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Danny Davis
DannyKDavis113th.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 7th district
Assumed office
January 3, 1997
Preceded by Cardiss Collins
Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
In office
December 20, 1990 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by multi–member district
Succeeded by Darlena Williams-Burnett
Constituency 1st district (1994–1997)
Chicago at-large (1990–1994)
Member of the Chicago City Council
from the 29th Ward
In office
April 16, 1979 – December 20, 1990
Preceded by Leroy Cross
Succeeded by Sam Burrell
Personal details
Born (1941-09-06) September 6, 1941 (age 83)
Parkdale, Arkansas, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Other political
affiliations
Democratic Socialists of America (formerly)
Spouse
Vera Davis
(m. 1974)
Children 2
Education University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (BA)
Chicago State University (MS)
Union Institute and University (PhD)
Website House website

Daniel K. Davis (born September 6, 1941) is an American politician who is the U.S. representative from Illinois's 7th congressional district, elected in 1996. The district serves much of western Chicago, as well as the Loop. It also includes several of Chicago's inner western suburbs, such as Bellwood, Oak Park, and River Forest. Davis is a Democrat, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and a former member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Early life, education, and career

Davis was born in Parkdale, Arkansas, and educated at Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; B.A. in history, 1961), Chicago State University (M.S. in guidance, 1968), and the Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, Ohio (Ph.D. in public administration, 1977).

Davis worked as a government clerk, a high school teacher, executive director of the Greater Lawndale Conservation Commission, director of training at the Martin L. King Neighborhood Health Center, and executive director of the Westside Health Center before entering politics. He represented Chicago's 29th Ward on the Chicago City Council from 1979 to 1990.

Davis challenged U.S. Representative Cardiss Collins in Democratic primaries in 1984 and 1986, but lost both races. In 1990, he unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Edward J. Rosewell for the Democratic nomination for Cook County Treasurer. Also in 1990, Davis was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners, serving from 1990 to 1996 before entering the House. Davis had also waged an unsuccessful campaign against Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in the 1991 Democratic mayoral primary.

Cook County Board of Commissioners

Davis was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners from Chicago at-large in 1990. When the board transitioned to district elections in 1994, he was elected to its 1st district.

Entering Congress in 1997, Davis left the Cook County Board of Commissioners. He desired to see Illinois State Senator Earlean Collins appointed his successor on the board, but party leaders instead chose Darlena Williams-Burnett, executive assistant of Jesse White and the wife of alderman Walter Burnett Jr. Collins challenged and unseated Williams-Burnett in the Democratic primary for the seat in 1998.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Danny K Davis
Davis during the 105th Congress

On December 6, 1995, Davis announced his candidacy for the 7th congressional district, adding his name to the already announced Democratic candidates, including Alderman Percy Z. Giles, Cook County Board of Commissioners member Bobbie L. Steele, Alderman Ed Smith, and Alderman Dorothy Tillman. Five other Democratic candidates entered the race later: S. Mendenhall, Joan Sullivan, G. Winbush, Anthony Travis, and Joan Powell, making it the largest field of candidates for U.S. Congress in Illinois in 1996. Davis lived a block outside the district, but was familiar in it.

Davis ran on a progressive Democratic platform popular in the district. He supported gay rights, the ERA, single-payer health care, and some federal support for child nutrition and care.

In early January 1996, the FBI revealed its Operation Silver Shovel, which included an investigation into Alderman Giles. What Operation Silver Shovel may have done to undermine Giles's chances for election are unclear as he was already lagging with a mere 3% among likely Democratic primary voters in a mid-December poll compared to Davis's 33%, Smith's 8%, Tillman's 7%, and Steele's 6%. But Giles did have Mayor Richard M. Daley's support and that of other well-known area figures.

On March 10, 1996, during a radio debate hosted by WMAQ-AM, Tillman and Smith called for Davis to reject the endorsement of former alderman candidate Wallace "Gator" Bradley, spokesman for convicted Gangster Disciples leader Larry Hoover. Davis never rejected Bradley's endorsement during the campaign, and after winning the primary claimed that Bradley's endorsement played no role in the outcome, though Bradley asserted the contrary.

