Metro East Sun

State Sen. Steve McClure (R-Jacksonville) was one of many Republicans to thank their staff running things behind the scenes in honor of Administrative Professionals Day last week. 

In an April 21 video shared by the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus, McClure said that, without the help of his legislative aid, he wouldn't be able to do his job.

"Hey, it's Administrative Professionals Day and I want to give a special shoutout to my legislative aide, Lucinda," McClure said. "She keeps me in line. She makes sure I am doing what I need to do, and she juggles about a million different people who call her on a day like today. 

"So I want to thank her for all she does. Without her I couldn't do my job and we couldn't do the great constituent services that my office is known for."

Outside of tipping his hat to his support staff, McClure has recently been in the news for speaking out about the redistricting hearings; state Republicans are warring with Democrats over the responsibility of the once-a-decade redrawing of the Illinois legislative maps, and McClure expressed concern that the public isn't getting a fair opportunity to participate in the hearings. 

“Numerous (groups) have asked for at least two weeks for these hearings,” McClure said in a March 31 Metro East Sun article. “And we echo those requests. There is no need to rush these hearings because the official data has been delayed and it will not be here until this fall."

The U.S. has been celebrating Administrative Professional's Day in some shape or form since World War II. 

The first National Secretaries Day was organized in 1952. Over the years, the name changed to Professional Secretaries Day. In 2000, the International Association of Administrative Professionals announced that name would be changed to Administrative Professionals Day.