Richard Irvin (Illinois politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Irvin
Mayor of Aurora
Incumbent
Assumed office May 9, 2017
Preceded by	Bob O'Connor
Personal details
Born	(1970-03-29) March 29, 1970 (age 55) Aurora, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	Robert Morris College (BA) Northern Illinois University (JD)

Richard C. Irvin is an American lawyer and politician. He is currently the mayor of Aurora, Illinois. In 2022, he ran to become the Republican candidate for Illinois Governor. Mr. Irvin is a veteran of the Gulf War and has also worked as a teacher and a lawyer.

Richard Irvin's Early Life and Education

Richard Irvin was born and grew up in Aurora, Illinois. He was raised by his single mother. He went to East Aurora High School. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army. He served in the Gulf War.

Mr. Irvin earned a bachelor's degree from Robert Morris College. In 1998, he received a law degree (called a J.D.) from the Northern Illinois University College of Law. He also worked as a substitute teacher in the East Aurora School District. Later, he taught as a professor at Robert Morris College and Northern Illinois University.

Richard Irvin's Law Career

After finishing law school, Richard Irvin worked as a prosecutor. He served in the State's Attorney's offices for Cook County and Kane County. As a community prosecutor, he helped to fight crime and improve neighborhoods. Residents said that his work helped to clean up problem areas. In 2003, he started his own law office.

Richard Irvin's Political Journey (2003–2016)

In 2003, Richard Irvin decided to run for Mayor of Aurora. The election was non-partisan, meaning candidates did not officially represent a political party. However, Mr. Irvin had support from Republican politicians. His opponent, Tom Weisner, was supported by Democratic politicians, including then-Senator Barack Obama. In April 2005, Tom Weisner won the election.

In 2007, Mr. Irvin was elected as Alderman At-Large on the Aurora City Council. This was a big step, as he was the first African American to be elected to this position.

In 2008, Irvin ran for mayor again, challenging Mayor Weisner. He spoke about tax increases that Weisner had put in place. In April 2009, Mayor Weisner won re-election, defeating Irvin and another alderman, Stephanie Kifowit.

Richard Irvin Becomes Mayor of Aurora

In 2016, Mayor Weisner decided to step down due to his health. Richard Irvin was one of several people who ran to replace him. Others included state representative Linda Chapa LaVila and alderman Michael Saville.

After a primary election in February 2017, Irvin and Richard "Rick" Guzman moved on to the general election. Irvin focused his campaign on controlling crime and improving education. He won the election by a small margin, with 53% of the votes.

On May 9, 2017, Richard Irvin was sworn in as mayor. He made history as Aurora's first African-American mayor.

On April 6, 2021, Mayor Irvin was re-elected for another four-year term. He won with over 55% of the vote, defeating Alderman Judd Lofchie and John Laesch. A key part of his campaign was improving the economy in Aurora.

Responding to Covid-19

On March 16, 2020, Mayor Irvin declared an emergency because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This gave him special powers to help the city. He supported Governor JB Pritzker's order for people to stay home in March 2020. He also encouraged everyone to wear masks and take other steps to prevent the virus from spreading.

Racial Justice and Policing

In May 2020, there was widespread unrest across the world after the murder of George Floyd. Mayor Irvin spoke out against looting that happened in downtown Aurora. He said that the city would not tolerate destruction. He also put curfews in place to help keep the city safe.

After George Floyd's murder, Mayor Irvin supported several changes to policing in Aurora. These changes included police officers wearing body cameras. He also supported creating a civilian review board. This board would look into complaints about officers.

2022 Pride Parade

In 2022, the organizers of Aurora's Pride parade asked that uniformed police officers not march in the parade. They wanted the parade to be a welcoming place for everyone. Because of this request, Mayor Irvin said he would not attend the parade. He also removed the City's float from the parade.

Days before the parade, the City of Aurora canceled its permit. They said not enough police officers had signed up to work the extra shifts needed for safety. The American Civil Liberties Union had warned Mayor Irvin not to cancel the permit. A judge later supported the city's decision to cancel the permit. However, Aurora officials then offered triple pay to officers, and enough signed up to work the parade.

Richard Irvin's Campaign for Illinois Governor

In December 2021, news came out that a wealthy businessman, Kenneth C. Griffin, planned to support Richard Irvin's campaign for Illinois Governor. Griffin wanted to challenge the current governor, J.B. Pritzker. This news was a surprise to many.

On January 17, 2022, Richard Irvin officially announced his campaign for governor. He said his running mate for Lieutenant Governor would be Illinois State Representative Avery Bourne. To start his campaign, he released a video. The video highlighted his background as a descendant of enslaved people, an Army veteran, and the mayor of Illinois' second-largest city.

Other Republican candidates questioned Irvin's loyalty to the party. They pointed out that he had voted in Democratic primary elections in the past.

While Mayor Irvin gained support from many important Republicans, he did not win over all voters. He lost the primary election, coming in third place out of six candidates. State Senator Darren Bailey won the primary with 57% of the vote.

Richard Irvin's Election History