During the campaign, Tillman highlighted comments Davis made in an August 1970 issue of Ebony: "[T]he white female often gives the black man certain kinds of recognition that the black woman often does not give him." The Davis campaign countered that Davis was speaking as a psychologist in his role as a training director at a health center.

Although Davis was fully promoted as a Democratic candidate, he also ran as a New Party candidate. Supporting this was New Party's celebration of him as the "first New Party member elected to the U.S. Congress." Although the State of Illinois did not permit fusion voting, New Party advocated it as a means to promote itself and its agenda and to project New Party ideology into the Democratic Party. Candidates were called "N[ew]P[arty] Democrats" and required to sign a contract mandating a "visible and active relationship" with New Party. During this time, New Party was experiencing substantial growth. Davis was also endorsed by the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America (CDSA), of which he had been a member since before his congressional run. ACORN, AFL–CIO, Sierra Club, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters also endorsed Davis.

In the March 20 Democratic primary, Davis received more votes than the two closest candidates, Tillman and Smith, combined. The first five announced candidates all received more than twice as many votes as the five late-entering candidates, with none of the latter receiving more than 2,700.

In the November 5 general election, Davis defeated Republican Randy Borow and third-party candidates Chauncey L. Stroud (Independent), Toietta Dixon (Libertarian), and Charles A. Winter (Natural Law) with over 82% of the vote.

Obama Congressmen State of the Union 2011
Davis with President Barack Obama in January 2011
Educational Excellence for African Americans Executive Order Signing
Davis watches as President Obama signs an Executive Order 13621 on July 26, 2012

Tenure

Davis expressed interest in replacing John Stroger on the ballot in the 2006 race for President of the Cook County Board. Stroger's son Todd Stroger was ultimately selected.

In late 2008, Davis expressed interest in being President Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate before Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's scandal erupted. In a December 31, 2008, New York Times article, Davis said that he turned down an offer from Blagojevich's representatives to appoint him to the Senate. Instead, Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris.

Davis ran for mayor of Chicago a second time in 2011, but withdrew before the election and endorsed Carol Moseley Braun.

In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Davis endorsed Kamala Harris. He later endorsed Joe Biden ahead of the Iowa caucus.

Sun Myung Moon

In 2004, Davis was met with national controversy when he crowned Reverend Sun Myung Moon in a religious ceremony at the Dirksen Senate Office Building honoring Moon. Moon declared himself the Messiah at the crowning ceremony, in which Davis appeared on the invitation as a sponsoring co-chair. Davis wore white gloves and carried the crown on a pillow to crown Moon and his wife "the King and Queen of Peace." Davis told Christian Challenge that Moon's declaring himself the Messiah "was similar to a baseball team owner telling team members that 'we are the greatest team on earth'" before a game. Davis said the peace awards were to "recognize people for promoting peace. Of course the highest recognition goes to the highest promoter and the highest promoter is Reverend Moon, so they come up with something higher than the certificates and plaques that other folks get." Other lawmakers who attended included Senator Mark Dayton, Representatives Roscoe Bartlett and Elijah Cummings, and former Representative Walter Fauntroy. Key organizers of the event included George Augustus Stallings, Jr., a former Catholic priest who had been married by Moon, and Michael Jenkins, the president of the Unification Church of the United States at that time.

Trip paid for by Tamil Tigers

As the 15th most prolific traveler in Congress, Davis stirred up controversy by accepting a trip to Sri Lanka in 2005 on behalf of the Tamil minority there, paid for by the Tamil Tigers, a group that the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization. Davis said that he was unaware that the Tigers were the source of the trip's funding.

Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress:

Party leadership and caucus membership

  • Chair of the Congressional Postal Caucus
  • Regional Whip
  • Congressional Arts Caucus
  • Medicare for All Caucus
  • Congressional Coalition on Adoption
  • Afterschool Caucuses

Political positions

Davis voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Davis voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.

