John Edwards, born June 10, 1953, in South Carolina, former U.S. Senator from North Carolina, candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000 and 2004 Democratic vice-presidential nominee. As a presidential candidate, Edwards was famed for his populist message in his "Two Americas" speech and also for his optimistic, positive attitude. This was evidenced by his refusal to attack his opponents. In the primaries, Sen. Edwards had strong come-from-behind showings in the crucial states of Iowa, Oklahoma, Virginia, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Georgia. He also won the North Carolina caucus and the South Carolina primary. Edwards has kept his Federal Leadership PAC, the One America Committee, active to help Democrats across the nation win elections in the future. On February 5, 2005, Edwards spoke at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's fundraising dinner. On August 18, 2005, Edwards traveled to Waterloo, Iowa, to deliver an address to the Iowa AFL-CIO, a potential key supporter in the Iowa caucus. On December 26, 2006, Edwards formally announced his candidacy.
- U.S. Senator from North Carolina: 1999–2005.
- Director of the Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 2005–2006.
- Council on Foreign Relations.
Dennis Kucinich, born October 8, 1946, in Cleveland, Ohio. Ohio Congressman, former Mayor of Cleveland, and 2004 Democratic primary candidate. Dennis Kucinich is known by many as "The Peace Candidate", having received the 2003 Gandhi Peace Award. Kucinich opposed the war in Iraq and the Patriot Act. Under Kucinich's plan, United Nations peace-keepers would go to Iraq if the Iraqi citizens desire their presence. The Congressman re-introduced legislation to create a United States Department of Peace via HR 808 on February 5, 2007. He is currently campaigning to end the war in Iraq by cutting off funding, if such measures are necessary. He is the only democratic candidate who voted against authorizing President Bush to invade Iraq. He is in support of peaceful diplomatic relations with Iran, and all nations. Kucinich has received many awards praising his courage and work for peace. On December 12, 2006, Kucinich announced his candidacy at an event at Cleveland's City Hall.
- Mayor of Cleveland: 1978–1979.
- U.S. Representative from Ohio's 10th congressional district: 1997–Present.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, born October 26, 1947, in Illinois, U.S. Senator from New York and former First Lady of the United States. Clinton announced the formation of her exploratory committee on 20 January 2007, with a post on her website. She has delivered several speeches which analysts say are intended to reach out to moderates. She has also been holding fundraising meetings, including meeting with women from Massachusetts, a key constituency of potential rival and 2004 nominee John Kerry; however, these activities are consistent with the lead up to a campaign for re-election to her Senate seat in 2006. Many Republicans appear to be hoping that Senator Clinton will run for President, presumably believing her to be a polarizing figure. If elected, Clinton would be the first female president. Clinton announced on January 20, 2007, that she will run in 2008 (the same day she announced the formation of an exploratory committee). She has filed the official paperwork for an exploratory committee.
- First Lady of Arkansas: 1979–1981 and 1983–1992.
- First Lady of the United States: 1993–2001.
- U.S. Senator from New York: 2001–present.
Barack Obama, born August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Senator from Illinois. A "draft Obama" movement began with his well-received 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address. Obama was the featured speaker at Iowa Senator Tom Harkin's annual steak fry, a political event favored by presidential hopefuls in the lead-up to the Iowa caucus. He was endorsed by talk show host Oprah Winfrey in 2006. Various recent opinion polls have seen Obama trailing only Hillary Clinton in several polls. If elected, he would become the first part African-American President of the United States. Obama announced on February 10, 2007, that he will run in 2008. He has filed the official paperwork.
- U.S. Senator from Illinois: 2005–Present.
Christopher Dodd, was born May 27, 1944, in Connecticut and is a five-term U.S. Senator from that state. Dodd was reported to be a likely contender for the Democratic Vice President slot on John Kerry's ticket in 2004. In May 2006, Dodd said he has "decided to do all the things that are necessary to prepare to seek the presidency in 2008", including hiring staff, raising money and traveling around the country in the next few months to enlist support. On Jan. 11, 2007, Dodd announced his Presidential candidacy on the "Imus in the Morning" radio show with Don Imus.
- U.S. Senator from Connecticut: 1981–Present.
- U.S. Representative from the Connecticut's 2nd congressional district: 1975–1981.
