Manar learned about phenomenal public service through an unpaid internship working for the Senator's district office helping constituents.

[4] Manar attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where he was a Golden Apple Scholar studying History to become a certified teacher.

Citing a fiscal crisis, Andy began enacting policies to save taxpayer money and run government on less resources.

Manar also shut down the county-run economic development office and helped to create a new collaborative public-private partnership run equally by private business and municipal and county government.

[9] In December 2012, Manar stepped down after four terms as the County Board Chairman, in order to transition to the Illinois Senate being succeeded by Mark Dragovich.

[19] In 2014, Senator Manar won his first race for re-election, defeating Macon County Board member Linda Little of Decatur.

[26] Senator Manar brought together Lewis and Clark Community College and the University of Illinois to establish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program in Godfrey.

The program addresses a critical shortage of nurses for area hospitals and healthcare providers while giving students an affordable path to a college degree.

[27] In 2019, Manar along with 39th District Representative Will Guzzardi filed SB667, which would cap insulin costs at $100 a month for diabetic patients in the State of Illinois.

In the 98th General Assembly, Senator Manar served as the sub-chairperson on the Subcommittee on Economic Development as well as on the Agriculture and Conservation, Executive Appointments, Higher Education, State Government & Veterans Affairs and Appropriations I & II committees.

Manar said his main objective as a senior advisor would be to help Pritzker with downstate economic revitalization, appropriations, and COVID-19 recovery efforts.