Electoral history

Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis 149,568 82.59
Republican Randy Borow 27,241 15.04
Independent Chauncey L. Stroud 1,944 1.07
Libertarian Toietta Dixon 1,571 0.87
Natural Law Charles A. Winter 771 0.43
Total votes 181,095 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 57,200 85.06
Democratic Wilner J. Jackson 10,046 14.94
Total votes 67,246 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 130,984 92.92
Libertarian Dorne E. Van Cleave III 9,984 7.08
Total votes 140,968 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 164,155 85.93
Republican Robert Dallas 26,872 14.07
Total votes 191,027 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 137,933 83.21
Republican Mark Tunney 25,280 15.25
Libertarian Martin Pankau 2,543 1.53
Total votes 165,756 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 84,950 82.21
Democratic Anita Rivkin-Carothers 15,190 14.70
Democratic Robert Dallas 3,191 3.09
Total votes 103,331 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 221,133 86.13
Republican Antonio Davis-Fairman 35,603 13.87
Total votes 256,736 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 77,287 88.98
Democratic Jim Ascot 6,646 7.65
Democratic Robert Dallas 2,921 3.36
Total votes 86,854 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 143,071 86.70
Republican Charles Hutchinson 21,939 13.30
Write-in votes Lowell M. Seida 1 0.00
Total votes 165,011 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 129,865 91.14
Democratic Robert Dallas 12,629 8.86
Total votes 142,494 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 235,343 85.02
Republican Steve Miller 41,474 14.98
Total votes 276,817 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 52,728 66.77
Democratic Sharon Denise Dixon 10,851 13.74
Democratic Darlena Williams-Burnett 10,173 12.88
Democratic Jim Ascot 5,221 6.61
Total votes 78,973 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 149,846 81.50
Republican Mark M. Weiman 29,575 16.09
Independent Clarence Desmond Clemons 4,428 2.41
Total votes 183,849 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 57,896 84.48
Democratic Jacques A. Conway 10,638 15.52
Total votes 68,534 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 242,439 84.64
Republican Rita Zak 31,466 10.99
Independent John H. Monaghan 12,523 4.37
Write-in votes Phil Collins 5 0.00
Write-in votes Dennis Richter 2 0.00
Total votes 286,435 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 155,110 85.10
Republican Robert L. Bumpers 27,168 14.90
Total votes 182,278 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 139,378 81.19
Democratic Thomas Day 32,261 18.79
Democratic Frederick Collins 25 0.01
Total votes 171,664 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 250,584 84.24
Republican Jeffrey A. Leef 46,882 15.76
Total votes 297,466 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 81,570 73.86
Democratic Anthony V. Clark 28,867 26.14
Total votes 110,437 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 215,746 87.62
Republican Craig Cameron 30,497 12.38
Total votes 246,243 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 79,813 60.91
Democratic Kina Collins 18,399 13.88
Democratic Anthony Clark 17,206 12.98
Democratic Kristine Schanbacher 17,187 12.96
Total votes 132,605 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 249,383 80.41
Republican Craig Cameron 41,390 13.35
Independent Tracy Jennings 19,355 6.24
Total votes 310,128 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 39,230 51.88
Democratic Kina Collins 34,574 45.73
Democratic Denarvis Mendenhall 1,808 2.39
Total votes 75,612 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 167,650 99.94
Write-in 96 0.06
Total votes 167,746 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2024
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 42,248 52.45
Democratic Melissa Conyears Ervin 17,154 21.30
Democratic Kina Collins 15,188 18.85
Democratic Nikhil Bhatia 3,808 4.73
Democratic Kouri Marshall 2,156 2.68
Total votes 80,554 100.0
Illinois 7th Congressional District General Election, 2024
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Danny K. Davis (incumbent) 222,408 83.25
Republican Chad Koppie 44,598 16.69
Write-in 146 0.05
Total votes 267,152 100.0

Personal life

Danny K2 Davis
Davis during the
110th Congress

Davis is married to Vera G. Davis. They have two children. Davis is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He is notable for his support of the National Federation of the Blind. He spoke at their 2004 and 2005 conventions.

Davis is a Baptist.

See also

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