Jim Durkin

Durkin was raised in Westchester, Illinois, one of eight brothers. He attended Divine Infant grade school and Fenwick High School. He later attended Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal and graduated in 1984 with a degree in Criminal Justice. He continued his education at John Marshall Law School in Chicago, where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1989. He served as an assistant Illinois Attorney General and an assistant Cook County State's Attorney where he served as a felony prosecutor and a special prosecutor in the narcotics unit.[http://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/1928?tab=1&chamber=H Representative Jim Durkin (R) 82nd District], my.ilga.gov; accessed December 11, 2014. His brother, Thomas, is a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.{{cite news|first=Greg|last=Hinz|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120522/BLOGS02/120529916/durkin-close-to-u-s-judgeship-springfield-moves-a-bit-on-medicaid-pensions|title=Durkin close to U.S. judgeship; Springfield moves a bit on Medicaid, pensions|work=Crain's Chicago Business|date=May 22, 2012|access-date=February 14, 2014}} Durkin is on the board of trustees at the John Marshall Law School, and on the board of trustees for Misercordia Home in Chicago. Durkin lives in Western Springs, Illinois, with his wife Celeste, daughter and three step-daughters.

In 1991, Durkin was elected to the Board of Trustees for Triton Community College District 504.{{cite news|last=Holt|first=Douglas|title= Recognition doesn't come easily, cheaply for Durkin|date=October 15, 2002|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=June 19, 2020|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-10-15-0210150243-story.html}} Durkin was appointed to the Illinois House of Representatives on January 6, 1995, and served until 2002.{{cite journal|editor-last=Miller|editor-first=David R.|title=Biographies of New Legislators|journal=First Reading|volume=19|issue=4|page=3|publisher=Illinois General Assembly|location=Springfield, Illinois|access-date=May 4, 2020|url=http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/May2006FirstRdg.pdf}}[http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/bb/id/41023 Illinois blue book, 1995–1996] p. 87 Durkin was appointed to succeed Thomas J. Walsh after Walsh was appointed to the Illinois Senate to replace Judy Baar Topinka upon her election as Illinois Treasurer.{{cite news|author=|title=Durkin Sworn In as Representative|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=January 7, 1995|id={{ProQuest|}}}}

In 2000, he served as state chairman for U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign in Illinois,{{cite news|last=Sweet|first=Lynn|title=Left to Chance: Republicans won't get a double punch at the top of the ticket in November|date=January 1, 2002|newspaper=NPR|access-date=February 18, 2019|url=http://www.nprillinois.org/post/left-chance-republicans-won-t-get-double-punch-top-ticket-november#stream/0}} and then in 2007, Illinois co-chair and national legislative co-chair for McCain's second presidential campaign.

In the 2001 decennial redistricting, Durkin was drawn into the same district as fellow Republican Bob Biggins and opted not to run for reelection.{{cite news|last=Pearson|first=Rick|title=Democrat remap clears panel over GOP protests|date=September 26, 2001|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois|access-date=July 13, 2017|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2001/09/26/democrat-remap-clears-panel-over-gop-protests/}}

Eileen Lyons, a Republican, opted not to run for reelection in the 2006 election. Durkin chose to enter the race to succeed her.{{cite news|last=McQueary|first=Kristen|title=GOP, Durkin hoping to launch comeback|date=September 15, 2005|newspaper=Daily Southtown}} Lyons opted to resign from the Illinois House of Representatives midway through the 94th General Assembly effective January 5, 2006. Local Republicans leaders opted to appoint Durkin to the seat.{{cite journal|editor-last=Mahoney|editor-first=Mark (Clerk of the House)|title=Resignations and Appointments|journal=Journal of the Illinois House of Representatives|volume=94|issue=75|pages=3–5|publisher=Illinois House of Representatives|access-date=June 17, 2021|url=https://www.ilga.gov/House/journals/94/2006/HJ094075R.pdf}}

