Jim Oberweis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Oberweis
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Oberweis in 2014
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| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 25th district |
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| In office January 9, 2013 – January 13, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Chris Lauzen |
| Succeeded by | Karina Villa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 10, 1946 Aurora, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Elaine
(div. 2003)Julie
(m. 2008) |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (BA) University of Chicago (MBA) |
James D. Oberweis (born June 10, 1946) is an American businessman and politician from Illinois. He used to own Oberweis Dairy, a well-known dairy company. Jim Oberweis also served as a member of the Illinois Senate for the 25th district from 2013 to 2021.
Oberweis has run for many different political jobs over the years. He tried to become a U.S. Senator in 2002 and 2004. He also ran for Governor of Illinois in 2006. In 2008, he was the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois's 14th district, but he lost both times to Democrat Bill Foster.
In 2012, Oberweis was elected to the Illinois Senate. He ran for the U.S. Senate again in 2014 but lost to Dick Durbin. In 2020, he ran for the 14th congressional district a third time, losing to Lauren Underwood.
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Learning and Early Career
After finishing school at Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois, Jim Oberweis went to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He also spent a year studying in Germany. He earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois. Later, he got a master's degree in business from the University of Chicago.
In 1968, Oberweis started his career as a junior high school teacher in Aurora. He taught math and science. In 1970, he changed jobs and became a stockbroker, helping people invest their money. He quickly moved up to manage a branch office.
Business Ventures
In 1976, Jim Oberweis started writing an investment newsletter called the Oberweis Report. This report focused on new and growing companies. It became very popular among people looking for investment advice. In 1978, he and his first wife, Elaine, started their own investment company, Oberweis Securities.
In 1986, Oberweis took over the family business, Oberweis Dairy. His father had passed away, and his older brother, who was running the dairy, became ill. After buying the dairy, Jim hired others to manage the daily tasks. His first wife, Elaine, later helped save the dairy business when it faced difficulties.
Oberweis continued to work in investments. In 1987, he created the Oberweis Emerging Growth Fund. In 1989, he started Oberweis Asset Management (OAM). This company helps large investors and individuals with their investments. By 2015, OAM managed about $2 billion.
Oberweis moved the Oberweis Dairy to its current location in North Aurora. He also started a chain of dairy stores and kept the home delivery service for milk in the Chicago area. In 2004, the company began offering franchises to expand the dairy business to other areas.
Television Appearances
Jim Oberweis became a financial news anchor and hosted a show called Catching Winners Early on the Financial News Network. In Chicago, he was often a guest on the Ask an Expert show. He also appeared on other major financial news channels like CNBC, CNN, and Bloomberg TV.
Political Journey
Jim Oberweis has run for political office seven times. He won his first election in 2012 for the 25th State Senate district. Because he ran for office many times without winning, some people jokingly called him "the Milk Dud."
Running for U.S. Senate
In 2002, Oberweis ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator. He finished second in the primary election. He tried again in 2004 for the U.S. Senate, also finishing second in the primary.
After the winner of the 2004 primary, Jack Ryan, dropped out, some Republicans thought Oberweis should take his place. However, the state committee chose Alan Keyes instead. Keyes lost the general election to Barack Obama.
During his 2004 Senate campaign, Oberweis appeared in commercials for Oberweis Dairies. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) decided this was like the company giving money to his campaign, which was not allowed. The FEC fined Oberweis $21,000 for breaking campaign finance rules.
Running for Governor
In 2006, Oberweis ran for the Republican nomination for Governor of Illinois. He finished second in the primary election. The winner of the primary, Judy Baar Topinka, lost to Democrat Rod Blagojevich in the main election.
Running for Congress
When U.S. Representative Dennis Hastert left his seat in 2007, Oberweis ran to replace him in Illinois's 14th congressional district. Hastert supported Oberweis. Oberweis won the primary elections for both the special election and the regular election that year.
However, Oberweis lost the special election in March 2008 to Democrat Bill Foster. He lost to Foster again in the November general election.
Illinois Republican Party Work
In 2010, Jim Oberweis won a seat on the Illinois Republican Party's State Central Committee. This committee helps lead the Republican Party in Illinois. In 2013, Oberweis tried to remove the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, Pat Brady, because of a disagreement over a public stance. Even though Oberweis's effort didn't immediately succeed, Brady later resigned due to the controversy. Oberweis did not run for the committee again in 2014.
Serving in the State Senate
In 2012, Oberweis won the election for the 25th State Senate seat. He defeated his Democratic opponent, Corinne Pierog. In 2016, he ran against Pierog again and won.
In October 2018, Oberweis was chosen to be the Senate Republican Whip, a leadership role. He decided not to run for re-election in 2020.
Senate Committee Roles
As a State Senator, Jim Oberweis worked on several important committees:
- Commerce and Economic Development
- Environment and Conservation (as a Minority Spokesperson)
- Executive (including a Subcommittee on Election Law)
- Labor (as a Minority Spokesperson)
- Revenue
- Transportation (including a Subcommittee on Capital)
More Runs for U.S. Senate and Congress
Oberweis was the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014. He won the Republican primary but was defeated by the Democratic incumbent, Dick Durbin, in the general election.
In 2020, Oberweis announced he would run again for Illinois's 14th congressional district. He challenged the Democratic representative, Lauren Underwood. On March 17, 2020, he won the Republican nomination, beating six other candidates.
On November 4, after the election, Oberweis said he had won, even though many votes, especially mail-in ballots, were still being counted. He also started asking for donations to help pay for a possible recount. On November 12, the Associated Press announced that Lauren Underwood had won the race. Oberweis did not give up and said he was looking into all legal options, including a recount.
Jim Oberweis attended a special orientation for new members of Congress on November 13. He asked for a "discovery recount" on November 18. The official count by the Illinois State Board of Elections showed that Lauren Underwood received more votes than Jim Oberweis.
In January 2021, Oberweis filed a challenge with the U.S. House of Representatives. He claimed there were problems with the vote count that would make him the winner. However, on May 12, 2021, the House rejected Oberweis's challenge.
Personal Life
Jim Oberweis has five children with his first wife, Elaine. They divorced in 2003. He has two stepchildren with his second wife, Julie, and twenty grandchildren.
Oberweis is a Roman Catholic. He is also a big fan of chess. He supported the Fox Valley Chess Club for many years. He also served as President of the Illinois Chess Association for two years.
Images for kids
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Oberweis in 2014
