Paul Faraci

Paul Faraci
Member of the Illinois Senate
from the 52nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 11, 2023 (2023-01-11)
Preceded byStacy Bennett
Deputy Mayor of Champaign
In office
May 5, 2015 – May 2, 2017
MayorDeborah Frank Feinen
Preceded byTom Bruno
Succeeded byWill Kyles
Member of the Champaign City Council for the 5th district
In office
May 3, 2011 – May 2, 2017
Preceded byGordy Hulten
Succeeded byVanna Pianfetti
Personal details
Born
Chicago, Illinois
PartyDemocratic
SpouseStephanie Faraci
ChildrenOne

Paul Faraci is an American politician from Illinois who has served as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate for the 52nd district since 2023. He previously served as the Deputy Mayor of Champaign, Illinois from 2015 to 2017 and served on the Champaign City Council representing the 5th district from 2011 to 2017.

Faraci was appointed to the Illinois Senate to fill a term left vacant by the sudden death of Senator Scott Bennett in 2022.[1] He was elected to a full term in 2024. During his time in office, Faraci has focused on issues relating to supporting individuals with disabilities, increasing education funding, promoting workforce development in Central Illinois, and enhancing environmental protections for the Mahomet Aquifer.[2][3][4] The 52nd district includes Champaign, Danville, Rantoul, St. Joseph, and Urbana.[5]

Early life and career

Faraci was born in Chicago, Illinois to Piero and Flora Faraci, well-regarded Champaign restaurateurs and small business owners (owners of Great Impasta and Jane Addams Book Shop in Downtown Champaign). Faraci later opened and operated his own restaurant in Downtown Champaign, the City of New Orleans.[6][7]

Following his career in the restaurant industry, Faraci worked as a senior account manager for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity before serving as a senior advisor to Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs.[8][9]

In 2011, Faraci was elected to the 5th District on the Champaign City Council as a write-in candidate in a three-way race to succeed council member Gordy Hulten.[10] He was sworn in on May 3, 2011.[11] Faraci was reelected in 2013 and served until May 2, 2017.[12] He was succeeded by Vanna Pianfetti.[13][14][12] He also served as Deputy Mayor from 2015 to 2017.[13]

Illinois Senate

On December 9, 2022, Illinois State Senator Scott Bennett died from complications due to a brain tumor. This created a vacancy in his seat for both the remainder of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly and the upcoming 103rd General Assembly, to which Bennett had just been elected.[15] Scott Bennett's widow, Stacy, was appointed to fill the remainder of her husband's unfinished term but was not a candidate to fill the upcoming full-term vacancy.[16] On January 7, 2023, Faraci was appointed by the Democratic county party chairpersons of Champaign and Vermilion Counties to serve out Bennett's full term. He took office on January 11, 2023.[1] Faraci had been a close friend of Bennett and has emphasized honoring his legacy at multiple points throughout his term, especially when discussing legislation to support individuals with disabilities.[4][2][17]

Faraci was elected to a full term in 2024.[2]

In 2025, Faraci was the chief sponsor of Illinois Senate Bill 1723, which increased environmental protections for the Mahomet Aquifer, a sole-source aquifer supplying clean drinking water to "approximately 800,000 people across 15 counties in East Central Illinois."[18][17] The bill was passed on a bipartisan basis and was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in August, 2025.[19][20]

References

  1. ^ a b D'Alessio, Jeff (January 7, 2023). "Township assessor Faraci selected for 52nd District Senate seat". The News-Gazette. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Wang, Jessie (November 6, 2024). "Paul Faraci wins election to Illinois State Senate". The Daily Illini. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  3. ^ Dahunsi, Abisola (February 5, 2026). "Protections from carbon sequestration and pipelines remain a key priority for Central Illinois advocates and policymakers - IPM Newsroom". Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  4. ^ a b McClure, Julie (September 26, 2023). "Senator Paul Faraci on continuing a legacy and forging a new path - Culture". Smile Politely — Champaign-Urbana's Culture Magazine. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  5. ^ "Maps of Districts of the Illinois Senate (2023-2033)". Illinois State Board of Elections. July 16, 2022. p. 52. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Wood, Paul (June 25, 2019). "Champaign man travels many paths before becoming restaurant owner". The News-Gazette.
  7. ^ "Flora Faraci". Legacy.com. January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  8. ^ Moline, Brian (January 7, 2023). "Faraci selected as new state senator in 52nd District". Illinois Public Media. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  9. ^ "Bio". Senator Faraci.com. Retrieved January 31, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ @ilpublicmedia (December 23, 2010). "Three Candidates Vying for Champaign City Council Seat". Illinois Public Media. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  11. ^ University of Illinois Daily Illini (May 3, 2011). "Change for Champaign: New mayor to be sworn in". The Daily Illini. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  12. ^ a b [email protected], Michael Kiser (September 15, 2016). "Faraci confident in city council direction after departure this spring". The News-Gazette. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  13. ^ a b System, Legislative Information (June 14, 2024). "Official Government Website of the Illinois General Assembly". ilga.gov. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  14. ^ Hutson, Boswell (May 3, 2017). "The City of Champaign swore in its first female-majority City Council last night -". Smile Politely — Champaign-Urbana's Culture Magazine. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  15. ^ Miller, Rich (December 9, 2022). "Sen. Bennett has died". Capitol Fax. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  16. ^ Connolly, Danny (December 22, 2022). "Stacy Bennett to temporarily fill late husband's Senate seat". WCIA. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Drinking water for thousands of Illinoisans to be protected under Faraci law". www.senatorfaraci.com. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  18. ^ System, Legislative Information (June 14, 2024). "Official Government Website of the Illinois General Assembly". ilga.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  19. ^ Tietz, Dani (August 3, 2025). "Governor JB Pritzker Signs Mahomet Aquifer Protection Bill Into Law - Mahomet Daily". Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  20. ^ Dahunsi, Abisola (February 5, 2026). "Protections from carbon sequestration and pipelines remain a key priority for Central Illinois advocates and policymakers - IPM Newsroom". Retrieved February 19, 2026.
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