Story posted Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Higgins Wins, To Face Mussman In 56th Dist.
Ryan Higgins of Schaumburg is young, but he is coming up fast in Northwest suburban politics.
He used his occupation and the endorsement of Republican Party leaders to soundly beat his former boss, Anita Forte-Scott, for the 56th District House of Representatives seat in the Republican primary on Tuesday.
With almost all of the precincts reporting, the 28-year-old Higgins built a substantial lead over Forte-Scott, 4,085 votes to 1,720.
In the November general election in nine months, he will face Democrat Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg. She has kept a low profile so far since she was unopposed in the primary.
Paul Froehlich, the Democratic incumbent, announced last year that he would not seek re-election after serving three terms in the State House.
Higgins' message to voters focused on two themes, conservative fiscal responsibility and job creation.
He is a health care attorney whose expertise on a key issue caught the attention of party leaders in the last two years. Higgins has cut his political teeth as a worker for former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, and he also campaigned for Forte-Scott in 2008. After her defeat to Froehlich in 2008, however, party leaders turned to Higgins to reclaim this House seat.
Higgins was not available for comment by press time for this report this week.
Speak Out!
Comments are edited first by Journal staff before running in print and appearing online.