By Jeff Vorva
Kelly Burke would love to hand the ball off to fellow Evergreen Park resident Rick Ryan for her 36th District state representative seat.
Palos Hills’ Sonia Khalil would love to intercept those plans.
Ryan and Khalil are battling it out for the spot that Burke held since 2011. They are on the Democratic ballot for the March 19 primary. Oak Lawn’s Christine McGovern will anxiously wait to find out who the winner is and challenge him or her for the spot in the November election. McGovern is running unopposed in the primary on the Republican side.
Burke, also the mayor of Evergreen Park, decided not to run again and threw her support Ryan’s way.
Ryan, 57, has a world of knowledge with elections as he says he has worked on many campaigns over the years. He ran for District 18 state senator in 2000 and lost to Patrick O’Malley.
“I said I wouldn’t run again for anything,” he said. “I was wrong apparently. I’m at a whole different part of my life now.
“I’m at the point in my life now, where I would like to contribute one last thing to our neighborhood. I have about 10 good years in my life that I would like to contribute in a place where my family grew up.”
Khalil, 34, is a Stagg graduate who grew up hoping to make a difference. She is a cancer survivor and that ratcheted up her interest in running.
“Growing up, I told my dad I wanted to be governor someday,” she said. “But I don’t want to be the governor. That’s a definite ‘no.’ But doing something like this was always in the back of my head. It was always there.
“After having cancer, it really wanted me to take my public service to the next level.”
Some of Ryan’s top priorities include healthcare, women’s reproductive rights, having strong unions plus sensible gun and neighborhood safety.
The attorney said that people told him on this campaign that they are most concerned with feeling safe in their area.
“Everyone’s concern is public safety, rising crime and wanting to live in a wonderful place,” he said. “And they want it to be a wonderful place to raise their kids.
“I think we need to go back to respecting our police officers and let them do their job. We certainly need a stronger state’s attorney who will prosecute criminals and hopefully this election, we will get one of those.”
Khalil, an administrative services coordinator, has seen first-hand the disparity in healthcare costs and want a more standard price across the board.
She said she had a medication that cost $1,500 a month at one pharmacy and another cost $25 and delivered it to her house.
The 36th District includes a chunk of Southwest Side neighborhoods as well as Chicago Ridge, Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Palos Hills and Worth.
While knocking on doors, Khalil noticed people had different needs in different areas.
“I hear about healthcare and property taxes,” she said. “When I’m in Beverly, Evergreen, Mt. Greenwood, they are taking about bike paths. Palos Hills and Oak Lawn – they don’t talk about that. I’ve even heard some concerns about rats.
“But healthcare and property taxes you hear throughout the district. These are important things that I would work on.”