10/13/2026
Congratulations on the Tribune endorsement, JP!
Today, I received an endorsement that means more to me than I can probably put into words.
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board has endorsed me for Illinois State Representative in the 49th District.
Now, getting an endorsement from the Chicago Tribune is an incredible honor in itself. But for me, there’s a much more personal story behind it.
My Dad worked for the Chicago Tribune for over two decades.
He was the night foreman and head mechanic, one of the guys responsible for making sure those newspapers actually got delivered every morning.
His workday started around 11 at night. He’d get the trucks ready, get them over to the Freedom Center to be loaded, and make sure they got out on their routes.
And when a truck broke down, Dad was the guy who went out to get it.
He’d take a replacement rig, drive out to wherever the broken-down truck was, swap them out, and bring the old one back.
Sometimes that meant sitting on the Chicago Skyway in 20-below-zero weather, with the wind howling, working on a truck because those newspapers still had to get delivered.
Rain, snow, freezing cold. It didn’t matter.
Most people never gave a second thought to how that newspaper ended up on their doorstep every morning. But there were people like my Dad working through the night to make it happen.
For over two decades, that was his life.
And this morning, I opened the Chicago Tribune to find my own picture and an editorial endorsing me for the Illinois House of Representatives.
The editorial board described me as offering “a refreshing combination of fiscal restraint and thoughtful solutions.”
They recognized my willingness to challenge Springfield’s leadership, my positions on government accountability, and my belief that people working in government should never have to choose between speaking up and protecting their jobs.
I’m proud of that recognition. I’ve worked hard to explain what I believe and why.
But there’s something about this particular endorsement that no other endorsement could ever mean to me.
For over two decades, my Father worked nights making sure the Chicago Tribune reached people’s homes.
And today, that same newspaper is telling its readers about his son.
I haven’t forgotten the sacrifices my Dad made, the hours he worked, or the example he set.
And I also want to thank the hardworking union men and women I grew up around. The people who worked those long nights alongside my Dad, who took pride in their work, and who made sure the job got done. You were part of my childhood, and you helped shape my understanding of what hard work and dedication really mean. Most people never knew your names, but I haven’t forgotten you.
I’m proud to have earned this endorsement.
But I think I’m even prouder to be the son of the man who helped get that newspaper out every morning.
Thank you to the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board for its consideration and endorsement. And thank you, Dad, for over two decades of hard work that most people never saw.
This one means a lot.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/10/12/editorial-john-paul-augustynowicz-for-illinois-49th-house-district/
