{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Ram Villivalam |image = |state_senate = Illinois |district = 8th |term_start = January 5, 2019 |term_end = |predecessor = Ira Silverstein |successor = |birth_date = |birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |spouse = Elizabeth |education = George Washington University (BA) }} '''Ram Villivalam''' is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate for the 8th district. The 8th Senate District consists of the Forest Glen, North Park and West Ridge neighborhoods in the City of Chicago and the nearby suburbs of Park Ridge, Morton Grove, Niles, Lincolnwood and Skokie,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ilhousedems.com/redistricting/2011-maps/Legislative_Districts_Public_Act/LD8.pdf|author=|title=PA 97-0006 Legislative District 8|date=May 18, 2011|accessdate=November 8, 2018}}</ref> as of the decennial redistricting following the 2010 United States census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ilhousedems.com/redistricting/2011-maps/Legislative_Districts_Public_Act/LD8.pdf|author=|title=PA 97-0006 Legislative District 8|date=2011-05-18|accessdate=2015-09-07}}</ref>
After Ira Silverstein was accused of sexual misconduct by a lobbyist, Villivalam announced that he would run against Silverstein in the Democratic primary. Villivalam was endorsed by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman Brad Schneider, State Senator Laura Murphy, and Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar.<ref>{{cite news|last=Zorn|first=Eric|title=It's time for the secrecy to end in Springfield's highest-profile sex-harassment case|date=December 1, 2017|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=December 18, 2017|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-silverstein-rotheimer-harassment-1203-20171201-story.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=Silverstein, four primary opponents, accuser all file to run for GA|date=December 5, 2017|newspaper=Capitol Fax|accessdate=December 18, 2017|url=https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/05/silverstein-four-primary-opponents-accuser-all-file-to-run-for-ga/}}</ref><ref name="CapFax Endorsements 12/15/17">{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=Recent endorsements: Raoul, Biss, Newman, Villivalam|date=December 15, 2017|newspaper=Capitol Fax|accessdate=December 18, 2017|url=https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/15/recent-endorsements-raoul-biss-newman-villivalam/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=Sen. Murphy endorses Silverstein challenger|date=November 21, 2017|newspaper=Capitol Fax|accessdate=December 18, 2017|url=https://capitolfax.com/2017/11/21/sen-murphy-endorses-silverstein-challenger/}}</ref>
In the March 20, 2018 Democratic primary, Villivalam defeated the incumbent Ira Silverstein by more than 20 points in the first competitive primary the latter had faced since taking the seat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://patch.com/illinois/skokie/illinois-8th-district-senate-primary-follow-election-results|title=Ram Villivalam Romps Incumbent State Sen. Ira Silverstein|date=2018-03-20|work=Skokie, IL Patch|access-date=2018-03-21|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-legislature-roundup-20180320-story.html|title=After sex harassment allegation, Silverstein's grip on state Senate seat slips away; Burke trails in bid to retain post in Illinois House|last=Lourgos|first=Monique Garcia, Bill Lukitsch, Angie Leventis|work=chicagotribune.com|access-date=2018-03-21|language=en-US}}</ref> Silverstein resigned a few days before the start of the 101st General Assembly, allowing Villivalam to be sworn on January 5, 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kapos|first1=Shia|last2=Hurst|first2=Adrienne|title=Democrat Ram Villivalam was sworn in Saturday as state senator|newspaper=Politico Playbook|date=January 7, 2019|accessdate=January 7, 2019|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2019/01/07/burke-preckwinkle-and-judicial-power-emanuel-orders-probe-mendozas-union-haul-371608}}</ref>
Villivalam is the first Asian American, Indian American, and Telugu American elected to the Illinois Senate.<ref>{{cite news|last=Geiger|first=Kim|title=Silverstein in tough primary fight following sexual harassment allegations|date=March 17, 2018|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=January 7, 2019|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-ira-silverstein-primary-challenge-20180316-story.html}}</ref>{{refn|name=First|group=N|Yadav Nathwani is the first Asian-American and Indian-American member of the Illinois Senate. However, he was appointed after the 2018 general election to serve the remaining six weeks of outgoing Senator Chris Nybo's term. This was 39 days before Villivalam was sworn into office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20181127/milton-twp-trustee-fills-state-senate-seat-in-wake-of-nybos-resignation |title=Milton Twp. trustee fills state Senate seat in wake of Nybo's resignation |last=Kmitch |first=Justin |date=2018-11-27 |website=Daily Herald}}</ref>}}
Prior to joining the Illinois Senate, Villivalam was the former political director for Brad Schneider and former legislative coordinator for SEIU Healthcare-Illinois.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Murphy-Endorses-Villivalam-For-Senate-458960673.html|newspaper=NBC 5 Chicago|title=Murphy Endorses Villivalam For Senate, Calls For Silverstein to Step Down|last=Ahern|first=Mary Ann|date=November 20, 2017|accessdate=November 27, 2017}}</ref> He co-founded the Progressive Turnout Project PAC in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Team |url=http://www.turnoutpac.org/our-team |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826000842/http://www.turnoutpac.org/our-team |archive-date=2015-08-26 |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=Progressive Turnout Project}}</ref>
In September 2019, Villivalam succeeded Robert Murphy as the Democratic Party committeeperson for Chicago's 39th ward.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stewart|first=Russ|title=Bailouts multiply among Democratic committeemen|date=September 15, 2019|newspaper=Nadig Newspapers|accessdate=September 27, 2019|url=http://nadignewspapers.com/2019/09/15/bailouts-multiply-among-democratic-committemen/}}</ref>
As of July 2022, Senator Villivalam is a member of the following Illinois Senate committees:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly - Senator Committees |url=https://ilga.gov/senate/SenCommittees.asp?MemberID=2936 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=ilga.gov}}</ref>
* (Chairman of) Appropriations - Government Infrastructure Committee (SAPP-SAGI) * Appropriations - Human Services Committee (SENE) * Healthcare Access and Availability Committee (SHAA) * Human Rights Committee (SHUM) * Licensed Activities Committee (SLIC) * Licensed Activities - Special Issues Committee (SLIC-SLSI) * Pensions Committee (SPEN) * (Chairman of) Redistricting - Chicago Northwest Committee (SRED-SRNW) * (Chairman of) Transportation Committee (STRN)
==Notes== {{reflist|group=N}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.ramforsenate.com/ Campaign website]
{{Illinois Senate}} {{Cook county democratic committeemen}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Villivalam, Ram}} Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly Category:American politicians of Indian descent Category:Asian-American state legislators in Illinois Category:Democratic Party Illinois state senators Category:George Washington University alumni Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Chicago Category:Service Employees International Union people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American people of Telugu descent