Susana Mendoza is the 10th comptroller of Illinois, serving since December 2016.
26 Facts About Susana Mendoza
2.
Susana Mendoza served in the position for five years until successfully running for the position of comptroller of Illinois in 2016.
3.
Mendoza was born in Chicago to Joaquin and Susana Mendoza, who had emigrated from Mexico in the 1960s.
4.
Susana Mendoza played for the soccer team from 1990 to 1994, redshirting during the 1993 season after suffering an injury in the first game.
5.
Susana Mendoza became involved with Southwest Side Chicago politics in the mid-1990s.
6.
In 1998, Susana Mendoza was slated by the regular Democratic Organization but lost to independent progressive incumbent Sonia Silva.
7.
In 2000, immediately after her victory for Granato and supported by Daley, the Hispanic Democratic Organization, and House Speaker Michael Madigan, Susana Mendoza was slated and elected as an Illinois State Representative.
8.
Susana Mendoza was Chairwoman of the International Trade and Commerce Committee, Vice-Chairwoman of the Bio-Technology Committee and was a member of the Labor, Public Utilities and Railroad Industry committees of the House.
9.
Susana Mendoza served as Co-Chairwoman of the Conference of Women Legislators, and co-founded the first Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus.
10.
Susana Mendoza was a known critic of then Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's staff in 2007.
11.
Susana Mendoza took an unpaid leave from her job as a project coordinator with Chicago when she went to Springfield for legislative business.
12.
Susana Mendoza served as an Illinois Democratic delegate in the primary elections for presidential candidates Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004.
13.
Susana Mendoza was the first woman elected City Clerk in Chicago.
14.
Susana Mendoza spearheaded the Companion Animal and Consumer Protection Ordinance which banned Chicago pet stores from selling dogs, cats, or rabbits unless the animals are sourced from humane shelters or animal rescues.
15.
Susana Mendoza changed the city's once-a-year vehicle sticker sales to year-round sales, saving about $4 million a year.
16.
Susana Mendoza was elected during a special election to fill out the remaining two years of the term won by the late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.
17.
Susana Mendoza took office amid a two-year budget impasse between the Governor and the General Assembly.
18.
On November 2,2018, a video leaked from Susana Mendoza's campaign signaling her intention to run for Mayor of Chicago in 2019 despite her concurrent run for re-election as Comptroller.
19.
On December 19,2018, after a petition challenge was held to verify if the signatures supporting Susana Mendoza's campaign were valid, Preckwinkle conceded the challenge as it was discovered that Susana Mendoza had more than 13,000 valid signatures.
20.
Susana Mendoza emerged, early in her campaign, as one of the race's leaders in both polling and fundraising.
21.
Susana Mendoza remained a top contender in polls released in January 2019, but was no longer consistently in the top-two.
22.
Susana Mendoza was perceived to be seeking strong support from Hispanic voters.
23.
Susana Mendoza's campaign was endorsed by labor activist Dolores Huerta and LIUNA Chicago Laborers' District Council.
24.
On March 23,2019, Susana Mendoza endorsed Lori Lightfoot for Mayor of Chicago in the runoff.
25.
In December 2011, Susana Mendoza married David Szostak, who attended Bolingbrook High School with her.
26.
Susana Mendoza serves on the board of advisors of Let America Vote, an organization founded by former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander that aims to end voter suppression.