1995 Illinois's 2nd congressional district special election

none February 2026 September 2023 1995 Illinois's 2nd congressional district special election Illinois presidential no 1994 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois#District 2 1994 1996 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois#District 2 1996 December 12, 1995 125px Jesse Jackson Jr. Democratic Party (United States) 43,333 74.2% 125px Thomas Somer Republican Party (United States) 15,076 25.8% U.S. Representative Mel Reynolds Democratic Party (United States) Jesse Jackson Jr. Democratic Party (United States) The congressional election in Illinois's 2nd congressional district on December 12, 1995, resulted in the entry to Congress of Jesse Jackson Jr. as a Democratic Party representative, a position he held until 2012. The election was a special election made necessary by the resignation from Congress of Mel Reynolds. In the preceding Democratic Party primary held on November 29, Jackson defeated Emil Jones by a margin of 48% to 39%; there were three other candidates. In the general election, Jackson won 76% of the vote against 24% for the Republican candidate, Thomas Somer. Jackson's candidacy Upon his election, Jackson announced his aspirations for his constituents: "I too have a dream...that one day the South Side of Chicago and the south suburbs will look like the North Side of Chicago and the northwest suburbs." —Jackson, 1996 30% right Jackson's wife Sandi envisioned Jackson running for the 2nd congressional district seat in the Spring 1996 primary election. His father, however, felt he should obtain experience at the local level as an alderman, Illinois State Senator or Illinois State Representative.Jackson and Watkins, p. 38. Therefore, Jackson Sr. approached Alice J. Palmer with a deal where they supported her for Congress and she support Junior for her seat in the Illinois State Senate, but Jackson Jr. did not agree with that plan. He felt that if Patrick Kennedy was ready at age 26, then at age 30 he himself was ready. After seeking approval from former Democratic National Committee Chairman and Chicagoan David Wilhelm, he decided to run for the seat. Palmer ran and endorsed Barack Obama for her old seat. When Mel Reynolds, who was later convicted on sex misconduct charges, announced his resignation from the Congress on September 1, 1995, Jackson's name was (along with Palmer) one of the first names to surface as a replacement.http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,4676,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20101007235938/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,4676,00.html dead October 7, 2010 Life After Mel 2008-04-18 1995-09-05 Time Inc. Timehttps://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE0DE1530F937A1575BC0A963958260 In Congressman's District, Conviction Evokes Regret 2008-04-18 1995-08-24 The New York Times Johnson, Dirk On September 10, 1995, Jackson officially announced his candidacy.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE4DF153FF933A2575AC0A963958260 Jesse Jackson's Son to Run for House Seat 2008-04-18 1995-09-10 The New York Times Five Democrats, including Illinois State Senate minority leader Emil Jones, and four Republicans competed in the November 29, 1995 party primaries for the party nominations in the December 12, 1995 general election.http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,5205,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20101008024442/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,5205,00.html dead October 8, 2010 Filling Mel's Shoes 2008-04-18 1995-11-28 Time Inc. Time Jones was endorsed by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/May-2005/What-Does-Junior-Want/ What Does Junior Want? 2008-04-24 May 2005 Chicago Magazine Rhodes, Steve In addition to Jones, Jackson's toughest competitor, the Democratic field included Illinois State Senator Alice Palmer, Illinois State Representative Monique Davis and businessman John Morrow. Jackson used a combination of multimedia, targeted marketing and an army of community activists to deliver his positive campaign messages. He also registered thousands of new voters. Jackson received no endorsements from the downtown daily newspapers (Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and the black daily, Chicago Defender), but was endorsed by the Citizen, Daily Southtown, Markham, Illinois mayor, Evans Miller, and one local labor organization.Jackson and Watkins, p. 39. Jackson's campaign As part of his campaign he was the only candidate to embrace the third Chicago airport proposal being championed by Jim Edgar at the time. The proposed airport in Peotone, Illinois was in Will County and was outside of the congressional district (which then was entirely contained in Cook County), but with thousands of jobs that would result nearby, his region would be a large beneficiary.Riding the Airwaves to Prominence: Rhetorical Warriors Congressional Quarterly CQ Fifty 1999-10-30 115–117 Jackson estimates the airport could bring the region nearly a quarter million jobs and with the multiplier effect on the economy the region would benefit by a half million jobs.Jackson and Watkins, p. 25. One of Jackson's most lasting memories from his first election came during a bipartisan televised debate. During Jackson's positive campaign, he had emphasized that his district would be better off keeping Jones in office at the state capital in Springfield and sending Jackson to Washington. Jones said that being a politician took more than crowd pleasing and rhyming. At the time, the Chicago Bulls had just lost the popular B. J. Armstrong in the 1995 Expansion draft to the Toronto Raptors and Michael Jordan had recently returned to basketball from playing minor league baseball. Jackson memorably stated, "I am not running against Emil Jones. I am trying to build a stronger team. B.J. should have never been traded; M.J. should have stayed in basketball; E.J. should stay in Springfield; and J.J. should be sent to Congress."Jackson and Watkins, p. 40.