Robert Vrankovich
Carol Stream Republican Robert Vrankovich is running to succeed longtime GOP lawmaker Amy Grant, who is retiring from her 47th state House district seat.
“Illinois is my home, and I will help reverse the course Springfield has set,” Vrankovich said in a release announcing his candidacy. “It’s time to cut taxes and costs, make our communities safer, and turn Illinois into a business-friendly state where families can thrive.”
Vrankovich is an entrepreneur who touts having built a propane startup with zero customers 25 years ago into a national operation that now generates more than $110 million annually. He says current policies work against working families.
“Springfield is making life unaffordable for families across Illinois,” Vrankovich said. “The endless taxes and runaway spending are driving families and businesses out of our state. We should be making it easier to start and grow a business in Illinois, but instead, they’ve created one of the most hostile environments for job creators in the country. I’m running to change that.”
Vrankovich is hoping to succeed Grant, who announced her current term will be her last and plans to bow out in 2027. Grant first served on the DuPage County Board and then won four elections to the Illinois House.
On the Democratic side, Wheaton City Council member Erica Bray-Parker has launched a campaign to turn the seat blue.
Bray-Parker, a teacher at Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream, has been on the Wheaton council since 2019. She holds one of the two council at-large positions, which represent all of Wheaton.
Candidates can begin filing their nomination papers to get their names on the ballot on Oct. 27. The primary election is in March.
The 47th district includes all or parts of Bartlett, Carol Stream, Lisle, Naperville, Warrenville, Wheaton and Winfield.
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