Rodney Davis | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 13th district |
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Assumed office January 3, 2013 |
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Preceded by | Judy Biggert |
Personal details | |
Born |
Rodney Lee Davis January 5, 1970 Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Shannon Davis; 3 children |
Residence | Taylorville, Illinois, U.S. |
Alma mater | Millikin University (BA) |
Website | House website |
Rodney Lee Davis (born January 5, 1970) is an American member of Congress who has been the United States Representative for Illinois's 13th congressional district since 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party. Davis successfully ran for re-election in 2014 and 2016.
Davis was born in Des Moines and is a lifelong resident of Taylorville, Illinois where he attended public school. Before attending college, he worked at a McDonald's that his parents operated. He graduated from Millikin University in 1992 with a degree in political science.
After graduating from college, Davis worked for then-Secretary of State George Ryan. In 1996, he lost a race for the state legislature. In 1998, Davis managed the first re-election campaign for Illinois Congressman John Shimkus. Following the successful campaign, Davis accepted a position on Shimkus' congressional staff.
In 2000, Davis lost his second campaign, this time for mayor of his hometown, Taylorville. Davis served as Shimkus' Projects Director while simultaneously running for Congress.
On May 19, 2012, the Republican County Chairmen for the 14 Illinois counties comprising the 13th district nominated Davis as the Republican candidate in the 13th District. This district had previously been the 15th, represented by six-term incumbent Republican Tim Johnson, who had announced in April that he would not seek re-election. Other finalists for the nomination were Jerry Clarke, chief of staff to fellow U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren and Johnson's former chief of staff; Erika Harold, a lawyer and winner of Miss America in 2003; and Kathy Wassink, a businesswoman. Davis was coaching his sons' little league baseball game when he was informed that he had been nominated.