Congratulations to State Senator Ann Gillespie of the 27th District, who has been appointed to head the Illinois Department of Insurance by Gov. JB Pritzker. Sen. Gillespie flipped the 27th District during the Blue Wave in 2018, and many of us canvassed and phonebanked to get her elected and then re-elected in 2022. During her term as Senator, she sponsored the bill that created the state-based health insurance marketplace. She has co-sponsored legislation that focuses on protecting health care consumers. Her resignation from her Senate seat leaves a big hole in the Northwest Suburbs. While we will greatly miss her as our State Senator, it's thrilling to see her rise so that her leadership can benefit all Illinoisans.