Mike Gravel, born May 13, 1930, in Springfield, Massachusetts. U.S. Senator from Alaska from 1969 to 1981 and an active candidate for Vice President in 1972. He is most known for playing a key role in ending the draft during the Vietnam War through the release of the Pentagon Papers and through staging a one-man filibuster for 5 months. He is also notable for advocating a guaranteed annual income, which he termed a "citizen's wage," of $5,000 per person, regardless of whether the person worked. On April 13, 2006, Gravel announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination. His policy announcements to date include support for direct democracy, FairTax and withdrawal from Iraq. Mike Gravel filed with the FEC in April according to various news sources. The FEC's site has listed his reports since July.
- Alaska State Representative: 1962–1966 (Speaker: 1965–1966).
- U.S. Senator from Alaska: 1969–1981.
Bill Richardson, born November 15, 1947, in Pasadena, California, Governor of New Mexico, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Secretary of Energy and U.S. Representative. After reportedly informing party leaders in February 2005 of his intention to run for president, on December 7, 2006, Richardson said "I am running" during his response to a prospective question about the 2008 presidential election by Fox News, however he later retracted the decision and said he would make an official decision by January. On May 21, 2007, he officially declared his candidacy. If elected he would be the first Hispanic American to hold Presidential Office.
- Governor of New Mexico: 2003–Present.
- United States Secretary of Energy: 1998–2001.
- United States Ambassador to the United Nations: 1997–1998.
- U.S. Representative from the New Mexico's 3rd congressional district: 1983–1997.
Joe Biden, born November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. Senator from Delaware and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, although he ceased active campaigning in 1987, before the first primaries. Biden first hinted that he might run in 2008 in a December 8, 2004, radio interview with host Don Imus, saying: "I'm going to proceed as if I'm going to run." Biden has repeatedly stated his intention to run, and did so as early as 21 March 2006. Biden's Federal Leadership PAC is "Unite Our States", which tracks Biden's public appearances and policy positions. On 7 January 2007, when asked by Tim Russert on Meet the Press "Are you running for President?" he responded, "I am running for President." He also said he plans to create an exploratory committee by the end of the month. On January 31, 2007, he officially signed the papers with the FEC to run for president.
- U.S. Senator from Delaware: 1973–Present.
I'd like to meet:
Anyone who is tired of the way neo-cons have ruined this country over the past 7 years
People who believe in the Bill of Rights
People who feel that the integrity of the Supreme Court needs to be preserved
Anyone who is motivated to get involved to help elect Democrats! All political junkies are welcome whether you're from Illinois or elsewhere.
Senatorial Democratic Candidate:
Incumbent
Dick Durbin (D)
Senator Dick Durbin was elected by his fellow Democratic senators in December 2006 to the post of Assistant Majority Leader, also known as Majority Whip. It is the Senate's second highest ranking position. In 2004, Durbin was elected as Minority Whip. Durbin's election to leadership marked only the fifth time in history that an Illinois senator has served as a Senate leader.
Durbin, a Democrat from Springfield, is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois and the first Illinois senator to serve on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee in more than a quarter of a century. He is the state's senior senator and convenor of the bipartisan Illinois delegation.
The House author of landmark legislation to ban smoking on commercial airline flights, Durbin has worked in the Senate to protect children from the harm caused by tobacco. For his work, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Lung Association.
Consumer protection is high on Durbin's list of priorities. Continuing an effort spurred by a meeting with the mother of a Chicago six-year-old who died after eating contaminated hamburger, Durbin led the effort to modernize the fragmented federal food safety system under a single food-safety agency.
Durbin has also worked for gun safety legislation to keep guns out of the hands of children. He introduced bipartisan legislation to hold adults responsible if they fail to lock up their firearms and the weapons are subsequently taken by a child and used to kill or injure another person.
House Democratic Candidates:
IL-01
Incumbent
Bobby Rush (D)
Since his election on November 3, 1992, to the U.S. Congress, representing the First Congressional District of Illinois, Bobby Rush's political effectiveness has been recognized by the Democratic leadership, his congressional colleagues and most importantly, by his congressional constituents.
U.S. Rep. Rush is chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. He also serves on the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. Congressman Rush is also a co-chairman of the Congressional Biotech Caucus.
Throughout his Congressional career, Congressman Rush's leadership has been recognized and rewarded. As a freshman lawmaker, the Democratic leadership appointed Rush to serve as part of the whip organization, a position he still holds. He was also elected class president for two terms by his Democratic colleagues in the class of 1992.
