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Susana Mendoza

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Susana Mendoza
2018 portrait
10th Comptroller of Illinois
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 5, 2016
GovernorBruce Rauner
JB Pritzker
Preceded byLeslie Munger
City Clerk of Chicago
In office
May 16, 2011 – December 5, 2016
Preceded byMiguel del Valle
Succeeded byAnna Valencia
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 1st district
In office
January 10, 2001 – May 16, 2011
Preceded bySonia Silva
Succeeded byDena Carli
Personal details
Born
Susana A. Mendoza

(1972-05-13) May 13, 1972 (age 53)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
David Szostak
​
(m. 2011)​
EducationTruman State University (BA)
WebsiteGovernment website
Association football career
Position(s) Midfielder[1]
Youth career
1986–1990 Bolingbrook Raiders
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1994 Northeast Missouri
State Bulldogs		 68 (10)

Susana A. Mendoza (born May 13, 1972) is an American politician. She is the 10th and current Comptroller of Illinois, taking office on December 5, 2016. She previously served as the City Clerk of Chicago from 2011 to 2016. Mendoza is a member of the Democratic Party, was the first Latina to be elected to the position of Illinois Comptroller, and is the highest ranking Hispanic elected official in Illinois. In 2022, Mendoza was the state of Illinois' top vote getter.

Mendoza was first elected as Illinois State Representative in 2000 and served six terms. In February 2011, she was elected City Clerk of Chicago, becoming the first woman to hold this position. She was twice elected City Clerk and served for five years before successfully running for the role of Illinois Comptroller in 2016. Mendoza ran unsuccessfully in the 2019 Chicago mayoral election.

Early life and education

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Mendoza was born in Chicago to Joaquin and Susana Mendoza, immigrants from Mexico who arrived in the 1960s.[2] Due to violence in her Little Village neighborhood, her family relocated to Woodridge and later Bolingbrook, Illinois, during her childhood.[3]

Mendoza completed her high school education at Bolingbrook High School in 1990, achieving All-State and All-Midwest honors in varsity soccer then pursued higher education at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University), where she attended on a combined soccer and academic scholarship, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.[4][5] During her college soccer career, from 1990 to 1994, she redshirted the 1993 season due to an injury sustained in the first game.[1] Over her collegiate career, she made 68 appearances, scoring 10 goals and assisting another 10 for the Lady Bulldogs, also earning All-Midwest Honors.[6]

After graduating, Mendoza returned to Chicago's Little Village neighborhood with her family. She began working full-time in the hospitality industry and later as an account executive at an advertising firm. In her free time, she became actively involved in community organizing within her neighborhood, which marked the start of her engagement in Chicago politics.[7]

Career

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State representative

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In 1998, Mendoza ran for office in the 1st Legislative District with the support of the regular Democratic Organization but narrowly lost to independent progressive incumbent Sonia Silva, who was backed by House Speaker Mike Madigan.[8][9] In 2000, with endorsements from Mayor Daley and the Hispanic Democratic Organization, Mendoza ran a second time to secure a position as an Illinois State Representative. At 28, she became the youngest member of the 92nd Illinois General Assembly.[10]

Mendoza was Chairwoman of the International Trade and Commerce Committee, Vice-chairwoman of the Bio-Technology Committee and was a member of the Labor, Public Utilities and Railroad Industry committees of the House.[11] Mendoza served as co-chairwoman of the Conference of Women Legislators, and also co-founded the first Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus.[11]

Mendoza served as an Illinois Democratic delegate in the primary elections for presidential candidates Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004.[12] In 2002, she visited the African countries of Uganda and Tanzania as a delegate for the American Council of Young Political Leaders.[13] In June 2004, the State Department sent Mendoza to Brazil where she participated in a series of debates in which she represented the National Democratic Party's 2004 presidential platform.[13] In 2010, Mendoza was a member of a delegation of U.S. elected women from across the nation selected by the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State, who served as official Election Observers of the Iraqi elections in Baghdad.[14][15]

City Clerk of Chicago (2011–2016)

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Mendoza was the first woman elected City Clerk in Chicago.

