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Dan Seals (politician)

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Dan Seals
Seals in 2008
Born(1971-06-19)June 19, 1971(age 53)
Chicago,Illinois,U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Chicago(MBA)
Johns Hopkins University(MA)
Boston University(BA)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMia Seals
Children3

Daniel "Dan" Joseph Seals(born June 19, 1971) is an American business consultant and aDemocraticpoliticianfromIllinois.Seals was the Democratic nominee in three campaigns to becomeU.S. RepresentativeforIllinois's 10th congressional district.In 2006 and 2008, he was defeated by the incumbentMark Kirk.In his third run, he was defeated by Republican candidateRobert Dold,on November 2, 2010, after Kirk vacated the seat to successfully run for the U.S. Senate.

Early life, education and career[edit]

Daniel Joseph Seals was born on June 19, 1971, inChicago, IllinoistoGeorge Seals,a formerChicago Bearsfootball player, and asocial worker.Both of his parents are of mixed-raced ancestry.[1]His parents divorced and Seals was primarily raised by his mother inHyde Park.He graduated fromKenwood AcademyHigh School in 1989. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism fromBoston University,a master's degree in International Economics and Japanese Studies from theJohns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studiesand an MBA from theUniversity of Chicago.He and his wife Mia live inWilmettewith their three daughters.[2]

After receiving his bachelor's degree Seals taught English in Japan from 1993 to 1995. From 1997 to 1998 he was aPresidential Management Intern (PMI),working as an aide to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and as an aide to SenatorJoe Lieberman.He worked in marketing at Sprint from 2001 to 2003 and was Director of Marketing with General Electric Commercial Finance from 2003 until he took a leave of absence to run for Congress in 2005.

In 2009, Seals did consulting work for Civic Consulting Alliance and The Point, an online service that helps charities and public campaigns with fundraising. He also served as a lecturer atNorthwestern UniversityinEvanston, Illinois.[3]

In 2011, Seals was appointed by Illinois GovernorPat Quinnto be assistant director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.[4]

Campaigns for Congress[edit]

2006[edit]

Main article:Illinois's 10th congressional district election, 2006

Seals ran against Winnetka attorney and former Park Board Commissioner Zane Smith for the Democratic nomination in the10th Congressional district.Smith highlighted Seals' lack of experience in prior elected office and his location outside the 10th district boundary.[5]Ultimately the better financed[6]Seals prevailed, winning 71% to 29%.[7]

Following his primary win Seals faced three-term incumbent Congressman Mark Kirk. He focused on popular dissatisfaction with the Iraq war and the scandals plaguing several Republican members of Congress. He also attempted to tie Kirk to national Republicans, claiming that he voted with the Republican majority 80% of the time. Kirk focused on local issues and argued that he broke from the Republican Party on several issues such as gun control, stem cell research and abortion.[8]Seals came closer than the Democratic candidates in 2002 and 2004, but ultimately lost to Kirk 53% to 47%.[7]

After his 2006 loss to Kirk, Seals listed his occupation as "business consultant". He also taught a course in public policy atNorthwestern Universityschool for continuing education in the spring of 2008.[2]

2008[edit]

Main article:United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois, 2008 § District 10

Seals announced in June 2007 that he would be running for Congress in the 10th district again. In the primary election he faced Jay Footlik, a formerClinton administrationofficial. Seals was endorsed by U.S. SenatorDick Durbin.[9]Footlik raised the residency issue again during aChicago Tribuneeditorial board interview, to which Seals replied: "If I was a millionaire I could certainly just pick up and buy a new home, [but] I'm not a millionaire, and if you want more millionaires in Congress, I'm not your man."[10]TheUnited States Constitutionrequires that candidates for Congress be residents of the state from which they are elected, but does not require district residency. Seals' home lies 0.3 miles outside of the 10th district, in the9thwhich is represented byJan Schakowsky.Footlik contended that Seals didn't deserve another chance because he lost to Kirk by six points in a good Democratic year, while Seals argued he had superior name recognition.[11]On February 5, 2008, Seals won the primary with 81% of the vote.[7]

Kirk and Seals both raised large sums of money.[12]The race was considered one of the most competitive in the country; Illinois SenatorBarack Obamawas the Democratic nominee for president and was expected to carry the district easily.[13]

In the general election, Seals once again lost to Kirk 53% to 47%, despite Obama winning the district by over 20 points.[7]

Following the 2008 general election, it was reported that Seals was being considered by Illinois Lieutenant GovernorPat Quinnto replace Obama in theUnited States Senateif GovernorRod Blagojevichwere to be removed from office.[14]However, Blagojevich made the appointment, and chose former State Attorney GeneralRoland Burris.

