Dan Duffy certainly is not the first politician to originate in Chicago's South Side.
But he may be the first Republican.
The youngest of 11 children, Duffy grew up in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood (home to the famed South Side Irish Parade, a favorite pastime of Duffy's). He may still have strong connections to the neighborhood, but the politics of the area did not rub off on him.
"I grew up on the South Side of Chicago; there are no Republicans," Duffy said. "The first time my mother ever voted for a Republican was when she voted for me."
Following a career running his own computer consulting company, Duffy was elected to the Illinois State Senate representing the state's 26th district in November 2008.
He recently sat down to answer questions from Lake County Journal reporter Colin Selbo.

Selbo: When you entered office in January, you were immediately given the task of how do you deal with Rod Blagojevich. I imagine that had to be a daunting task to deal with your first week in office.
Duffy: It was definitely coming in and learning by fire ... As I always say, it was a very sad time in our state's history to have to go through this. But this is a necessary chapter that we had to write. It's something that we had to take care of right away. So, coming into office and getting sworn in by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the governor presided over that ceremony. Then the governor walked out, literally, the back door of the chamber. The president of the Senate, Cullerton, asked us if the families could leave the floor ... He called back in the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and at the same spot where the governor was just standing 10 minutes earlier, the chief justice of the Supreme Court asked us all to raise our right hand and swore us in as the first ever impeachment tribunal ... To me, I was thinking, 'Man, I bet [Blagojevich] isn't even in his car yet. And you're standing in the same spot he was 10 minutes earlier and saying, you're all in? Great. Now you're all part of the first ever impeachment tribunal.' So, it was wild.

Selbo: What needs to be done to stop corruption in Illinois. Is this something we're just stuck with, and has it become a culture?
Duffy: There definitely is a culture of corruption. I think we can stop it. I'm still naive, young, dumb enough to say we can stop it. It really is up to the people ... When people send [politicians] a lot of e-mails on one subject, it affects them. They know that it's an issue. People don't usually get engaged unless it really means something to them. If the people want to stop corruption, they can stop corruption. But then we need new people in politics.
Selbo: What are your thoughts on the income tax increase proposed by Gov. Quinn?
Duffy:  I'm completely against it ... I'm against it because in a recession you don't raise taxes on people because you're going to discourage job growth ... If you want to tax the wealthy, figure out a way to tax the real wealthy. Don't tax the small businesses by blatantly [including] everyone who makes over $250,000 because you're getting all small business owners. Those are the only ones creating jobs in a recession.

Selbo: If you had a chance to sit in the governor's mansion, what would be the first step you would take to addresses the financial problems in the state?
Duffy:  The first thing I would do is to look at all spending ... There is money all over the place that is being wasted. Second off, they are continuing to propose new programs. It's got to stop ... If my kids come up to me and say they want a new sweater, I'll say, 'You already have a sweater. We don't have the money right now. You're going to have to live with the one that you have.'

Selbo: What can you do as a state senator to secure more funds for road construction projects in Lake County?

Duffy: What I can do is be the loudest voice I possibly can be down there, and I'm trying to do that ... We've got to stop diverting funds from the road and transportation fund. We've got to stop diverting money for new programs and keep it in the roads ... We have money for these roads we just have to keep it where it's at.

Selbo: How did growing up on the South Side of Chicago shape you?
Duffy: I think it shaped me real well ... It shaped my values because my dad taught us about integrity and character. We lived in a neighborhood with a lot of other kids. I lived in a large Democratic neighborhood and town. But people with strong values and principles. It gave me the ability to understand both sides of the story. It gave me the ability to work with everybody. I went to high school at Mount Carmel High School ... During the 80s it was a very, very rough environment with the [gangs.] People would get shot on the way to Mount Carmel often. It happened. I used to tell my dad, 'I'm kind of nervous about going to school.' My dad would say, 'Well, then learn how to get along with other people.'

Selbo: Growing up in Democratic area, with a Democratic family, how did you become a Republican?
Duffy:  They keep on asking me that every day ... I started my own business. I started learning more about taxes and job growth as a business owner. The Republican Party is the party to help develop businesses, to help develop entrepreneurship. The party of Lincoln. One of the main things I'm doing in the Republican Party is reaching out to African-Americans, to Hispanics and to Latinos. I don't think we've done a good enough job of that at all.

Selbo: When you were in school did you play any sports?

Duffy: I wrestled and played football in high school, and I played football in college. I'm a three-time national champ at Augustana. I lost one game in four years ... I lost to the University of Dayton my senior year in the playoffs ... I always say I learned more from that loss than anything else. Really, that helps me in politics. If I never knew what it was like to lose, I would have thought you always win. And I tell you, I didn't like the feeling at all.

Duffy lowdown

Who he is: Dan Duffy, state senator for the 26th district
Family: Wife, Kris; five children, Kasey, 13, Abby, 12, Gracie, 10, Danielle, 8, and Matthew, 6
Village of residence: Lake Barrington
Favorite music: Anything from the 1980s
Favorite book: "1776" by David McCullough
Favorite sports teams: Bears and White Sox