hojność porusza mnie do łez |url=https://dziennikzwiazkowy.com/polonia/walter-dudycz-byly-senator-stanowy-ukrainskiego-pochodzenia-do-polonii-wasza-hojnosc-porusza-mnie-do-lez/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Dziennik Związkowy {{!}} Polish Daily News |language=pl-PL}} After the war, he became a detective with the Chicago Police Department.{{Cite news |last=Jr |first=R. w Apple |last2=Times |first2=Special To the New York |date=1990-11-01 |title=THE 1990 CAMPAIGN; Fierce Fight for Illinois Seat Pits Old Against New |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/01/us/the-1990-campaign-fierce-fight-for-illinois-seat-pits-old-against-new.html |access-date=2023-12-27 |issn=0362-4331}} Dudycz was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1984. Dudycz earned a bachelor's degree from Northeastern Illinois University.Illinois blue book, 1997-1998 Biographical Sketch of Walter W. Dudycz pg 77 In 1990, Dudycz ran for the United States House of Representatives against longtime Democratic incumbent Frank Annunzio, but lost.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Bryan|title=Mr. Dudycz Goes for Washington|date=October 18, 1990|newspaper=Chicago Reader|accessdate=December 30, 2018|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mr-dudycz-goes-for-washington/Content?oid=876496}} 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.{{cite news|last=Long|first=Ray|title=Dudycz won't seek re-election to Senate|date=December 14, 2001|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=December 30, 2018|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-12-14-0112140314-story.html}}
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.{{cite web|title=Press Release - Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Illinois Delegate And Alternate Slate|editor-first1=Gerhard|editor-last1=Peters|editor-first2=John T.|editor-last2=Woolley|work=The American Presidency Project|date=November 8, 2007|publisher=University of California, Santa Barbara|access-date=August 20, 2021|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/press-release-governor-mitt-romney-announces-the-illinois-delegate-and-alternate-slate|archive-date=August 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821034604/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/press-release-governor-mitt-romney-announces-the-illinois-delegate-and-alternate-slate|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Dudycz is married to Oksana.Illinois blue book, 1985-1986 Biographical Sketch of Walter W. Dudycz pg 70 He had two daughters; one of whom is writer Valya Dudycz Lupescu.
Notes
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References
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Category:Republican Party Illinois state senators
Category:Politicians from Chicago
Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Category:Military personnel from Illinois
Category:Northeastern Illinois University alumni
Category:American politicians of Ukrainian descent
Category:American police detectives
Category:Chicago Police Department officers
Category:20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly
Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly