David McSweeney (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

|image = Replace this image male.svg

|imagesize = 150px |

| name=David McSweeney

| image name=

| state_house=Illinois

| state=Illinois

| district=52nd

| term_start=January 9, 2013

| term_end=January 13, 2021

| preceded=Kent Gaffney

| successor=Martin McLaughlin

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1965}}

| birth_place=Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date=

| death_place=

| spouse=Margaret

| children=2

| alma_mater=Duke University

| profession=investment specialist

| party=Republican

}}

David McSweeney (born 1965) is a Republican politician and investment specialist from Barrington Hills, Illinois. He served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021.

Early life, education, and career

McSweeney was born in Park Ridge, Illinois and attended Barrington High School (Lake County, Illinois). He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Duke University in 1987 and a master of business administration degree from the Fuqua School of Business in 1988. He has worked as an investment banker, financial consultant, and currently as an investment specialist, working for Banc of America Securities until April 2005. He has claimed a net worth in the millions.{{cite news |url= http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/051105/mcsweeney.html |title= McSweeney intent on beating Bean in '06 |first= Peter |last= Savodnik |newspaper= The Hill |access-date= 8 September 2012 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060627204812/http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/051105/mcsweeney.html |archive-date= 27 June 2006 }}

Political career

In 1998, McSweeney unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Republican Phil Crane in the Republican primary for the 8th Congressional District in the 1998 United States House of Representatives elections.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe1998/ilh.htm|title=Federal Elections 98: U.S. House Results - Illinois|date=10 April 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050410172430/http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe1998/ilh.htm|access-date=27 October 2021|archive-date=2005-04-10}} McSweeney was the Republican nominee in Illinois's 8th congressional district in 2006. He won in the six-way primary but lost to Melissa Bean in the general election with 44% of the vote to Bean's 51%.

In 2012 McSweeney was elected to the Illinois State Legislature, representing the 52nd Illinois State House District. McSweeney won the Republican nomination over incumbent Kent Gaffney, who had been appointed to the seat after the death of incumbent Mark Beaubien.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120320/news/703209583/ |title=McSweeney wins three-way 52nd House District primary |newspaper=Daily Herald |date=21 March 2012 |access-date=8 September 2012}} In the general election, McSweeney defeated Beaubien's widow, Dee Beaubien, who ran as an Independent. No Democrat filed for the seat. McSweeney won re-election in 2014 against Democrat Bill Downs with 70 percent of the vote.{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionResultsStateHouseSet3.aspx?ID=43 |title=Election Results : General Election - 11/04/2014Z |website=Elections.il.gov |access-date=2016-02-19 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303071232/http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionResultsStateHouseSet3.aspx?ID=43 |url-status=dead }} McSweeney won re-election in 2016 after running unopposed.

On September 5, 2019, McSweeney announced he would not run for reelection to the Illinois House of Representatives and instead focus on running for either United States Senate against Tammy Duckworth or for Illinois Secretary of State.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=This just in… Rep. Dave McSweeney won't seek reelection|date=September 5, 2019|newspaper=Capitol Fax|access-date=September 8, 2019|url=https://capitolfax.com/2019/09/05/this-just-in-rep-dave-mcsweeney-wont-seek-reelection/}}{{Cite news|title=Rep. David McSweeney not seeking reelection, exploring run for statewide office|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/9/5/20851276/david-mcsweeney-not-seeking-reelection-exploring-illinois-statewide-office|last=Sfondeles|first=Tina|date=September 5, 2019|access-date=February 5, 2020|work=Chicago Sun-Times}} He was succeeded in the Illinois House by fellow Republican Martin McLaughlin.{{cite journal|editor-last=Barlow|editor-first=Sarah E.|title=Biographies of New House and Senate Members|journal=First Reading|publisher=Illinois General Assembly Legislative Research Unit|volume=34|issue=1|access-date=December 6, 2020|url=https://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/Nov2020FirstRdg.pdf}}

