Bobby Rush

Bobby Lee Rush (born November 23, 1946) is an American politician, civil rights leader and pastor. Rush is the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 1st congressional district. He was first elected in 1992 and took office in 1993. He retired in 2023. The district was located in the South Side of Chicago.

Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush official portrait.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byCharles Hayes
Succeeded byJonathan Jackson
Chicago City Alderman
for the 2nd Ward
In office
1983–1993
Preceded byWilliam Barnett
Succeeded byMadeline Haithcock
Personal details
Born
Bobby Lee Rush

(1946-11-23) November 23, 1946 (age 77)
Albany, Georgia, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Sandra Milan[1]
(m. 1967; div. 1974)

Carolyn Thomas
(m. 1981; died 2017)
Children7
ResidenceChicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materRoosevelt University (B.G.S.)
University of Illinois at Chicago (M.A.)
McCormick Seminary (M.A.)
Illinois Institute of Technology (Ph.D.)
Occupation
WebsiteHouse website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1963–1968

A member of the Democratic Party, Rush is the only politician to have defeated Barack Obama in an election, which he did in the 2000 Democratic primary for Illinois' 1st congressional district.[2]

A civil rights activist during the 1960s, Rush became radicalized for a period and founded the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers.

In 1999, Rush ran for Mayor of Chicago, but lost in the Democratic primary to incumbent Richard M. Daley.[3]

In 2015, Rush endorsed Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Emanuel's run-off reelection campaign against Jesus "Chuy" Garcia.[4]

On January 3, 2022, he announced that he was retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives.[5]

Bobby Rush Media

References

  1. NNDB - Bobby Rush
  2. Remnick, David (November 17, 2008). "The Joshua Generation: Race and the Campaign of Barack Obama". New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/17/081117fa_fact_remnick?currentPage=all. 
  3. Lizza, Ryan (July 21, 2008). "Making It: How Chicago Shaped Obama". The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza. 
  4. Bosman, Julie, "Struggles to Unite Latinos and Blacks", New York Times, April 3, 2015.
  5. "Rep. Bobby Rush to retire after 15 terms". January 3, 2022.

Other websites