Judy Baar Topinka | |
|---|---|
 Topinka in 2004 | |
| 7th Comptroller of Illinois | |
| In office January 10, 2011 – December 10, 2014 | |
| Governor | Pat Quinn |
| Preceded by | Daniel Hynes |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Stermer |
| 71st Treasurer of Illinois | |
| In office January 9, 1995 – January 8, 2007 | |
| Governor | Jim Edgar George Ryan Rod Blagojevich |
| Preceded by | Pat Quinn |
| Succeeded by | Alexi Giannoulias |
| Chair of the Illinois Republican Party | |
| In office 2002–2005 | |
| Preceded by | Gary MacDougal |
| Succeeded by | Andrew McKenna |
| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 22nd district | |
| In office January 1985 – January 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Leonard F. Becker |
| Succeeded by | Thomas J. Walsh |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 43rd district | |
| In office January 1983 – January 1985 | |
| Preceded by | George Ryan Ray A. Christensen Edward McBroom |
| Succeeded by | Jack L. Kubik |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 7th district | |
| In office January 1981 – January 1983 Serving with John S. Kociolko, Robert Pechous | |
| Preceded by | Henry Klosak Paul J. Matula |
| Succeeded by | John Cullerton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Judy Baar January 16, 1944 Riverside, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 2014 (aged 70) Berwyn, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Joe Topinka
(m. 1965; div. 1981) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Northwestern University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Judy Baar Topinka (January 16, 1944 – December 10, 2014) was an American politician and member of the Republican Party from the U.S. State of Illinois.
Originally a journalist, Topinka served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1981 to 1985 and in the Illinois Senate from 1985 to 1995. She was elected to three terms as Illinois State Treasurer, serving from 1995 to 2007. She was the first woman to become state treasurer, the first to be elected to three consecutive terms, and the first Republican to hold the post in more than 32 years. During her last term as treasurer, she was the only Republican to hold statewide elected office in Illinois. In 2002, she was elected chair of the Illinois Republican Party, holding that office until 2005.
She declined to run for re-election as treasurer in 2006, instead running for Governor of Illinois. In March 2006, she was nominated as the Republican candidate. She was the second woman (after 1994 Democratic nominee Dawn Clark Netsch) and first Republican woman to be nominated for governor of Illinois.[1] She lost the election to Democratic incumbent Rod Blagojevich.
In 2010, she successfully ran for the office of Illinois Comptroller. She was re-elected to a second four-year term in November 2014, but died of a stroke only a month later.[2][3][4]
- ^ "Biography". Official website. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
- ^ "Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka Dead at 70". NBC 5 Chicago, WMAQ. December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
- ^ Pearson, Rick (December 10, 2014). "Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka dies at age 70". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "Judy Baar Topinka Dies". Chicago Business. December 9, 2014.