IL-02
Incumbent
Jesse Jackson Jr. (D)
Representative Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. began service in the United States House of Representatives on December 12, 1995, as a member of the 104th Congress. He was the 91st African American ever elected to Congress.
Representative Jackson currently sits on the House Appropriations Committee, serving as the 4th most senior Democrat on the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; the Vice-Chair, or 2nd most senior Democrat on the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; and a member of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies.
His leadership created the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health in 2001, hailed by many minority health experts as the most important civil rights legislation since the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Representative Jackson also secured funding for the Institute of Medicine’s 2002 report on health disparities, “Unequal Treatment." In addition, Representative Jackson has served as a member of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission since 2003, and as a member of the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Institute of Politics Senior Advisory Board since 2000.
IL-03
Incumbent
Daniel Lipinski (D)
Congressman Dan Lipinski is a proud native and Representative of Illinois' Third Congressional District. The district includes large parts of south and southwest Chicago, as well as several suburban communities in west and southwest Cook County. All of these neighborhoods and the families who call them home make the Third District one of the most diverse and vibrant areas in the entire country.
As a skilled legislator, Congressman Lipinski has fought tirelessly for the residents of the district, as well as all Americans-leading the way in improving our nation's schools, making the healthcare system more accessible and transparent, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, protecting the American worker, improving our nation's transportation and infrastructure, and ensuring our families' safety and security.
To advance the interests of the Third District, Congressman Lipinski is a member of three House Committees: Transportation and Infrastructure, Science and Technology, and Small Business. As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Congressman Lipinski serves on the Subcommittee on Aviation, the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, and the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. In the Committee on Science and Technology, Congressman Lipinski is Vice-Chairman of the full Committee and also a member of the Subcommittee on Research and Science Education and the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. As a member of the House Committee Small Business, Congressman Lipinski belongs to the Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare and Trade.
IL-04
Incumbent
Luis Gutierrez (D)
During his seven terms in the U.S. House, Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez has worked to establish himself as an effective legislator and energetic spokesman on behalf of his constituents in Illinois' Fourth District. At the same time, Gutierrez' tireless leadership championing the causes of the Latino and immigrant communities has led to greater responsibilities within the U.S. Congress and has earned him widespread acclaim throughout the country-- culminating in his selection as the most admired Latino leader in the country, according to a recent nationwide survey.
Gutierrez campaigned for office in 1992 promising to be a "new kind of Congressman" for the people of his ethnically diverse working- class district. He promised to be "closer to the people of Illinois rather than the lobbyists in the backrooms of Washington."
As the first Latino to be elected to Congress from the Midwest, Gutierrez sought opportunities to address long-standing needs facing the immigrant community in his diverse Congressional district, which is home to Chicago's large and established communities of immigrants from Eastern Europe as well Latin America. During his first term in office, he led the fight to increase citizenship education and English language proficiency programs for newly-arrived immigrants.
IL-05
Incumbent
Rahm Emanuel (D)
Rahm Emanuel, 47, is a leader in Congress committed to addressing the challenges facing families across the nation. Since taking the oath of office in 2003, he has been a strong, effective voice for Chicago in Congress.
At the beginning of his second term, Emanuel received an assignment to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes, trade, Social Security, and Medicare issues. Additionally, Emanuel was appointed by then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve as Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Under his leadership, the DCCC expanded the Democratic Party’s reach in every region of the country. Democrats gained 30 seats in the House and ushered in a new Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.
In January of 2007, the new majority elected Emanuel to serve as Democratic Caucus Chair, the 4th highest ranking Member of the House Democratic Leadership.
As Chair, Emanuel led the Democratic Caucus in fulfilling its campaign promise to pass legislation reflecting the values and priorities of the American people. In the first 100 legislative hours, Democrats passed sweeping ethics reform, strengthened our national security, increased minimum wage, expanded stem cell research, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, cut interest rates on student loans, and ended the subsidies for the oil industry.
IL-07
Incumbent
Danny Davis (D)
Danny K. Davis was chosen by the people of the 7th Congressional District of Illinois as their Representative in Congress on November 5, 1996. He has been a Member of Congress continuously since.
