Bobby Rush
Bobby Lee Rush (born November 23, 1946) is an American politician, activist and pastor who served as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 1st congressional district for three decades. A civil rights activist during the 1960s, Rush co-founded the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Bobby Rush | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 1st district | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Hayes |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Jackson |
| Member of the Chicago City Council from the 2nd ward | |
| In office 1983–1993 | |
| Preceded by | William Barnett |
| Succeeded by | Madeline Haithcock |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Bobby Lee Rush November 23, 1946 Albany, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (1974–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Black Panther (1968–1974) |
| Spouses | Sandra Milan
(m. 1965; div. 1973)Carolyn Thomas
(m. 1980; died 2017)Paulette Holloway (m. 2018) |
| Education | Roosevelt University (BGS) University of Illinois, Chicago (MA) McCormick Theological Seminary (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1963–1968 |
Rush was first elected to Congress in 1992. He won consecutive reelections until his retirement. His district was originally principally on the South Side of Chicago, with a population from 2003 to early 2013 that was 65% African-American, a higher proportion than any other congressional district. In 2011 the Illinois General Assembly redistricted this area after the 2010 census. Although still minority-majority, since early 2013 it is 51.3% African American, 36.1% White, 9.8% Hispanic, and 2% Asian. A member of the Democratic Party, Rush is the only politician to have defeated Barack Obama in an election, which he did in the 2000 Democratic primary for Illinois's 1st congressional district.
On January 3, 2022, Rush announced that he was retiring from Congress.