Meet the Freshmen: Rep. Wayne Rosenthal
Rep. Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville).
With so many new members of the General Assembly this spring, we thought we should take some time to introduce you to some of the new faces in Springfield.
Wayne Rosenthal has been here before.
Rosenthal, 72, spent four years representing a district south of Springfield from 2011 until he was chosen by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2015 to lead the Department of Natural Resources.
Out of the political game for a few years and with redrawn maps, Rosenthal jumped back in the fray in 2022, winning election to the new 108th District, which encompasses much of his home area in Christian, Montgomery, and Macoupin Counties, much of the west and northern portions of Sangamon County, and extending north to Menard County.
I spoke to him last week as I filled in on WMAY Radio in Springfield.
“It seems like I haven’t left, but it’s been eight years since I was there,” Rosenthal said. “It’s all rural, I’ve got a lot of friends there, and a lot of experience to offer.”
A retired Brigadier General with the Illinois Air National Guard, Rosenthal says he’s approaching his newest stint in the General Assembly with an eye on constituent service.
“You have to go in with the approach that you’re not going to change the world [in Springfield],” he said. “I had a lot of friends and former constituents who were still calling and asking for help, and I can offer that. I had a lot of contacts and we have a great office to help them navigate the bureaucracy, whatever it is.”
Rosenthal says many Illinoisans are struggling.
“The cost of living has gone up. Inflation, gas, fuel, food, everything has gone up, even though, in a lot of cases, people’s wages haven’t gone up,” Rosenthal said. “If you talk to any employers out there, it’s hard to find people that are willing or qualified to go to work.”
But Rosenthal, in a super minority in the House, knows it will take hard work to get things done. But he’s been here before and believes he can navigate the political landmines.
