IAR members – When you head to the polls to vote in the Nov. 4 general election, the Illinois REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) encourages you to vote for incumbents Sen. Andy Manar (D) and Sen. Mike Jacobs (D).  Deemed “Opportunity Races,” by the RPAC Trustees, these candidates are pro-business, pro-private property rights, low tax and pro-growth on issues that affect the business of real estate.

Sen. Andy Manar

48th District
The 48th Senate District is from Sangamon and Macon counties in the north, to Madison County in the south. It includes all or part of the cities of Blue Mound, Carlinville, Decatur, Hillsboro, Litchfield, Rochester, Springfield, Staunton and Taylorville.

First elected to the state senate in 2012, Manar has tackled the tough issue of education funding. As the co-chairman of the Senate Advisory Committee on Education Funding, he sought additional funding for schools and a fairer system. Starting as a Macoupin County elected official and continuing today, he has worked to improve economic development in his district. He has been heavily involved in the Macoupin Economic Development Partnership, a public-private partnership in which local businesses share expertise to make government more efficient.

He serves on the Senate Agriculture and Conservation, Appropriations I, Appropriations II, Higher Education, State Government & Veterans Affairs, and Executive Appointments committees.

Manar began his political career as a city councilman in Bunker Hill in 1997, and later became Bunker Hill’s mayor in 2001. He next served as a Macoupin County Board member in 2003, and became chairman in 2004.  He is the former chief of staff for Illinois Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago (Sixth District).

Sen. Mike Jacobs

36th District
The 36th Senate District is in western Illinois and includes all or parts of the cities of East Moline, Moline, Rock Island, Rock Falls and Sterling.

Jacobs began as a state senator in 2005.

He co-sponsored an IAR-supported bill, Senate Bill 336, to provide tools to local governments statewide to get vacant homes back on the tax rolls. This property tax assessment freeze will give incentives to home buyers or investors to undertake rehabilitation efforts in targeted areas.

Jacobs has worked with the IAR and other business groups in efforts to streamline asbestos regulation in Illinois.

Jacobs represents the fourth generation of his family to serve in the Illinois General Assembly.  He is the chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, and he’s on the Agriculture and Conservation, Appropriations II, Insurance and Executive Appointment committees.

The East Moline resident is a former liaison to Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, managing facilities and functions in 14 northwest Illinois counties from 1999 to 2005.  Jacobs also owned a public affairs firm specializing in political campaigns, elections and research from 1989 to 1997.

Read the previous Opportunity Race story about REALTORS® Sam Yingling and Mark Batinick.

(Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. The Illinois REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) collects contributions from members of the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) for political activities. A portion of each contribution will be used for state political activities; at least 30 percent will be used for federal campaign purposes. The federal portion will be charged against an individual’s federal contribution limits under 2 USC 441a. Contributions are VOLUNTARY and refusal to contribute does not affect membership rights. A member may contribute more or less than the suggested amount. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board’s official website www.elections.il.gov or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.)