In 2013, Tom Cross stepped down as House Minority Leader to run for the Republican nomination for Illinois Treasurer in the 2014 election. Durkin's chief opponent for the position, Representative Raymond Poe of Springfield, conceded to Durkin prior to the caucus vote.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=A huge win amid hopes for unity|date=August 30, 2013|newspaper=Capitol Fax|access-date=June 18, 2021|url=https://capitolfax.com/2013/08/30/a-huge-win-amid-hopes-for-unity/}}

After his party lost a number of seats in the 2022 Illinois House of Representatives election, he announced that he would not seek re-election to the leadership post.{{cite web |last1=Small |first1=Alonzo |last2=Bradley |first2=Tahman |title=Jim Durkin to step down as House GOP Leader |url=https://wgntv.com/news/politics/jim-durkin-to-step-down-as-house-gop-leader/ |website=WGNtv.com |publisher=WGN |access-date=16 November 2022}} He was succeeded by Tony McCombie.{{cite web |last1=Kapos |first1=Shia |last2=Olander |first2=Olivia |title=New Faces Lead the Illinois GOP |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2022/11/16/new-faces-lead-the-gop-00067470?nname=illinois-playbook&nid=00000150-1596-d4ac-a1d4-179e288b0000&nrid=8c9be5a2-34b4-49d4-a396-1a0ee54c2cc4&nlid=639163 |website=politico.com |date=16 November 2022 |publisher=Politico |access-date=16 November 2022}} On January 8, 2023, the Chicago Tribune reported that Durkin would retire from the Illinois House effective January 10, 2023, and not serve in the 103rd General Assembly to which he was elected.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Rich|title=Leader Durkin to resign from Illinois House on Tuesday|date=January 8, 2023|newspaper=Capitol Fax|access-date=January 8, 2023|url=https://capitolfax.com/2023/01/08/leader-durkin-to-resign-from-illinois-house-on-tuesday/}}

{{main|Rod Blagojevich corruption scandal#Impeachment}}

Representative Durkin served as ranking Republican on the Illinois House impeachment committee in December 2008–January 2009. U.S. Senator Roland Burris testified in front of the committee, but his testimony was called into question by a later Burris affidavit, in February 2009. Representative Durkin was then quoted as saying "I can't believe anything that comes out of Mr. Burris at this point," and called for Senator Burris' resignation.[https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/02/15/us/AP-Burris-Blagojevich-Donation.html?hp "Burris Defends His Earlier Testimony Before Panel"], nytimes.com, February 15, 2009; retrieved December 11, 2014.{{Cite news|url=http://abc7ny.com/archive/6660474/|title=Illinois GOP leader calls on Sen. Burris to resign|date=February 16, 2009|work=ABC 7 New York|access-date=2018-05-19|agency=Associated Press|language=en}}

Durkin called for a criminal perjury investigation of Senator Burris, and "scoffed at the notion that Mr. Burris had not been granted time to mention such relevant conversations or that lawmakers had moved on." The news report continued that "Republicans also questioned why it had taken Mr. Burris nearly a month to amend his testimony, and why lawmakers had not heard of the amendments until they were revealed on Saturday in The Chicago Sun-Times — more than a week after he sent them." Democrat Barbara Flynn Currie, chair of the impeachment committee, was the recipient of the follow-up affidavit. Senator Burris filed it February 5 or so with Currie, so she became one of the objects of Republican questions and criticism over the delayed release of the information.Monica Davey, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/us/politics/16burris.html?hp "Burris Defends His Evolving Description of Talks"], nytimes.com, February 16, 2009, p. A9; accessed December 11, 2014.

Representative Durkin along with other members of the Illinois Republican Party posed strong opposition to the Democratic Drawn Redistricting Maps passed by the State Legislature May 2021. Durkin along with other Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie criticized the new maps as drawn up too soon arguing that the population assumptions in the new map are off the total population range by up to 29.88%, more than three times the federal maximum range. Durkin along with other State GOP Leaders filed a federal lawsuit challenging the new maps.{{Cite web|title=Illinois Republicans says census data proves new maps illegal, unconstitutional|url=https://www.bnd.com/news/politics-government/article253529984.html}}{{cite web|last=Hinton|first=Rachel|date=August 16, 2021|title=Count them out? GOP says census figures prove political maps drawn by Democrats are 'unusable, unlawful'|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2021/8/16/22627560/republicans-census-figures-estimates-redistricting-remap-mcconchie-durkin-pritzker-democrats-lawsuit|access-date=August 16, 2021|website=Chicago Sun Times}}

{{main|2002 United States Senate election in Illinois}}

In 2002, Jim Durkin ran for U.S. Senate against incumbent Dick Durbin. Durkin self-identified as a fiscal conservative and a social moderate.{{cite news|url=http://www.edwpub.com/intelligencer/election/profiles/durkin.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030922121552/http://www.edwpub.com/intelligencer/election/profiles/durkin.htm|archive-date=2003-09-22|title=Republican Durkin pushes conservative agenda|work=Edwardsville Intelligencer|access-date=August 8, 2007}} Durkin received the Republican nomination with 46%, or 371,000 votes, defeating multi-millionaires Jim Oberweis and John H. Cox in the primary. He lost to Durbin in the general election, with 38%, or 1,302,000 votes.{{cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2002election.pdf |title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002 |website=clerk.house.gov |access-date=March 26, 2015}}

{{Update|section|date=January 2023}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results{{cite web | url=http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=10&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=802&QueryType=Office& | title=Ballots Cast | publisher=Elections.il.gov | date=March 19, 2002 | access-date=April 4, 2015 | archive-date=March 4, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001733/http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=10&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=802&QueryType=Office& | url-status=dead }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jim Durkin

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 378,010

| percentage = 45.81%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jim Oberweis

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 259,515

| percentage = 31.45%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = John H. Cox

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 187,706

| percentage = 22.74%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 825,231

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

| title = United States Senate election in Illinois, 2002{{cite web |title=Voter Turnout |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=22 March 2020 |archive-date=30 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210530142655/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Election Results |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=23 March 2020 |archive-date=22 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222093629/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx |url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2002election.pdf | title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002 | publisher=Clerk.house.gov | access-date=April 4, 2015}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Dick Durbin (incumbent)

| votes = 2,103,766

| percentage = 60.33%

| change = +4.25%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Jim Durkin

| votes = 1,325,703

| percentage = 38.02%

| change = -2.65%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Steven Burgauer

| votes = 57,382

| percentage = 1.65%

| change = +0.68%

}}

{{Election box majority

| votes = 778,063

| percentage = 22.31%

| change = +6.90%

}}

{{Election box turnout

| votes = 3,486,851

| percentage = 49.50%

| change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

| loser = Republican Party (United States)

| swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

• 2006 Republican primary for State Rep. 82nd District
• Jim Durkin 78.4%
• William D. "Bill" Seith 21.6%
• 2006 election for State Rep. 82nd District
• Jim Durkin (R) 65%
• Kim Savage (D) 35%

{{reflist}}

{{wikiquote}}

• {{C-SPAN|1002823}}
• [http://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/1928?tab=1&chamber=H Representative Jim Durkin (R) 82nd District] at the Illinois General Assembly
• By session: [http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=98&MemberID=1928 98th], [http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=97&MemberID=1715 97th], [http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=96&MemberID=1510 96th], [http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=95&MemberID=1314 95th], [http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=94&MemberID=1129 94th]
• [http://www.jimdurkin.net Jim Durkin] constituency website
• {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=6399 | fec= | congress= }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110630071404/http://news.ilhousegop.org/content/jim-durkin-assistant-leader Profile], ilhousegop.org; accessed December 11, 2014.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Durkin, Jim}}

Category:1961 births

Category:Illinois lawyers

Category:Illinois State University alumni

Category:University of Illinois Chicago School of Law alumni

Category:Living people

Category:People from Westchester, Illinois

Category:Politicians from Cook County, Illinois

Category:Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives

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