Roger A. Sommer is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from 1973 to 1987.
Biography
Sommer was born November 6, 1943, in Peoria, Illinois. He was raised in Tazewell County, Illinois. He graduated from Morton High School. He then attended Bradley University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts, and the University of Virginia School of Law, receiving a Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to the Virginia State Bar and later to practice law in Illinois. Sommer went on to serve as an Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Sommer is a veteran of the United States Army.
In 1972, Sommer was elected to the Illinois Senate representing the 45th district, which at that time, included all or portions of LaSalle, Putnam, Marshall, Woodford, and Tazewell counties in Central Illinois. After the Cutback Amendment, the 45th was redistricted to include Marshall, Woodford, and Tazewell, McLean, Logan, DeWitt, Menard, and Sangamon counties. Sommer chose not to run for reelection in 1986. He was succeeded by fellow Republican Robert Madigan, then the City Clerk of Lincoln, Illinois. His papers are stored at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
In 1993, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Illinois Claims Court for a term ending in 1995.
In 1999, his brother Keith, was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.
References
- Illinois Blue Book 1973-1974 page 144
- Illinois Blue Book 1973-1974 page 176
- "Ballot has few state legislative primary races". The Pantagraph. March 10, 1986. p. 42.
- Illinois Blue Book 1987-1988 page 108
- "Roger A. Sommer Papers, 1967-1988". Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans88/ST031793.pdf
- Schoenburg, Bernard (May 4, 2012). "Mrs. Clarke's email offers helpful ideas". The Register-Mail. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- Illinois Blue Book 1999-2000 page 115
- 1943 births
- People from Morton, Illinois
- Military personnel from Illinois
- Bradley University alumni
- Living people
- Illinois city council members
- University of Virginia School of Law alumni
- Illinois lawyers
- Republican Party Illinois state senators
- Illinois state court judges
- 20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly