Introduction
Melinda Bush (born August 5, 1956) is a member of the Illinois Senate for the 31st district. The 31st district spans northern Lake County and includes all or parts of Zion Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Gages Lake, Winthrop Harbor, Old Mill Creek, Wadsworth, Lindenhurst, Antioch, Waukegan, Gurnee, Beach Park, Grayslake and Lake Villa.
Illinois State Senator
2012 Election
In the general election, Bush faced Joe Neal. She was endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon, Senator Terry Link, Senator Susan Garrett, State Representative Rita Mayfield, the Illinois AFL-CIO, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, the Daily Herald and future general assembly colleague Sam Yingling. On election day, Bush won in a close contest.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Melinda Bush | 42,542 | 51.36 | |
| Republican | Joe Neal | 40,281 | 48.64 | |
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Tenure
Her associated representatives are District 61 representative Sheri Jesiel (R-Winthrop Harbor) and District 62 representative Sam Yingling (D-Round Lake Beach).