Mendoza was the first woman to hold the position of City Clerk in Chicago.[16]As the 43rd City Clerk of Chicago, Mendoza used technology to modernize and improve city services, such as an online document management system and year-round city vehicle sticker sales. She also worked to modernize the city's infrastructure, including expanding services for minority and immigrant communities.[17]

After her election in 2011, she managed an office that generated over $100 million annually from vehicle sticker sales. She reformed the city's vehicle sticker sales from an annual event in place since 1908, to a year-round system, achieving an annual savings of approximately $4 million.[18]

She initiated the Companion Animal and Consumer Protection Ordinance, which prohibited Chicago pet stores from selling dogs, cats, or rabbits unless sourced from humane shelters or animal rescues.[19]

Illinois Comptroller (2016–present)

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Mendoza assumed office as the Illinois Comptroller after a special election in December 2016. Since taking office, she has focused on improving Illinois' financial transparency and reducing its budget deficit. She has led efforts to streamline the state’s financial reporting processes and modernize its accounting systems

Mendoza focused on paying down the state’s $16.7 billion backlog of unpaid bills; targeting the bills on which she could get federal matching funds. By April of 2021, she paid the backlog down to $3.5 billion. The backlog has stayed under $3 billion since later that year, helping usher in nine credit rating upgrades from the bond rating agencies.

ran for Illinois Comptroller in the 2016 special election, defeating the Republican incumbent Leslie Munger by 5% of the votes cast.[20][21]

In her inaugural year, Mendoza spearheaded the Debt Transparency Act, which mandates monthly debt reports from state agencies. Despite being vetoed by the governor, the legislation passed after receiving unanimous support in the House of Representatives and a substantial majority in the State Senate.

Mendoza was elected during a special election to fill out the remaining two years of the term won by the late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.[21]

Mendoza was re-elected as comptroller in 2018, securing nearly 60% of the vote against Republican nominee Darlene Senger.[22] In 2020, editorials in major state newspapers cited the transparency portal she developed as Comptroller, which tracked how Illinois spent every penny of federal COVID-19 relief money, and urged their own states to follow her example.[23][24][25]

2019 Chicago mayoral candidacy

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Main article: 2019 Chicago mayoral election
Mayoral candidates at a forum in December 2018; L–R: Paul Vallas, Willie Wilson, Mendoza, Gerry McCarthy, Toni Preckwinkle, Amara Enyia, La Shawn Ford, and Lori Lightfoot

On November 2, 2018, a video from Mendoza's campaign became public, showing her plans to run for Mayor of Chicago in 2019 while she was also seeking re-election as comptroller.[26][27] She officially announced her mayoral candidacy on November 14, aiming to succeed Mayor Rahm Emanuel.[10]

On December 14, 2018, another mayoral candidate, Toni Preckwinkle, contested Mendoza's 12,500 petition signatures required for ballot eligibility, citing potential fraud and inconsistencies.[28] However, after a verification process, Preckwinkle withdrew her challenge on December 19, acknowledging that Mendoza had secured over 13,000 valid signatures.[29]

MDuring the early stages of her campaign, Mendoza was one of the leading candidates in both polling and fundraising.[30] Public polls in late 2018 frequently showed Mendoza and Preckwinkle as the frontrunners.[31][32] However, by January 2019, Mendoza's standing in polls fluctuated, and by February, she was not leading in any polls.[33][34]

Preckwinkle and Mendoza, along with several candidates were linked to Alderman Edward M. Burke which influenced the mayoral race.[30][35] She aimed to garner significant support from Hispanic voters and did receive the most support from this group in the first round of voting, although Hispanic voter turnout was notably low.[36] In the end, she received the highest support among Hispanic voters of any candidate in the first round.[37] However, Hispanic voter turnout was low.[37]

Mendoza's campaign was endorsed by labor activist Dolores Huerta[38] and LIUNA Chicago Laborers’ District Council.[39]

In mid-February, Mendoza and fellow contender Lori Lightfoot criticized Preckwinkle for holding a women-centered campaign rally, accusing her of portraying herself as a victim in light of a scandal involving her former chief of staff.[40] Mendoza also critiqued another candidate, William M. Daley, which journalist Gregory Pratt later noted had impacted Daley's campaign negatively among union members.[41]

Mendoza finished fifth in the primary election with 9.05% of the vote and did not advance to the runoff. On March 23, 2019, she endorsed Lori Lightfoot for mayor in the subsequent runoff election.[42]

Personal life

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In December 2011, Mendoza married David Szostak, who attended Bolingbrook High School with her.[43] In 2012, their son was born.[43]

She serves on the board of advisors of Let America Vote, an organization founded by former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander that aims to end voter suppression.[44]

