NW Illinois News

Li Arellano, a candidate for the 37th State Senate District, has rallied his supporters to make 2024 the year to "Protect Our Second Amendment Rights." As a staunch advocate for gun rights, Arellano emphasized his commitment to defending these rights and encouraged his followers to support candidates who share this conviction, presenting himself as a Conservative Republican actively working to safeguard constitutional rights.

“Will you resolve to Protect Our Second Amendment Rights in 2024?” Arellano asked on Facebook. “Resolution: I resolve to stand firm in defending our Second Amendment rights and supporting candidates who share this commitment.”

“Why Li Arellano? Li Arellano is a strong defender of the Second Amendment, a Conservative Republican who believes in the right to bear arms, and he’s actively taking steps to protect our constitutional rights.”

Arellano also expressed his support for the Illinois State Rifle Association’s lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Pritzker/Democrat gun ban. 

"Li supports the Illinois State Rifle Association’s lawsuit to overturn the unconstitutional Pritzker/Democrat gun ban by bringing it to the full panel of the US Supreme Court," he stated on Facebook. "This year, let’s turn our resolutions into a powerful force for change! Commit to making a positive impact in our great state, and get involved with our campaign."

Amid concerns from gun rights advocates over data privacy and pending 2nd Amendment legal challenges related to firearm registration opposition, Arellano's comments have gained relevance. His remarks came after the Jan. 1 deadline for registering over 170 types of commonly owned firearms banned by the Protect Illinois Communities Act passed. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that only about 1% of firearm owners complied with the gun ban registry.

The law permitted existing owners to retain their weapons if they registered them in time. However, only just over 29,000 individuals out of 2.5 million firearm owners reported nearly 69,000 weapons by Dec. 31, according to the Illinois State Police. The consequences for late registration remain unclear, with decisions left to individual law enforcement jurisdictions. This ambiguity has raised concerns among gun owners who may face the choice of acknowledging a late registration or risking non-compliance.

Arellano served two terms as Mayor of Dixon and is a small business owner who owns two Jimmy John’s franchises, a frozen yogurt shop called Frosted Spoon, and a commercial property leasing company. According to Shaw Local, he ran on a pledge to clean up the city after Rita Crundwell’s $54 million fraud and embezzlement conviction. Crundwell served as treasurer for the municipality from 1983 to 2012 during which time she stole the funds, much of which went to her horse breeding operation.

The 37th State Senate District includes Lee, Bureau, Henry, DeKalb, Ogle, Rock Island, Whiteside, Stark, Peoria, Woodford and Marshall counties according to ilga.gov. The district is currently represented by State Sen. Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills). He announced in August that he would not seek a third term.