Dan Ugaste

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Dan Ugaste

| image =

| caption =

| office1 = Assistant Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives

| leader1 = Tony McCombie

| term_start1 = January 8, 2025

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 =

| state_house2 = Illinois

| state2 = Illinois

| district2 = 65th

| term_start2 = {{start date|2019|01|9}}

| term_end2 =

| preceded2 = Steven Andersson

| succeeded2 =

| birth_name = Daniel Jon Ugaste{{cite web | url=https://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/2753?tab=1&_=1735980712260 | title=House Member Details }}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|11|15}}

| birth_place =

| party = Republican

| otherparty =

| spouse = Denise Danos

| partner =

| relations =

| children = 3

| residence = Geneva, Illinois, U.S.

| alma_mater = Lake Forest College (BA)
DePaul University (JD)

| occupation =

| profession = Attorney at Law

| committees =

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Daniel J. Ugaste is a lawyer, politician and Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives who has represented the 65th district since 2019.{{cite news|last=Schory|first=Brenda|title=Ugaste wins Illinois 65th District|newspaper=Northwest Herald|date=November 6, 2018|access-date=November 19, 2018|url=https://www.nwherald.com/2018/11/06/ugaste-wins-illinois-65th-district/agqp50z/}} He has served as Assistant Minority Leader in the House since 2025.{{Cite web |title=Illinois Republicans File Lawsuit Asking State Supreme Court to Toss Legislative Map |url=https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/04/illinois-republicans-file-lawsuit-asking-state-supreme-court-toss-legislative-map |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=WTTW News}} The district, located in the western Chicago metropolitan area, includes all or parts of Campton Hills, Elburn, Elgin, Geneva, Lily Lake, South Elgin, St. Charles, and Wayne.{{Cite web |date=2019-01-04 |title=District - Dan Ugaste |url=https://repugaste.com/district/,%20https://repugaste.com/district/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |language=en-US}}

Education and law career

Ugaste earned a Bachelor of Arts at Lake Forest College and a juris doctor at DePaul University College of Law.{{cite interview |last=Ugaste |first=Dan |interviewer=Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board |title=Illinois House 65th District Republican nominee: Dan Ugaste |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/dan-ugaste-illinois-house-65th-district-republican-candidate-2018-general-election/ |access-date=November 16, 2018 |publisher=Chicago Sun-Times |location=Chicago, Illinois |date=October 20, 2018}}

In the 1990s, Ugaste was an attorney for Seyfarth Shaw, Limited Liability Partnership and Wiedner & McAuliffe, Limited Company.{{Cite web |title=The Voter's Self Defense System |url=http://votesmart.org/ |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=Vote Smart}}

Ugaste is a shareholder in the Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie and Lowry Law Firm and specializes in workers' compensation. He worked as a member of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board and as a technical advisor to Bruce Rauner's Office on Workers' Compensation Reform.

Illinois House of Representatives

In 2014, Ugaste ran for the Illinois House of Representatives. He was defeated in the Republican primary by Steven Andersson.{{cite web | url=https://ballotpedia.org/Daniel_J._Ugaste | title=Daniel J. Ugaste }}

In 2018, Anderson retired from the legislature. Ugaste was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, defeating Democratic candidate Richard Johnson, the President of the Elgin Teachers Union.

In 2020, Ugaste was re-elected, defeating activist Martha Paschke.{{Cite web |last=Krishnamurthy |first=Madhu |date=2020-11-04 |title=Republican incumbent Ugaste wins Illinois House 65th District seat |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/20201104/news/republican-incumbent-ugaste-wins-illinois-house-65th-district-seat/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Daily Herald |language=en-US}}

Ugaste won a third term in 2022, defeating scientist and small business owner Linda Robertson.{{Cite web |last=Network |first=Brenda Schory Shaw Local News |date=2022-11-09 |title=GOP incumbent Ugaste wins race for 65th state House seat |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/20221109/news/gop-incumbent-ugaste-wins-race-for-65th-state-house-seat/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Daily Herald |language=en-US}} Ugaste won a fourth term in 2024, when he faced off against Robertson a second time.{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Dan_Ugaste|title=Dan Ugaste|publisher=Ballotpedia|access-date=November 6, 2024}}

In the 104th General Assembly, Ugaste became Assistant Minority Leader in the House of Representatives.{{Cite web |title=Illinois Republicans File Lawsuit Asking State Supreme Court to Toss Legislative Map |url=https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/04/illinois-republicans-file-lawsuit-asking-state-supreme-court-toss-legislative-map |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=WTTW News}}

= Committees =

In the 103rd General Assembly, Ugaste served on the following committees: Financial Institutions & Licensing (Republican Spokesperson); Judiciary - Civil (Republican Spokesperson); Labor & Commerce (Republican Spokesperson); Police & Fire Committee; Prescription Drug Affordability; Public Utilities; Civil Procedure & Tort Liability (Sub-Co-Chairperson); Commercial & Property (Sub-Co-Chairperson); Business & Industry Innovation.{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly - Representative Biography |url=https://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?MemberID=3149 |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.ilga.gov}}

Political positions

Ugaste supports term limits of “no shorter than 12 years” for members of the General Assembly.{{Cite web |title=Can’t Become Corrupted if You’re Not in Office |url=https://www.chicagomag.com/news/cant-become-corrupted-if-youre-not-in-office/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Chicago Magazine |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Ugaste lives in Geneva and is married. He has three adult daughters and six grandchildren.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin

| title = Illinois 65th Representative District General Election, 2024{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/05/election-day-2024-live-results-illinois-state-house/|title=Election Day 2024 live results: Illinois State House|work=Chicago Tribune|date=November 5, 2024|access-date=November 6, 2024}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Dan Ugaste (incumbent)

| votes = 32,890

| percentage = 55.8

| change = 1.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party of Illinois|candidate=Linda R. Robertson|votes=26,011|percentage=44.2|change=-1.5}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 58,901

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin

| title = Illinois 65th Representative District General Election, 2022{{cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2022/illinois-general-results

|title=Illinois General Election Results 2022|access-date=November 25, 2022|publisher=Chicago Sun Times}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Dan Ugaste (incumbent)

| votes = 23,867

| percentage = 54.3

| change = +2.47

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party of Illinois|candidate=Linda R. Robertson|votes=20,098|percentage=45.7|change=-2.47}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 43,965

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin

| title = Illinois 65th Representative District General Election, 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=prSXs26mKQc%3d&OfficeType=TPsWaFcg2f%2bZHFrYI%2b6FR2Cfb7mGVsUhY5%2f8M4vtZyk%3d&T=637799095911353138|title=Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=February 8, 2022|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Dan Ugaste (incumbent)

| votes = 35206

| percentage = 51.83

| change = -0.31%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Martha Paschke

| votes = 32,720

| percentage = 48.17

| change = +0.31%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 67926

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 65th Representative District General Election, 2018{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=JVM3BFfJbYc%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMQWHHv805S2j52Zlx9XFpSQ%3d|title=Election Results 2018 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=November 12, 2019|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Dan Ugaste

| votes = 26475

| percentage = 52.14

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Richard Johnson

| votes = 24306

| percentage = 47.86