Electoral history

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2000 Illinois State House 1st district Democratic primary[45]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza 4,343 55.16
Democratic Sonia Silva (incumbent) 3,530 44.84
Total votes 7,873 100
2000 Illinois State House 1st district election[46]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza 10,054 100.00
Total votes 10,054 100
2002 Illinois State House 1st district Democratic primary[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 5,989 100.00
Total votes 5,989 100
2002 Illinois State House 1st district election[48]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 7,456 100.00
Total votes 7,456 100
2004 Illinois State House 1st district Democratic primary[49]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 3,888 100.00
Total votes 3,888 100
2004 Illinois State House 1st district election[50]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 11,264 100.00
Total votes 11,264 100
2006 Illinois State House 1st district Democratic primary[51]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 5,049 100.00
Total votes 5,049 100
2006 Illinois State House 1st district election[52]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 8,669 90.88
Republican Suzanne Ramos 870 9.12
Total votes 9,539 100
2008 Illinois State House 1st district Democratic primary[53]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 7,219 100.00
Total votes 7,219 100
2008 Illinois State House 1st district election[54]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 12,132 100.00
Total votes 12,132 100
2010 Illinois State House 1st district Democratic primary[55]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 4,226 100.00
Total votes 4,226 100
2010 Illinois State House 1st district election[56]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 7,210 100.00
Total votes 7,210 100
2011 Chicago City Clerk election[57]
Party Candidate Votes %
nonpartisan election Susana Mendoza 324,742 59.83
nonpartisan election Patricia Horton 217,993 40.17
write-in George Sims 5 0.00
Total votes 542,740 100
2015 Chicago City Clerk election[58]
Party Candidate Votes %
nonpartisan election Susana Mendoza (incumbent) 392,099 99.98
write-in Marc Loveless 68 0.02
Total votes 392,167 100
2016 Illinois Comptroller special election Democratic primary[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza 1,626,175 100.00
Total votes 1,626,175 100
2016 Illinois Comptroller special election[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana Mendoza 2,676,244 49.45
Republican Leslie Geissler Munger (incumbent) 2,404,723 44.43
Libertarian Claire Ball 187,017 3.46
Green Tim Curtin 144,559 2.59
Total votes 5,412,543 100
2018 Illinois Comptroller Democratic primary[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana A. Mendoza (incumbent) 1,147,095 100.00
Total votes 1,147,095 100
2018 Illinois Comptroller election[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susana A. Mendoza (incumbent) 2,716,853 59.90
Republican Darlene Senger 1,678,346 37.00
Libertarian Claire Ball 140,543 3.10
Write-In Mary Arline Vann-Metcalf 17 0.00
Total votes 4,535,759 100
2019 Chicago mayoral election
Candidate General Election[60] Run-off Election[61]
Votes % Votes %
Lori Lightfoot 97,667 17.54 386,039 73.70
Toni Preckwinkle 89,343 16.04 137,765 26.30
William Daley 82,294 14.78
Willie Wilson 59,072 10.61
Susana Mendoza 50,373 9.05
Amara Enyia 44,589 8.00
Jerry Joyce 40,099 7.20
Gery Chico 34,521 6.20
Paul Vallas 30,236 5.43
Garry McCarthy 14,784 2.66
La Shawn K. Ford 5,606 1.01
Robert "Bob" Fioretti 4,302 0.77
John Kolzar 2,349 0.42
Neal Sales-Griffin 1,523 0.27
Write-ins 86 0.02
Total 556,844 100 523,804 100