Political positions

On April 15, 2013, McSweeney filed a House resolution opposing a graduated income tax in Illinois.{{cite web|url=http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/04/mcsweeney-marks-tax-day-with-resolution-opposing-graduated-income-tax.html |title=McSweeney Marks Tax Day with Resolution Opposing Graduated Income Tax - Illinois Review |website=Illinoisreview.typepad.com |date=2013-04-15 |access-date=2016-02-19}} McSweeney also led the charge to oppose extending Illinois' income tax hike beyond the 2015 sunset date.{{cite web|url=http://nwherald.com/2014/05/30/tax-extension-could-come-up-in-lame-duck-session/at05218/ |title=Tax extension could come up in lame-duck session | Northwest Herald |website=Nwherald.com |access-date=2016-02-19}} He considers himself a strong conservative in both the fiscal and social sense. Rep. McSweeney is Lutheran.{{cite web|url=http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2005/05/dave-mcsweeney-r-8th-cd-candidate-on.html |title=Public Affairs: Dave McSweeney [R-8th CD candidate] on Social Issues |website=Jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com |date=2005-05-30 |access-date=2016-02-19}}

In 2014, McSweeney co-sponsored HB 983 which helps prevent local governments from issuing bonds for projects that could result in higher property taxes.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GA=98&DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=983&GAID=12&SessionID=85&LegID=71368 |title=Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB0983 |website=Ilga.gov |access-date=2016-02-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518101857/http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GA=98&DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=983&GAID=12&SessionID=85&LegID=71368 |archive-date=2015-05-18 }} The measure went into effect on January 1, 2014. In the spring of 2015, McSweeney introduced a measure to freeze property taxes for one year in townships with less than 100,000 people.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=178&GAID=13&SessionID=88&LegID=83765 |title=Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB0178 |website=Ilga.gov |access-date=2016-02-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054952/http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=178&GAID=13&SessionID=88&LegID=83765 |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}

In January 2015, McSweeney sponsored HB 173 to ban red light cameras. The legislation included a compromise that exempted the City of Chicago. House Bill 173 passed the Illinois House with 79 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=173&GAID=13&SessionID=88&LegID=83869 |title=Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB0173 |website=Ilga.gov |access-date=2016-02-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305012852/http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=173&GAID=13&SessionID=88&LegID=83869 |archive-date=2016-03-05 }}

McSweeney sponsored a bill that was signed into law on July 26, 2016, that restricted the amount of money that non-home-rule local governments can spend on traveling, meals, and lodging, and bans spending on entertainment.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nwherald.com/2016/07/26/gov-bruce-rauner-signs-david-mcsweeney-bill-to-curb-government-travel-expenses/ad03c2i/|title=Gov. Bruce Rauner signs David McSweeney bill to curb government travel expenses|website=www.nwherald.com|access-date=2020-02-20|archive-date=2020-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220212958/https://www.nwherald.com/2016/07/26/gov-bruce-rauner-signs-david-mcsweeney-bill-to-curb-government-travel-expenses/ad03c2i/|url-status=dead}}

McSweeney supports capital punishment. In 2019, after two mass shootings in the U.S., McSweeney said he would either sponsor or co-sponsor a measure overturning the moratorium former Governor Pat Quinn placed on capital punishment eight years prior.{{Cite web|url=https://thesouthern.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/state-lawmaker-to-introduce-death-penalty-bill-in-illinois/article_be39a47b-4cfe-5672-bd43-0ed759cc0f08.html|title=State lawmaker to introduce death penalty bill in Illinois|first=REBECCA ANZEL Capitol News|last=Illinois|website=The Southern}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 8th Congressional District Republican Primary, 1998{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=7DLvp%2fl33YI%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|title=Election Results 1998 GENERAL PRIMARY|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308063653/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=7DLvp%2fl33YI%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Philip M. Crane (incumbent)

| votes = 34543

| percentage = 65.47

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = S. David McSweeney

| votes = 18221

| percentage = 34.53

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 52764

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 8th Congressional District Republican Primary, 2006{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=WSbwuUde0qk%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|title=Election Results 2006 GENERAL PRIMARY|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020|archive-date=March 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313213538/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=WSbwuUde0qk%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = David McSweeney

| votes = 25085

| percentage = 42.92

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Kathy Salvi

| votes = 19370

| percentage = 33.14

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Robert W. Churchill

| votes = 9169

| percentage = 15.69

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Aaron B. Lincoln

| votes = 2630

| percentage = 4.50

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Ken Arnold

| votes = 1275

| percentage = 2.18

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = James Creighton Mitchell Jr.

