Dupage Policy Journal

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin honored the life of Jim Ryan in a recent statement.

Ryan was is the last Republican to hold the positions of Illinois attorney general and DuPage County state’s attorney.

"DuPage County and the State of Illinois have lost a true statesman," Cronin said, according to a tweet today from the DuPage County Twitter account. "Jim Ryan was a dedicated public servant, from his tenure as the Illinois attorney general to his service as the DuPage County state's attorney, advocating for the rights of children. He devoted his life to making a positive impact and doing what he believed was right. Perhaps most importantly, Jim was a devoted husband and loving father. We thank him for his service to the county and the state and we will keep his family in our prayers."

Ryan was Illinois attorney general from 1995 to 2002.

"Jim was too honest and authentic for a career in politics but he was as good a public servant as Illinois has ever known," said John Pearman, a longtime top aide for Ryan in the Attorney General's Office. "He never stopped trying to help people -- women, children, crime victims. He was tireless and incorruptible.”

Ryan ran for governor in 2002, a race he lost to Rod Blagojevich who was later imprisoned for trying to trade a U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after he was elected president, according to Ballotpedia.

He later attempted a comeback in 2010 in another run at the governor’s mansion, but came in fourth place behind front runner Bill Brady, who ultimately lost to Pat Quinn.  

Ryan was succeeded as attorney general by Lisa Madigan, whose campaign was heavily financed by her father, Michael Madigan, who is under 22 counts of public indictment, according to the Department of Justice.