References

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  1. ^ a b "1994 Lady Bulldogs Women's Soccer Media Guide" (PDF). Truman Bulldogs. 1994. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  2. ^ https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/july-2017/susana-mendoza/
  3. ^ https://depauliaonline.com/24214/politics/mendoza-makes-case-comptrollers-race/
  4. ^ "Bolingbrook grad Mendoza announces Chicago mayor run". The Herald. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  5. ^ "State Comptroller Susana Mendoza Running for Chicago Mayor". WTTW. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  6. ^ "Individual Career History" (PDF). Truman Bulldogs. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  7. ^ https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/july-2017/susana-mendoza/
  8. ^ https://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=8a400712-f1fb-44ee-a95b-d42746678e1f
  9. ^ Lutton, Linda (3 September 1998). "War on independents: Was Jesus Garcia beaten by a new machine? How many more progressives are being targeted for removal?". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Eight days after winning comptroller election, Susana Mendoza announces run for Chicago mayor". Chicago Tribune. November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Illinois General Assembly – Representative Susana Mendoza". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  12. ^ "Susana A. Mendoza, Illinois Comptroller, to be Feature Speaker at the 2018 IPPFA Illinois Pension Conference". IPPFA.org. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Our Campaigns – Susana Mendoza". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  14. ^ http://salem-news.com/articles/march082010/iraq_women.php
  15. ^ https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/from-illinois-frontlines-to-iraqs-frontline/2091218/
  16. ^ "Mendoza to become first female city clerk". ABC. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  17. ^ "Chicago blows through police OT budget by $23 million". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  18. ^ https://www.chicagotribune.com/2014/07/15/chicago-to-start-ticketing-cars-with-lapsed-vehicle-stickers-at-midnight/
  19. ^ "Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 4–384 by adding new Section 015 to regulate retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits". Office of the City Clerk. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  20. ^ Pearson, Rick (22 September 2015). "City Clerk Mendoza gets major union backing in state comptroller bid". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  21. ^ a b Sotonoff, Jamie (8 November 2016). "Mendoza beats Munger in Illinois comptroller race bid". Daily Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  22. ^ Illinois State Board of Elections. "Election Results: General Election – 11/6/2018".
  23. ^ https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2020/05/30/Disclose-supply-spending-transparency-government-purchases/stories/202005290034
  24. ^ https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2020/06/02/why-the-secrecy-florida-and-other-states-slow-to-reveal-covid-19-spending-editorial/
  25. ^ https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/our-state-needs-to-improve-covid-spending-transparency-to-increase-public-trust/
  26. ^ "Susana Mendoza video leaks out declaring 'I'm running for mayor of Chicago'". Chicago Sun-Times. November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  27. ^ "Video clip leaks of state Comptroller Susana Mendoza announcing run for Chicago mayor". Chicago Tribune. November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  28. ^ Schulte, Sarah (December 14, 2018). "Toni Preckwinkle challenges Susana Mendoza's petitions in Chicago mayoral race". abc7chicago.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  29. ^ "Preckwinkle drops challenge to Mendoza's ballot signatures". wgntv.com. December 19, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  30. ^ a b "Will Toni Preckwinkle's woes boost Susana Mendoza in mayoral race?". Chicago Reporter. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  31. ^ Kapos, Shia; Hurst, Adrienne. "POLL: PRECKWINKLE, MENDOZA top field — JOYCE's petitions— PRITZKER panel targets TRUMP". POLITICO. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  32. ^ "Preckwinkle, Mendoza favorites to face off in mayoral runoff, CFL poll shows". Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  33. ^ "Poll jam: Preckwinkle, Daley inch ahead as all 14 struggle to crack 13 percent". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  34. ^ "Mendoza poll shows Preckwinkle dropping after being dragged into Burke scandal". Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  35. ^ Konkol, Mark (29 January 2019). "Mayoral Candidate Susana Mendoza Can't Be Taken Seriously Anymore". Patch. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  36. ^ McClell, Edward (14 May 2019). "How Lori Lightfoot Beat the Machine". Chicago magazine. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  37. ^ a b Serrato, Jacqueline (29 March 2019). "Latinx voters could determine the next mayor of Chicago, if they show up". Chicago Reporter. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  38. ^ "Dolores Huerta Endorses Susana Mendoza". nbcchicago.com. December 5, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  39. ^ "LIUNA Chicago Endorses Susana Mendoza for Mayor". susanamendoza.com. January 7, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  40. ^ Perez, Juan, Jr. (19 February 2019). "Lori Lightfoot, Susana Mendoza go after Toni Preckwinkle on sexual harassment allegations: 'She has not been fair to victims'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  41. ^ Pratt, Gregory Royal (2024). The City is Up for Grabs: How Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Led and Lost a City in Crisis. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-1641605991.
  42. ^ "Susana Mendoza endorses Lori Lightfoot for Chicago Mayor". ABC7 Chicago. WLS-TV. 24 March 2019.
  43. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference fam was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  44. ^ "Advisors". Let America Vote. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  45. ^ "Election Results 2000 GENERAL PRIMARY". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  46. ^ "Election Results 2000 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  47. ^ "Election Results 2002 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  48. ^ "Election Results 2002 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  49. ^ "Election Results 2004 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  50. ^ "Election Results 2004 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  51. ^ "Election Results 2006 GENERAL PRIMARY". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  52. ^ "Election Results 2006 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  53. ^ "Election Results 2008 GENERAL PRIMARY". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  54. ^ "Election Results 2008 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  55. ^ "Election Results 2010 GENERAL PRIMARY". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  56. ^ "Election Results". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  57. ^ "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE FEBRUARY 22, 2011 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL OF THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO" (PDF). Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  58. ^ "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE FEBRUARY 24, 2015 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL OF THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO" (PDF). Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  59. ^ a b c d "2011 Municipal General – 2/22/11". chicagoelections.gov. Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  60. ^ "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE FEBRUARY 26, 2019 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL OF THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO" (PDF). Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  61. ^ "2019 Municipal Runoffs – 4/2/19". Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Susana Mendoza.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Illinois Comptroller
2016, 2018, 2022 		Most recent
Illinois House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 1st district
2001–2011 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by City Clerk of Chicago
2011–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Comptroller of Illinois
2016–present 		Incumbent
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