Congressman Davis is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Community Health Centers Caucus, the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, the Congressional Steel Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Art Caucus, the Congressional Cancer Caucus, the Congressional Children's Caucus, Congressional Heart and Stroke Caucus, the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus, the Congressional Iraq Fallen Heroes Caucus, the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, the Congressional Pakistani Caucus, the Rural Health Caucus, the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, and is Chair of the Congressional Postal Caucus and is a Regional Whip in the Democratic Caucus.
Congressman Davis has distinguished himself as an articulate voice for his constituents and as an effective legislator able to move major bills to passage despite his relative lack of seniority. His initiative to quadruple the Access to Jobs funding in the 105th Congress, one of only two successful amendments to the transportation authorization bill; and his bi-partisan Community Renewal Act in the 106th Congress, designed to bring investment and jobs to economically impacted communities are examples of his successes.
IL-08
Incumbent
Melissa Bean (D)
Melissa Bean has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2004, representing Illinois's 8th congressional district. The district includes parts of the northwest Chicago suburbs of Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Palatine and Barrington.
She is the chairwoman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Tax, Finance and Exports. She is also a member of the Financial Services Committee.
Bean is considered a moderate Democrat, especially by Chicago-area Democratic standards. She is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democrat Coalition, and often touts her independent stance to her constituents.
IL-09
Incumbent
Jan Schakowsky (D)
Jan Schakowsky was elected to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District on November 3, 1998, after serving for eight years in the Illinois State Assembly. She is in her fifth term.
Schakowsky serves in the House Democratic Leadership as Chief Deputy Whip and as a member of the Steering and Policy Committee. She is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where she will work to accomplish her top priority in Congress -- providing universal healthcare coverage for all Americans. On that Committee, she serves as Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection and as a member of the Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Speaker Pelosi recently appointed Schakowsky to serve on the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Schakowsky opposed the Iraq war resolution and was a founding member of the Out-of-Iraq Caucus.
Schakowsky is a leading advocate for women's issues in Congress, sponsoring legislation that would prevent violence against immigrant women, establish transitional housing for women and children who are victims of abuse, and commemorate International Women's Day. During the 110th Congress, Schakowsky serves as Democratic Vice Chair of the bipartisan Women's Caucus.
A citizen advocate, grassroots organizer, and elected public official, Schakowsky has fought throughout her career for economic and social justice and improved quality of life for all; for an end to violence against women; and for a national investment in healthcare, public education and housing needs.
IL-12
Incumbent
Jerry Costello (D)
Jerry Costello is recognized as a Congressman who works hard and gets the job done. When he served in local public office, Costello laid out a vision for Southwestern and Southern Illinois which he took to Congress: to boost the local economy by building a new transportation network for the region. That is one of the reasons why the respected Almanac of American Politics has said that Costello is "as practical and district-minded as any Member of the House...If it can be done, Costello will surely do it."
Costello has continually stood up for the people of the 12th Congressional District on the tough issues. As a moderate on fiscal issues, he has supported a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and from his seat on the Budget Committee, helped pass key deficit reduction legislation in 1993 and 1997 that resulted in the first balanced budget in a generation. He has also stood up for his constituents by opposing trade agreements which will cost jobs in the 12th District, and he was one of only a few Members who opposed the Clean Air Act, which was grossly unfair to the Midwest and has devastated the coal industry in Southern Illinois.
IL-17
Incumbent
Phil Hare (D)
In 1969, Phil Hare took his first job at the Seaford Clothing Factory in Rock Island. During the 13 years he cut lining for men’s suits there, Phil served as a union leader and as the President of UNITE HERE Local 617. He also served six years in the U.S. Army Reserves. These experiences gave him the determination to always fight for working families and veterans.
Phil left his union position to work for Congressman Lane Evans in 1982. For nearly 24 years, Phil worked on behalf of his neighbors in the 17th District by serving as District Director. Whether it was helping constituents solve their problems, mediating labor disputes, or furthering Democratic principles, Phil has always sought to help the people of his district. In his spare time, Phil volunteered at a local hospice and coached youth basketball and football.
When his boss and good friend Lane Evans decided to retire in 2006, Phil was devastated. After discussing it with his wife (Beckie) and two children (Lou, Amy), he decided to run in Lane’s stead. Phil knew that his candidacy was the best way to carry on the fight for working families and veterans.
Phil Hare was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 7, 2006 with 57 percent of the vote. He serves on the Education and Labor and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. He is also an assistant whip under Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC). Assistant whips are responsible for mobilizing party members from their respective regions on important votes.
