RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Honorable James R. Thompson has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of 84; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Governor Thompson is survived by his wife, Jayne Carr Thompson, his daughter, Samantha Thompson and granddaughter; and
WHEREAS, Governor Thompson was born on the West Side of Chicago on May 8, 1936 to James Robert Thompson and Agnes Josephine Swanson; and
WHEREAS, In 1976, Thompson was elected governor, winning more than three million votes, a record-setting number of votes that hasn't been surpassed since; and
WHEREAS, Governor Thompson, a moderate Republican known as "Big Jim," who used his enthusiasm for campaigning and his canny understanding of state politics; and
WHEREAS, Thompson served for 14 years after winning an election to a special two-year term and became the longest-serving governor in Illinois history; and
WHEREAS, Before he became governor, Thompson was U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois where he prosecuted notable corruption cases; and
WHEREAS, Governor Thompson's electoral success was due in part to his love for campaigning ensuring he was impeccably prepared when traveling the state to campaign, and walking parade routes twice so he could connect with more voters; and
WHEREAS, During his four terms in office, Governor Thompson spearheaded the Build Illinois infrastructure initiative, and he helped negotiate a new stadium deal that kept the White Sox in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, In the years after his final term came to an end, Governor Thompson was Chairman arid CEO of law firm Winston & Strawn, and he served on the National Commission on Terror Attacks Upon the United States, investigating the 9/11 attacks; and
WHEREAS, "Try as we might, we Democrats just could not beat Big Jim," Senator Dick Durban, an Illinois Democrat, said on twitter; and
WHEREAS, To his beloved family, Honorable James R...
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