Dennis Cook to run for statewide office

by Meg Sullivan
staff reporter

Consolidated District 230 Board of Education President Dennis Cook announced last week he will run for the Republican nomination for either Illinois state comptroller or lieutenant governor in 2010.

Cook said he will reach his decision sometime between July 20 and Aug. 1.

"I'm exploring it. I've been thinking about this for the last year and a half. It is time for leadership in Illinois that will break with the past and offer voters a new way forward," said Cook, 31, of Orland Park. "It is time for a new generation of leaders here in Illinois — and I want to be one of those leaders."

During a recent speech in Lem-ont, Cook admonished the state's current political leadership. "After years of scandal and mismanagement we have a state teetering on economic collapse and an electorate that has become increasingly apathetic," he said. "The cycle of corruption that has poisoned Springfield has also undermined Illinoisans faith in their elected officials and in the legislative process."

Cook added that in 2007, Illinois had a $4 billion increase in revenue over the previous year, but still ended up in debt.

"Any state would be envious of that, but we are still in debt."

Cook believes in order to regain fiscal responsibility in Illinois, there needs to be better leadership.

"I have something to bring to the table, a fresh face, I will open up the lines of communication," he said.

In 2003, Cook became the youngest person ever elected to the Consolidated High School District 230 Board, one of the largest school districts in Illinois with nearly 10,000 students and an annual budget of more than $135 million. Two years later, Cook was elected to serve as president of the District 230 School Board, making him the district's youngest president at 27 years old.

"I am honored to serve as the Consolidated District 230 Board of Education president and I am proud of my record," he said. "During my time on the Board, three of the district's high schools have been ranked among some of the top public schools in the nation. During my time on the Board, we have also learned what the politicians in Springfield can't seem to learn — how to live within our budget. Indeed, the district now enjoys a $3 million surplus."

Cook is also very passionate about the Republican Party. "I am not only proud of my record of public service — I am also proud of my party," he said. "The Republican Party represents the best hope for a better tomorrow for Illinois. We have seen what the effects of unchecked one party rule have been and they are nothing short of disastrous."

Cook, who has been active in the Republican Party since he was a teenager said, "I was drawn to the Republican Party because of the values our party stands for — a commitment to limited government, a respect for tradition, a fundamental faith in the power of individuals, an unwavering belief in the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans and an unshakable trust in the power of the free market."

"Those core values are timeless," he added. "It's not a question about whether we as a party are too conservative or not conservative enough — it's a question of leadership. Leadership that understands the core values that made our party great and leadership that knows how to apply those timeless principles to the challenges that face our state today."

Cook is married and has a daughter, Maggie.

This is part of the July 2, 2009 online edition of The Regional.

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