2010[edit]

Main article:United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois, 2010 § District 10*

In July 2009, Seals announced that he would be running a third time forIllinois's 10th congressional district.Kirk chose to retire in order to run for Obama's seat in theU.S. Senate.Seals narrowly defeated state representativeJulie Hamosin the Democratic primary,[15]and faced Republican businessmanBob Doldin the general election.[16]

Seals was endorsed for the general election campaign by the Joint Action Committee (JACPAC) which supports a strong US-Israel relationship;pro-choiceorganizationsNARALandPlanned Parenthood;environmental organizationsSierra ClubandLeague of Conservation Voters;andlabor unionsincluding Illinois Federation of Teachers, Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois,SEIU,UAW Region 4,IllinoisAFL-CIOand Communications Workers of District 4.[17]Kirk had been endorsed by the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and Planned Parenthood in 2006 and 2008.[18][19]

In October, Seals was endorsed by theChicago Sun-Times[20]and suburban newspapers theDaily Herald,[21]Lake County News-Sun,[22]andPioneer Press[23]

Seals lost to Dold 51%-49%.

References[edit]

  1. ^Redmond, Sean."Seals the deal".The Chicago Reporter.Retrieved2014-10-05.
  2. ^ab"Meet Dan Seals".Dan Seals – Democrat for Congress. Archived fromthe originalon 2010-10-28.
  3. ^Ryan, Joseph."North Shore congressional candidates disclose finances".Chicago Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon 2010-12-22.Retrieved2010-09-07.
  4. ^Long, Ray."Losing congressional candidate Dan Seals gets state job".Chicago Tribune Clout St. Blog.Chicago Tribune.Retrieved2011-09-03.
  5. ^"Meet the Candidates in the 10th Congressional District"(PDF).Tenth Congressional District Democrats.February 2006. p. 5.Retrieved2009-01-01.
  6. ^As seen in comparison ofFEC Disclosure Form 3 for Zane Smith for CongressandFEC Disclosure Form for Dan Seals for Congress
  7. ^abcd"Election results".Illinois State Board of Elections.Retrieved2009-01-01.
  8. ^Roszkowski, John (2006-11-02)."Kirk, Seals face off in lone debate"(PDF).Pioneer Press.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2009-03-25.Retrieved2009-01-01.
  9. ^Giroux, Greg (2008-01-28)."Dems in Race for Illinois GOP Seat Reflect Party's Presidential Match".Congressional Quarterly.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-11-07.Retrieved2009-01-01.
  10. ^Kuczka, Susan (2007-12-12)."10th District Democrats spar in rare joint appearance".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved2009-01-01.
  11. ^Blake, Aaron (2007-11-13)."Seals gains on primary foe in poll".The Hill.Retrieved2009-01-01.
  12. ^"Congressional Elections: Illinois District 10 Race: 2008 Cycle".OpenSecrets.Retrieved2009-01-01.
  13. ^"The Obama Bounce".
  14. ^Allen, Mike (2009-01-01)."Blocking Blago: Senate has Plan B for 90-day delay".The Politico.Retrieved2009-01-03.
  15. ^Smith, Bill (2010-02-03)."Seals defeats Hamos".Evanston Now.Retrieved2010-07-12.
  16. ^Toeplitz, Shira (2009-07-21)."GOP Faces Uphill Battle to Hold Moderate Kirk's Seat".Roll Call.Archived fromthe originalon 2009-07-24.Retrieved2009-07-23.
  17. ^"Seals for Congress Official Endorsements (2010)".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-09-26.Retrieved2010-08-19.
  18. ^Ryan, Joseph (2009-12-06)."Environmental group dumping Kirk over pollution tax reversal".Daily Herald.Retrieved2010-08-19.
  19. ^Ryan, Joseph (2008-10-30)."Candidates shower suburban voters with mailers".Daily Herald.Retrieved2010-08-19.
  20. ^"Seals is right fit for 10th District seat".Chicago Sun-Times.2010-10-03. Archived fromthe originalon 2010-10-05.Retrieved2010-10-09.Alt URL
  21. ^"Congress, 10th District: Seals".Daily Herald.2010-10-16.Retrieved2010-10-16.
  22. ^"Our View: Bean, Seals for Congress".Lake County News-Sun.2010-10-14. Archived fromthe originalon July 16, 2011.Retrieved2010-10-16.
  23. ^"Endorsement: Seals for 10th Congress".Pioneer Press.2010-10-21. Archived fromthe originalon 2015-03-28.Retrieved2010-10-21.

External links[edit]

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