Monday, February 20, 2017
When State Sen. John Crane (R-Avon) was elected to represent Senate District 24 in November 2016, many people were not familiar with him. But the Crane name has deep roots in public service.
“It seems like I’ve come out of nowhere,” Crane said. “I actually come from a very long line of public servants and community leaders.”
Crane’s political lineage
Growing up in Martinsville, Crane watched two of his uncles, Dan and Phil Crane, serve as Illinois congressmen. Dan served from 1979 to 1983, and Phil’s career in public service lasted many years. He served in Congress for 35 years, and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1980, losing to Ronald Reagan.
The itch to serve the public did not stop at Crane’s uncles. His father ran for Congress in 1976, 1978 and 1980. Despite his efforts, however, he was never elected.
Initially, his father was disappointed by the losses, but years later, he saw the situation differently.
“He began to see that had he won, my three brothers and I would have been in a single-parent home…he would have had no impact during the formative years of our lives,” Crane said. “That loss turned out to be one of the greatest blessings in all of our lives.”
After his father’s attempts, no one in Crane’s generation picked up the political torch – until now.
While public service has become a large part of his life, his family is still a top priority.
“If you do not steward this job well, the people closest to you can be damaged,” he said. “So I want to be very, very cognizant of that…so the kids are able to thrive and do what they need to do, and I can be involved in their lives.”
Life outside of the Statehouse
When Crane is not at the Statehouse or meeting with his constituents, he is with his family.
“We spend a lot of time with our kids, and we’re a pretty sporty family,” he said.
One sport they love is basketball, but hiking is also high on the list.
Every summer, Crane leads a group of men and their sons on a hike through portions of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches around 2,200 miles and runs through 14 states on the East Coast. He recently started taking his sons.
First-year goals
As a new senator, Crane’s goals this session are to listen, learn and lead.
“As a freshman, there is a tsunami of information coming at you,” he said. “So I have determined to thoughtfully pace myself, as I really try to understand how the system works.”
Crane’s Favorites