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEED8123DF936A15755C0A963958260 Pro Basketball; Anthony Is No. 2 Of the Secaucus 27 2009-02-12 1995-06-25 The New York Times Wise, Mike Democratic primary November 29, 1995 Democratic Primary Ward/Township Jones Palmer Jackson Davis Morrow 61283341 71,2546842,48611213 92,4443603,04414914 10386141367143 15294151783253 165711124111 171,2563062,72914113 181,3763122,3981673 1922570280160 212,4904143,4323364 344,9734604,91124812 City Totals14,7672,91720,5871,22367 Bloom1,5967571,2313954 Bremen1,7865101,9735341 Calumet990111502196 Rich1,3529141,4793830 Thornton3,5131,1274,17414154 Worth9476760 Suburban Totals9,3313,4269,426296185 Overall Total38,8659,26050,6002,742319 Jackson won the democratic party primary and since the district is overwhelmingly Democratic, he was the favorite for the special general election.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E3DD1139F93AA15752C1A963958260 Jesse Jackson Jr. Wins Primary in Chicago 2008-04-18 1995-11-29 The New York Times The manner in which he won was interesting because although he lost two of the eleven city wards and three of the six townships, he won all the highest voter turnout regions (two largest townships and five largest wards) except the 34th ward, which was Jones' home base. The day after winning the primary, he received a congratulatory phone call from United States Vice President Al Gore who had also won his first election (representing Tennessee in the House of Representatives) in the shadow of his father, Albert Gore, Sr. who had represented Tennessee in Congress.JESSE JR. COMES UP ACES: Campaign Plan Works For Jackson Daily Southtown 1995-11-30 Bryant, Rick cited at http://www.jessejacksonjr.org/ Jesse Jackson, Jr. 2008-04-22 Jesse Jackson, Jr. for Congress On the eve of the election, Gore attended a Jackson address.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E1DF1739F937A25751C1A963958260 Victory His, Jesse Jackson Jr. Heads to Congress 2008-04-18 1995-12-14 The New York Times Johnson, Dirk Jackson was campaigning in a district where his father was well known. During this campaign, his lone controversy was that his salary as field director the Rainbow Coalition had been subsidized by the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union, which was accused by a Senate investigating committee of having ties to organized crime. Nothing ever came of those accusations. The special general election Jackson won the general election of December 12, 1995 against Republican Thomas Somer (76 percent to 24 percent).http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983823,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20081201164443/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983823,00.html dead December 1, 2008 This Week 2008-04-18 1995-12-11 Time Inc. Time August, Melissa Lina Lofaro Alice Park Jeffrey C. Rubin Alain L. Sanders Sidney Urquharthttp://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,5327,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20101008032128/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,5327,00.html dead October 8, 2010 Junior Wins 2008-04-18 1995-12-13 Time Inc. Timehttps://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/951225/archive_033721.htm Whitewater: Smoking Gun or Squirt Gun?; A Long Way from His Shoeshine Stand 2008-04-18 1995-12-17 U.S. News & World Report, L.P. U.S. News & World Report dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081015231729/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/951225/archive_033721.htm 2008-10-15 The victory had been widely anticipated.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983897,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080307073248/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983897,00.html dead March 7, 2008 This Week 2008-04-18 1995-12-25 Time Inc. Time Horowitz, Janice M. Lina Lofaro Michael Quinn Jeffrey C. Rubin Alain L. Sanders Sidney Urquhart Upon his victory, Jackson made it known he would be a liberal voice in opposition to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and he was sworn in by Gingrich on December 15, 1995, before being introduced to the House by long-time Chicago congressman Sidney Yates.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506E3DC1739F936A25751C1A963958260 Jesse Jackson Jr. Sworn In as House Member 2008-04-18 1995-12-15 The New York Times Jackson was perceived as less charismatic than his father and less credentialed than the Rhodes Scholar Reynolds, but his family pedigree was expected to help him open the doors that would enable him to serve the needs of his constituents effectively. In August 1996, Somer withdrew from a rematch leaving Jackson with no major party opposition.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985457,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20101029214011/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985457,00.html dead October 29, 2010 Illinois 2008-04-18 1996-11-04 Time Inc. Time As a result, Jackson received 94% of the vote in the general election.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E3DC1E38F934A35752C1A960958260 Results of Contests For the U.S. House, District by District 2008-04-18 1996-11-07 The New York Times After being elected in the special general election, Jackson was one of many congressional politicians who received a donation from John Huang although Jackson did not know Mr. Huang. Jackson's donation was unexplained. Many recipients felt compelled to return the donations as a scandal erupted involving the true source of the funds.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06EFDF1E31F931A35750C0A961958260 Fund-Raiser Helped Members of Congress 2008-04-18 1997-03-02 The New York Times Wayne, Leslie Eventually there was a Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Department of Justice interrogation of Mr. Huang concerning irregularities which seemed to relate to Jackson and Bill Clinton.https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9901E3DD143BF932A35752C1A96F958260 House Panel Says It Will Release F.B.I. Notes in Fund-Raising Case 2008-04-19 1999-11-01 The New York Times Lewis, Neil A. Mr. Huang's $1,000 contribution to Jackson's campaign was within legal limits and Jackson attributed Mr. Huang's desire to contribute to the national media attention his campaign's positive message received.http://www.jessejacksonjr.org/query/creadpr.cgi?id=%22000253%22 Jackson On John Huang Contribution 2008-09-17 1997-03-03 Jesse Jackson, Jr. for Congress JesseJackson.org dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080912183449/http://www.jessejacksonjr.org/query/creadpr.cgi?id=%22000253%22 2008-09-12 References 30em Illinois 1995 02 Illinois 1995 02 1995 02 Illinois 02 Category:1995 Illinois elections United States House of Representatives 1995 02