Former state Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, a Republican who represented the state's 65th district, died Dec. 30, according to Personal PAC CEO and President Terry Cosgrove, a close friend. She was 73.
Mulligan was in office from 1993-2013, and a supporter of LGBT rights at a time when it was an especially risky stance in her party. She came into office after defeating former state Rep. Penny Pullen in 1992. Mulligan had lost the previous election to Pullen by just a few votes.
"I think it was time for a change, and people were stunned that I would beat her [in 1992]," Mulligan told Windy City Times in 2008. "When I first ran, it was a lot of issues—she wasn't good on education and other issues—but choice was the one that was highlighted. But a little while into it, gay rights came up. … [Pullen] said that gay and lesbian people don't impact our community and don't live here. That isn't true. There are a lot of gay people who live in the suburbs, and there are a lot of parents that live here.
"I think there are a lot of people who came to my campaign because of issues I didn't realize in the beginning were here, but turned out to be," Mulligan added.
Following redistricting, when Mulligan's district was renumbered from 55th to 65th, she did not have enough qualifying petitions to run in November 2012. State Rep. Martin Moylan now represents the area.
Mulligan remained active politically even after she left the legislature. She continued as Republican Committeeman of Maine Township until March 2014, drawing the ire of local Republicans in 2012 when she endorsed Moylan, a Democrat. She also served on the Des Plaines Library Board of Trustees, to which she had recently been reappointed.
Mulligan was a firm pro-choice advocate who worked closely with Cosgrove.
"[She] was a real trailblazer and made it so much easier as a moderate Republican for Springfield to discuss and act on abortion rights and LGBT rights," he said. "… She understood more than most that the only purpose of anti-abortion restrictions was to stop as many women as possible from getting an abortion, which lead to her vocal opposition to mandatory 'parental notice of abortion' and restrictions on funding for poor women seeking an abortion."
Cosgrove added that Mulligan's advocacy of LGBT rights paved the way for other state legislators to comfortably vote for issues such non-discrimination legislation, civil unions and marriage equality.
"Rosemary Mulligan was afraid of no one and the people of Illinois are the ultimate beneficiaries of her fearless defense of equality and fairness," he said.
Activist Rick Garcia called Mulligan's death a "devastating loss." He noted, "She was an old-time, big tent Republican at a time when that was no longer in fashion. Penny Pullen was an active opponent to LGBT rights, and when Rosemary beat her, it was phenomenal—it showed that a strong advocate for LGBT rights could win election as a Republican."
State Rep. Greg Harris added, "She saw the future coming, and knew what was right. She was always a beacon of fairness, and a moderate, at a time when a lot of her colleagues were not. She never backed down and was a fighter."
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz recalled her time working with Mulligan, when Mulligan was Minority Spokesperson on the Human Services Appropriations Committee, which Feigenholtz chaired.
"She had a tremendous wealth of knowledge about state issues," she added. "We had a very collaborative relationship, and I learned a lot about the budget from her. I'm appreciative of the sacrifices she made, and that her family made, so that she could serve in office—she was a workhorse, not a show horse, like many politicians. …We have lost part of the tapestry of gay rights."
Memorial services are planned for Wednesday, January 7, 4-9 p.m. public visitation at Oehler Funeral Home, 2099 Miner St., Des Plaines. www.dignitymemorial.com/oehler-funeral-home-des-plaines/en-us/index.page .
