He was first elected in 1982 defeating Democratic candidate Judith A. Weiher.[1] The 64th district included all of Boone County, eastern Winnebago County, and the northern half of McHenry County.[2]
In the 1991 decennial redistricting process, Wait was redistricted into the 68th House District. The 68th included all of Boone County, eastern Winnebago County outside of Rockford, and a small portion of northern DeKalb County.[3] In the 1992 general election, Wait was defeated by Democratic candidate Barbara Giolitto.[4] In a 1994 rematch, the staunchly Republican district reverted to form and Wait was returned to the Illinois House of Representatives.[5][6]
During the 2001 decennial redistricting process, Wait's retained much of his previous district, but the district was renumbered from the 68th district to the 69th district.[7] Wait opted to retire from the Illinois House of Representatives and run for a judgeship in the 17th Circuit Court of Illinois. In a three-way Republican primary, Wait lost to former Boone County State's Attorney Jim Hursh.[8] Husch would go on to lose to independent candidate Rob Tobin.[9] Rockford City Councilman and fellow Republican Joe Sosnowski defeated Belvidere City Councilman and Democratic candidate Ray Pendzinski.[10][11]
^"House District 45"(PDF). Northern Illinois University Center of Governmental Studies. Archived from the original(PDF) on November 8, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2012.