Riley Rogers Triumphant in Dolton's Mayoral Race

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Riley H. Rogers
Riley H. Rogers

Democratic candidate Riley H. Rogers has been elected mayor of the Village of Dolton, defeating long-time incumbent Ronnie C. Lewis, who ran under the Unified for Progress Party in the race.

The defeated Lewis had previously told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper that he ran his campaign based on, "honesty, integrity and transparency."

"When its political season people will go out there and promise you the world, but when it comes down to producing that's a different animal. One thing I will not do, I'm not going to lie to people and say, 'Yeah, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that,'" Lewis said. "I'll tell them I'm going to do the best I can to give you the best service I can as your mayor and that's what I plan to do. I'm not going to promise them and end up being a liar."

But in the end, it was Rogers who emerged victoriously in the hotly contested and closely watched South Suburban mayoral contest, winning by 45 percent of the vote (at press time).

Rogers was elected as a trustee in the Village of Dolton in 2011 and trustee of schools for Thornton Township. In addition, he is currently the vice president of the Illinois Association of School Trustees in Springfield. Before taking office, Rogers was active in the United States Army Reserves as a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanics Instructor for seven years before being honorable discharged; served as a special agent with the Dept. of Law Enforcement for 12 years; was an Illinois state trooper; and for 14 years, beginning in 1986 and ending in 2000, Rogers was president and chief executive officer for regional trucking and transport company, Roger's Transport, where he managed annual revenues $4 million and over 50 employees.

By Lee Edwards

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