Sandra Wronski

**Sandra Louisa Wronski** (born July 22, 1961) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois' 5th district from 2005 to 2009, and as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 11th district from 2003 to 2015.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Wronski was raised in the Madison suburb of Fall River, Wisconsin, and graduated from Fall River High School in 1979. After graduating, Wronski moved to Evanston, Illinois to attend Northwestern University, graduating with dual degrees in economics and political science in 1983. Afterwards, she moved to New Haven, Connecticut and graduated with her law degree from Yale Law School in 1986. Establishing herself as an immigration lawyer in Chicago, Illinois, Wronski founded her own law firm in 1993. She left her law career in 2003, in order to begin her career in politics.

Wronski began her political career in 2002, being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 11th district. She served for one-term, before announcing her candidacy for U.S. House of Representatives in 2004, representing Illinois' 5th district. She went on to win the Democratic nomination, and later won the general election. Wronski served two-terms in the House of Representatives, before announcing her candidacy for United States Senate in 2007. She won the Democratic nomination and later easily won the general election, being sworn in to the Senate on January 3, 2009.

## Early life and family

Wronski was born on July 22, 1961 in Madison, Wisconsin to parents Paul (né *Paweł Wroński*; 1928–2018) and Marjorie Wronski (née *Shirley*; 1932–2009). Her father was a Polish immigrant to the United States, arriving in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from Radom, Poland in 1944, while her mother was an American of Irish origin. The family was working-class and blue-collar; Paul worked at a steel mill, while Marjorie was a beautician. When she was four years old, the family left Madison for the suburb of Fall River, Wisconsin, where Wronski was raised. Wronski grew up in a devoutly Catholic family, attending mass weekly. She is the elder of two children; her younger brother is Donovan, born  (1965-01-16) January 16, 1965 (age 59).

## Education and law career

Wronski attended public schooling growing up. She began her education in 1967, attending a public elementary school in Fall River, Wisconsin. Wronski began high school in Fall River in 1975, attending Fall River High School. She graduated from high school in 1979 as class valedictorian, and also was involved in debate club and women's rights organizations. After graduating, Wronski moved to Evanston, Illinois to attend Northwestern University. She graduated *summa cum laude* with dual degrees in economics and political science in 1983.

After graduating from Northwestern, Wronski moved to New Haven, Connecticut to attend Yale Law School, where she became affiliated with the *Yale Law Journal*. Wronski graduated with her law degree in 1986 as the valedictorian of her graduating class. After completing her education, Wronski settled in Chicago, Illinois and was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association. She began practicing as a lawyer, and specialized in immigration law. As an immigration lawyer, Wronski assisted in numerous cases of foreigners attempting to immigrate to the United States, and defended numerous immigrants against deportation. In 1993, she founded her own law firm with a colleague. Wronski left her law career in 2003 in order to enter politics.

## Political positions

*Main article: Political positions of Sandra Wronski.*

## Personal life

Wronski began dating attorney Tim Ekdahl in 1992. They became engaged within a year of dating, but soon afterwards called off their engagement yet continued dating. In 1994, they became engaged again and married the following year. Wronski and Ekdahl have two children together: Brian, born  (1997-04-12) April 12, 1997 (age 26), and Luke, born  (1999-03-19) March 19, 1999 (age 24). The family purchased a five-bedroom house in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois in 1998, valued at $2.4 million. After her election to Congress, Wronski began renting a three-bedroom townhouse in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Wronski has identified as a Roman Catholic, although she is not practicing. Despite having a Polish father, she cannot speak the Polish language and does not hold Polish citizenship, although she is eligible to apply for it.