| votes = 921

| percentage = 1.58

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 58450

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 8th Congressional District General Election, 2006{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=GJnulrZjDlY%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|title=Election Results 2006 GENERAL ELECTION|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308102330/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=GJnulrZjDlY%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Melissa Bean (incumbent)

| votes = 93355

| percentage = 50.90

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = David McSweeney

| votes = 80720

| percentage = 44.01

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Moderate Party (Illinois)

| candidate = Bill Scheurer

| votes = 9312

| percentage = 5.08

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in votes

| candidate = Jonathan Farnick

| votes = 7

| percentage = 0.00

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 183394

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 52nd State House District Republican Primary, 2012{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=SNr%2bqcRVQhc%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMQWHHv805S2j52Zlx9XFpSQ%3d|title=Election Results 2012 GENERAL PRIMARY|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David McSweeney

| votes = 4762

| percentage = 41.33

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Kent Gaffney (incumbent)

| votes = 3985

| percentage = 34.59

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Danielle Rowe

| votes = 2775

| percentage = 24.08

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 11522

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 52nd State House District General Election, 2012{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=iX7bNPizmS8%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMQWHHv805S2j52Zlx9XFpSQ%3d|title=Election Results 2012 GENERAL ELECTION|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David McSweeney

| votes = 26761

| percentage = 59.27

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Independent politician

| candidate = Dee Beaubien

| votes = 18392

| percentage = 40.73

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 45153

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 52nd State House District General Election, 2014{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=z%2fR%2feACUG%2bY%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMQWHHv805S2j52Zlx9XFpSQ%3d|title=Election Results 2014 GENERAL ELECTION|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David McSweeney (incumbent)

| votes = 22676

| percentage = 69.59

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Bill Downs

| votes = 9911

| percentage = 30.41

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 32587

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 52nd State House District General Election, 2016{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=MdSiWa1xQus%3d&OfficeType=Mzn1hIdK%2bXutYfUM2d1xMQWHHv805S2j52Zlx9XFpSQ%3d|title=Election Results 2016 GENERAL ELECTION|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David McSweeney (incumbent)

| votes = 40392

| percentage = 99.97

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in votes

| candidate = Chris Bauman

| votes = 11

| percentage = 0.03

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 40403

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 52nd State House 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|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=January 30, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = David McSweeney (incumbent)

| votes = 30399

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 30399

| percentage = 100.0

}}

References

External links

[http://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?MemberID=2047 Representative David McSweeney (R) 52nd District] at the Illinois General Assembly
[http://www.davidmcsweeney.org/ Illinois States Representative David McSweeney] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205459/http://www.davidmcsweeney.org/ |date=2014-07-14 }} constituency site
[http://www.davidmcsweeney.com/ David McSweeney for State Representative] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121075029/http://www.davidmcsweeney.com/ |date=2019-11-21 }}
{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=18256 | fec=H8IL08044 | congress= }}
[http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?cycle=2006&id=IL08 Campaign finance (2006 Illinois District 08)] at Open Secrets
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121030165644/http://elections.chicagotribune.com/editorial/david-mcsweeney/ 2012 Candidate questionnaire] at Chicago Tribune
[https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120131/submitted/301319985/ 2012 Candidate questionnaire] at The Daily Herald
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121026034332/http://elections.nwherald.com/candidate/560/David-McSweeney/ 2012 Candidate questionnaire] at the Northwest Herald

Category:1965 births

Category:Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives

Category:People from Park Ridge, Illinois

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