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Hawkinson: Political World is Great Place to Live One's Faith
By Craig Pinley
GALESBURG, IL (February 19, 2002) - Illinois Sen. Carl Hawkinson of Galesburg calls himself a regular guy who tries to live out his Christian beliefs like he thinks he should.
During the past few months - and for the next several weeks - life for Hawkinson will become less regular than usual. He is running as a candidate for lieutenant governor of Illinois in the state's Republican primary on March 19. Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, one of three Republican gubernatorial candidates, endorsed Hawkinson last November.
The 54-year-old Hawkinson, a graduate of North Park College and Harvard Law School, is an experienced politician. During the past 14 years, he has represented the six-county 47th District in the state Senate, chairing the chamber's Judiciary Committee and serving on two other committees. Hawkinson has also served the 94th District in the Illinois House of Representatives (1983-87).
A member of The Covenant Church of Galesburg, Hawkinson has served as chair and vice chair of the church and now is part of the church diaconate. He believes he was called to his vocation like many pastors are called to ministry.
"As a Christian, I struggled with what I should do and government service seemed to be where I felt led," he said. "It's a matter of trying to live your faith on a day by day basis, as you do in every other job or occupation.
"I don't think government and politics is any different from any other kind of business," he continued. "There's politics in everything. There's politics in the church, there's politics in business and there's politics in government - and nothing about politics inherently conflicts with my Christian faith."
Hawkinson seemed matter-of-fact in a recent interview as he discussed his desire for integrity as it applies to his job. "That should just be the basics for any Christian in politics or any person in politics," he said. "That should be the floor of what you do." Hawkinson, according to many media reviews, has done more than "talk the talk" when it comes to Christian ethics during the past two dozen years or so.
After winning the Knox County state's attorney election, Hawkinson's opponent was quoted as saying that the 29-year-old Hawkinson had run a "gentlemanly" campaign. In a 2000 campaign for an Illinois Supreme Court seat, Hawkinson didn't get elected, but along the way he won the support of two Illinois newspapers.
The Chicago Tribune endorsed him, stating, "Carl Hawkinson has earned a reputation as one of the most conscientious and fair members of the legislature. He has been daily in a public crucible that judges do not face, and his integrity is unchallenged..." Another, the Peoria Journal Star, stated, "Simply put, people can trust Hawkinson to exercise the awesome responsibility of this position with firmness of character and fairness of judgment."
In endorsing Hawkinson for lieutenant governor last fall, Jim Ryan said, "It would be difficult to find someone in public life who possesses Carl's combination of unquestioned integrity, intelligence, sound judgment and record of achievement in the General Assembly. I am honored to have such an accomplished individual at my side as we seek to lead the state toward a new era of fiscal integrity, principle and emphasis on the future of our children."
Hawkinson says he was like most of the kids in the neighborhood as he grew up in Galesburg. He played high school basketball and while he didn't play much on the varsity, his team placed second in the state during his senior year. Close friends remember him as an excellent student and a sincere person whose knowledge of politics was better than most teens his age.
During college, Hawkinson continued to play basketball - becoming a starter for North Park - while becoming heavily involved in student leadership. He says that his political interests were piqued during that time.
"I've been interested in government, history and politics all of my life and it just expanded during my college years," said Hawkinson. "North Park had a lot to do with it. I wasn't directly involved in any (student leadership) office in high school, but I was active in the student senate and was the student body president at North Park my senior year.
"I was a history major, so I had Zenos Hawkinson (no relation), Charles Wiberg and Vern Wettersten for a number of courses," he continued. "I was very challenged by those classes and just became interested in politics. That interest continued in law school until I decided to go back to Galesburg and become actively involved."
Hawkinson's leadership capabilities were evident to teachers and administrators on campus - he was invited to serve on the North Park College Board shortly after he graduated. He then headed to Harvard Law School where he met another future Covenanter who pursued a career in state politics.
Don Stenberg was the first person Hawkinson met at Harvard Law School. They eventually became study partners and great friends and attended Covenant Congregational Church in Boston, along with another Harvard student, Curt Nyquist of Rockford, Illinois. When Stenberg married his wife, Susan, they continued to attend church in Boston with Hawkinson. Stenberg has been a longtime attorney general in the state of Nebraska and narrowly lost the most recent gubernatorial election in Nebraska. Hawkinson and Stenberg still keep in touch.
Hawkinson began his political career as a state's attorney in Knox County, winning election at age 29. Since then, he's enjoyed a busy but manageable political career that has allowed him to devote plenty of time to his wife, Karen, and their three children and make time for the regular activities of the church.
Senate sessions run from January until mid-May. As a member of three committees and as chair of Judiciary, he has plenty of work - that committee generates the highest number of bills that get sent back for Senate votes. "When we're in Springfield, it's a pretty busy schedule," he said.
However, from June until December (except for six days in veto sessions in Springfield), Hawkinson works in his hometown of Galesburg as a representative of the 47th District, which includes six counties. He travels to numerous meetings, parades and dinners, but he has managed to serve on church boards and coach all of his children during their youth. He also served as a moderator at an Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
"When my children were growing up, there was seldom a school play or a concert and athletic event that I couldn't get home for in the evening," Hawkinson said. "I'd have Monday and Thursday night practices, so I'd have practice the night before I left Springfield and the night I got home from Springfield, as well as games on the weekends. I've missed a few events, but not too many.
"Family has been the most important thing to me," he continued. "People have asked me over the years to run for Congress. The reason I haven't done so is because in the state legislature it's more part-time and it's closer to home."
Speaking of home, Hawkinson may not see much of it during the next few weeks. Besides his Senate responsibilities, he has occasional meetings with Jim Ryan in the Chicago area. Hawkinson notes that the governor sets the policy and casts a vision for Illinois, but if Ryan is elected, Hawkinson believes his input will be an integral part of that process. "We're on the same page on most issues, although no two people agree on anything," Hawkinson said. "I bring a different perspective than those candidates who live in the Northeast corner."
Hawkinson said that faith issues haven't been discussed often in his relationship with Jim Ryan, but he appreciates Ryan's strong Roman Catholic faith and how it has helped sustain him through two bouts of cancer. "I don't think it (cancer) will be an issue because Jim Ryan's prognosis is excellent, according to his doctors, who are some of the best in the country," said Hawkinson. "At the same time he's cognizant of the fact it could be an issue and he indicated in his public statement that's one of the reasons he selected me, because he knew of my reputation and the perception that I'd be qualified if I needed to be."
Not every aspect of politics has been easy, Hawkinson admitted, and one aspect that can be most difficult is the one he is currently headed for - the political campaign trail. He said that this area has tested his Christian integrity often.
"There comes some tension in the campaigns where some folks want you to take a negative path and try to tear down an opponent," he continued. "There's probably the most tension in those cases with regards to what's fair and what crosses the line. I think I've run them (campaigns) positively, and if you look at what my opponents have said after an election, that would be borne out."
Hawkinson believes his experience has taught him to become a better listener, become more thick-skinned to criticism and that taking the high road has led him to a more enjoyable experience. He credits people like Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (a previous political co-worker) for providing good examples of Christian integrity. And he is confident that young Christians can continue make a difference in the world of politics.
"I would encourage young people to go into public service, whether it is political or some other form of government service," Hawkinson said. "There are great opportunities to serve, to advance education, to advance healthcare to take care of the needs of the poor, to change systems, to provide medical services. There's a great opportunity to serve people in government."
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