David Friess

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix =

| name = David Friess

| honorific_suffix =

| image =

| alt =

| state_house = Illinois

| district = 115th

| term_start = {{start date|2021|01|13}}

| term_end =

| predecessor = Nathan Reitz

| successor =

| prior_term =

| pronunciation =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = 1968 or 1969 (age {{Age as of date|50|2018|10|3}}){{Cite news|title=Who is David Friess, Republican for Illinois House?|url=https://www.bnd.com/news/politics-government/election/article219422975.html|last=The News-Democrat|date=October 3, 2018|access-date=March 29, 2021|work=Belleville News-Democrat}}

| birth_place = Southern Illinois, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| resting_place =

| resting_place_coordinates =

| citizenship =

| nationality =

| party =

| otherparty =

| height =

| spouse = {{marriage|Miki|1989}}

| partner =

| relations =

| children = 2

| parents =

| mother =

| father =

| relatives =

| residence = Red Bud, Illinois, U.S.

| education =

| alma_mater = {{nowrap|Mercer University (BS)}}
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School (JD)

| occupation =

| website =

| nickname =

| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

| branch = {{air force|United States}}
15px Air Force Reserves

| serviceyears =

| rank =

| unit =

| commands =

| battles = Gulf War

| mawards =

}}

David Friess is a Republican member of the Illinois House from the 116th district since January 13, 2021. The 116th district, located in part of the Metro East, includes all or parts of Baldwin, Cahokia, Chester, Columbia, Coulterville, Cutler, Darmstadt, Du Quoin, Dupo, East Carondelet, Ellis Grove, Evansville, Fayetteville, Floraville, Fults, Hecker, Kaskaskia, Lenzburg, Maeystown, Marissa, Millstadt, New Athens, Paderborn, Percy, Pinckneyville, Prairie du Rocher, Red Bud, Rockwood, Ruma, Sauget, Smithton, Sparta, St. Libory, Steeleville, Tilden, Valmeyer, Waterloo, and Willisville.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/lower/st17_il/sldl17116/DC10SLDL17116_000.pdf|title=STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: State House District 116 (Illinois)|date=2013-06-05|access-date=2021-03-29|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

Friess was elected to the district after defeating appointed Democratic incumbent Nathan Reitz.

Early life, education, and career

Friess was born in Southern Illinois and grew up in Chester.{{Cite web|url=https://repfriess.com/about/|title=About - David Friess|access-date=2021-03-29|website=DAVID FRIESS STATE REPRESENTATIVE • DISTRICT 116|date=10 December 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@votefriess/meet-david-friess-f91f26d6851c|title=Meet David Friess|date=2019-08-18|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Medium|last=Friess|first=David}} He attended and graduated from Chester High School. Immediately after graduating, Friess joined the United States Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. After completing his active duty obligation, he joined the Air Force Reserves as a flight engineer and crew chief of the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter and stationed in Charleston, South Carolina. During his time in the reserves, he served in the Gulf War. After retiring from the Air Force, Friess worked for Delta Air Lines in Atlanta briefly as an aircraft mechanic. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Mercer University and earned his Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. He is a member of the Randolph County Bar Association.

As of July 3, 2022, Representative Friess is a member of the following Illinois House committees:{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly - Representative Committees |url=https://ilga.gov/house/RepCommittees.asp?MemberID=3004 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=ilga.gov}}

Appropriations - Public Safety Committee (HAPP)
Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee (HELM)
Judiciary - Criminal Committee (HJUC)
Natural Gas Subcommittee (HPUB-NGAS)
Public Utilities Committee (HPUB)
State Government Administration Committee (HSGA)

Political career

=2018=

Friess first ran for the 116th district in the 2018 Illinois House of Representatives election. He ran unopposed in the primary and in the general election ran against Democratic then-incumbent Jerry Costello II. He lost in the general election by an 8-point margin.

=2020=

In 2019, Friess' previous opponent Costello was appointed by Governor J. B. Pritzker as director of law enforcement for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Democrat Nathan Reitz, son of Dan Reitz (the state Representative of the district before Costello), was appointed to fill Costello's remaining term.{{Cite news|title=Son of former state representative appointed to replace Costello in Illinois House|url=https://www.bnd.com/news/politics-government/article230222284.html|last=Bustos|first=Joseph|date=May 9, 2019|access-date=March 29, 2021|work=Belleville News-Democrat}} Friess ran again for the district in a crowded Republican primary. His fellow primary opponents were David Holder, a CPA and governmental auditor, and Kevin Schmidt, a chiropractor.{{Cite news|title=Candidate profile: David M. Holder|url=https://www.bnd.com/news/politics-government/election/article240014648.html|last=Landis|first=Kelsey|date=February 5, 2020|access-date=March 29, 2021|work=Belleville News-Democrat}}{{Cite news|title=Candidate profile: Kevin Schmidt|url=https://www.bnd.com/news/politics-government/election/article240015128.html|date=February 5, 2020|access-date=March 29, 2021|work=Belleville News-Democrat}} Friess won the nomination with 41.51% of the vote. He faced off against Reitz in the general election. He improved over his previous margin by defeating appointed incumbent Reitz by a 30-point margin.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 116th State House District Republican Primary, 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=kZi8655FVXI%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMYNZRN8UQ%2fvLRNQyffOVr6U%3d|title=Election Results 2018 GENERAL PRIMARY|access-date=2021-03-29|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David Friess

| votes = 5362

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 5362

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 116th State House District General Election, 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=kZi8655FVXI%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMYNZRN8UQ%2fvLRNQyffOVr6U%3d|title=Election Results 2018 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=2021-03-29|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Jerry Costello II (incumbent)

| votes = 22429

| percentage = 53.52

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David Friess

| votes = 19480

| percentage = 46.48

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 41909

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 116th State House District Republican Primary, 2020{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=kZi8655FVXI%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMYNZRN8UQ%2fvLRNQyffOVr6U%3d|title=Election Results 2020 GENERAL PRIMARY|access-date=2021-03-29|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David Friess

| votes = 2956

| percentage = 41.51

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Kevin Schmidt

| votes = 2229

| percentage = 31.30

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David M Holder

| votes = 1936

| percentage = 27.19

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 7121

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 116th State House District General Election, 2020{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=kZi8655FVXI%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMYNZRN8UQ%2fvLRNQyffOVr6U%3d|title=Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=2021-03-29|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David Friess

| votes = 34595

| percentage = 64.83

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Nathan Reitz (incumbent)

| votes = 18765

| percentage = 35.17

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 53360

| percentage = 100.0

}}

Personal life

Friess and his wife Miki currently reside in Red Bud, Illinois with their two children. He is a member of Ebenezer Church in Rockwood, Illinois. He is a member of the Red Bud VFW and the Chester American Legion. He currently coaches for his children in youth sports.

References

External links

[https://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=102&MemberID=3004 Representative David Friess (R)] at the Illinois General Assembly
[https://repfriess.com/ Constituent Website]

Category:Atlanta's John Marshall Law School alumni

Category:Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives

Category:Mercer University alumni

Category:Living people

Category:1960s births

Category:Year of birth uncertain

Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly