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Davis faces pair of challengers for seat
Election 2012
Danny K. Davis
Party: Democrat
Age: 71
Lives: Chicago
Family: Married with two sons, Jonathan and Stacey
Education: Master’s from Chicago State University, doctorate from the Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Website: davis.house.gov
Rita Zak
Party: Republican
Website: RitaZakforCongress2012.com
John H. Monaghan
Party: Independent
Age: 64
Lives: Oak Park
Family: Divorced, four daughters – Jessica, Kendal, Courtney and Genelle
Education: Associates degree in Food Service Management from College of DuPage
Website: None
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Updated: December 2, 2012 6:27AM
CHICAGO — A long-time incumbent and two newcomers are campaigning for the Seventh U.S. Congressional District seat in very different ways.
U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-7) has been at the post for 15 years and John H. Monaghan, running as an independent, and Rita Zack, the Republican Party candidate for the seat, are challenging him on the November ballot.
Davis seems confident about his re-election, saying that although there might not be many signs on the streets or literature in the mailboxes of his constituents about his candidacy, he has been campaigning.
“We campaign all year,” he said. “We’ve got some of our people out. We have a few posters that were left over (from the last campaign). We put those out.”
He said he has spent most of his time helping other Democratic congressional candidates with their campaigns. He was recently in Bolingbrook in support of Bill Foster, who is running for Congress in the 11th District, and plans to do the same in Rockford for Cheri Bustos, who is running in the 17th District.
“We are spending our time in more valuable places,” he said. “It’s very important to me to have a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. If you are not in the majority, you almost can’t get anything done.”
Monaghan said Davis is out of touch.
“What has he done?” he said. “And I’ve been through the black neighborhoods.
“When was the last time you drove down Madison Avenue?” he said. “We don’t have one federal program to come here and help people.”
Monaghan is a former Cook County employee and in the 1980s he worked as precinct captain and was the secretary for the Democratic Party of Proviso Township and sat on the Hillside Library Board. He takes pride in his military service, serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War.
He lives in Oak Park on disability and Social Security and admits he is running his campaign on a shoestring budget.
“I don’t even have the string for the shoe,” he said. “I’m a poor man running a poor man’s campaign. I’ve never made more than $25,000 in my life and here I am trying to help people.”
His love for those who served or who are serving in the military caused him to run for office. He said military veterans are the ultimate minority because they are only one color – the color of the uniform – and he is banking on their support. If elected, he would put more resources into Veterans Administration hospitals to help veterans.
He said veterans are not getting the services they deserve and if elected that would be his primary objective.
“I have one major asset,” he said. “I can talk and I’m not afraid to. I’m not afraid to step on anybody’s toes.”
Davis said his constituents know him and know his work ethic, touting the many radio, television shows and town hall meetings he has geared to keeping the members of his district informed. As for his opponents, he does not know them.
“I’m sure they are fine people, but I really don’t know them,” he said. “I don’t know anything about them.”
Davis said he understands problems exist in his district, but said claims he is not trying to effect change are false.
“There is no point in me kidding about what the area is like and what I do and we do and what we have done,” he said. “We’ve brought money back. We’ve written legislation and gotten it passed.”
Zak did not respond to repeated attempts at contact concerning the election.
