SPRINGFIELD — State Representative Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) was sworn into a fourth term in the Illinois House of Representatives Wednesday at a ceremony held at the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Sangamon Auditorium.
The House of Representatives of the new 101st General Assembly includes 74 Democrats and 44 Republicans, and Demmer will represent approximately 110,000 residents from northwestern Illinois’ Ogle, Lee, DeKalb and LaSalle Counties. During the inauguration ceremony, Representative Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago) was re-elected Speaker of the House and Representative Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) was re-elected House Minority Leader.
“As we enter this new General Assembly, I look forward to many opportunities for bipartisanship that can lead Illinois down a better path toward economic prosperity,” said Demmer. “We face many challenges, but our best work takes place when we set partisanship aside and work collaboratively.”

Demmer pointed to several bills from the previous General Assembly that were approved with bipartisan support and are now law, and said, “We came together on several instances to enact meaningful reforms to health care delivery systems and to approve measures that addressed public safety. I am hopeful that same spirit of cooperation can be used to address other pressing issues, such as pension debt and the need for term limits and fair maps.”
Within the House Republican Caucus, Demmer serves on the nine-member leadership team as Deputy Republican Leader. As the second-highest-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, Demmer will have a key voice in setting the House Republican agenda for the next two years. He was elevated to the position of Deputy Leader in July of 2018 after previously serving as the House Republican Caucus Chair.
As the 118 members of the General Assembly begin their work, Demmer is finalizing a comprehensive 2019 legislative agenda that focuses on improving access an delivery of health care services, protects taxpayers, eases consolidation processes and improves government operations.
Residents of the 90th District can learn more about legislation sponsored by Demmer during the spring legislative session on his website at www.tomdemmer.org.