Dawn Clark Netsch
Encyclopedia
Dawn Clark Netsch is an Illinois
professor
of law
and politician
. A member of the Democratic Party
in the United States
, she served in the Illinois State Senate, as Illinois Comptroller and in 1994 was the first woman to be nominated by a major political party
to run for Governor of Illinois
.
in Evanston
in 1948. She graduated #1 in her class from the university's law school in 1952 and has been a faculty member since 1965. She worked on Adlai Stevenson's 1952 presidential campaign and then at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Covington & Burling
. Returning to Chicago, she was in private practice from 1957 to 1961, and then joined the staff of Gov. Otto Kerner
.
In 1970, she was elected to be a delegate at the Illinois Constitutional Convention which took place later that year. In 1972, she was elected to the State Senate as a Democrat, first representing the 13th district, then the 4th district.
In 1990, she ran for and won the Democratic party
's nomination for Illinois Comptroller, and went on to win the general election, beating Republican
Sue Suter 54% to 46%.
and Cook County
Board President Richard Phelan
, winning by more than 10 points ahead of Burris. Netsch had been behind in the polls a few weeks earlier. During the primary, she aired a campaign ad showing her playing (and winning) a game of eight-ball pool, reflecting a lifelong hobby of hers and also playing on her reputation as a "straight shooter." The effectiveness of this ad, in contrast to the far more flashy ones aired by her much better funded opponents, was seen as contributing to her surge in the polls in the final weeks of the primary campaign.
Netsch's campaign slogan was "Not just another pretty face." She proposed increasing the state income tax rate from 3% to 4.25% to pay for educational funding and reduce property taxes, a plan which was attacked by her Republican opponent, Governor Jim Edgar
. Netsch, a liberal
who lacked strong support of the Cook County Democratic Machine
, was unable to overcome Edgar's popularity in a year where the Republican party romped nationally, and received only 34% of the vote.
as a "Friend of the Community" for her support of issues of importance to the GLBT community. She marches every year in Chicago's Gay Pride parade.
Netsch is currently a professor of Law Emeritus at Northwestern University
. She has been a prominent opponent of holding a new constitutional convention in Illinois.
Netsch remains involved in politics by backing candidates for elected office, such as Jan Schakowsky
's winning bid to replace Congressman Sidney Yates, representing IL-09, in 1996, and John Schmidt
's failed gubernatorial bid in 2002.
In 2010, Netsch endorsed Dan Hynes
in the Democratic primary for Illinois Governor, Julie Hamos
in the 10th Congressional district primary, David H. Hoffman
in the US Senate primary and Toni Preckwinkle
in the Cook County Board President primary. All but Preckwinkle failed to win the party's nomination.
Netsch was married to architect Walter Netsch
, best known for his design of the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, for 45 years until his death in 2008.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. A member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, she served in the Illinois State Senate, as Illinois Comptroller and in 1994 was the first woman to be nominated by a major political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
to run for Governor of Illinois
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
.
Early career
Netsch graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
in 1948. She graduated #1 in her class from the university's law school in 1952 and has been a faculty member since 1965. She worked on Adlai Stevenson's 1952 presidential campaign and then at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling LLP is an international law firm with offices in Beijing, Brussels, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Washington, DC. The firm advises multinational corporations on significant transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters...
. Returning to Chicago, she was in private practice from 1957 to 1961, and then joined the staff of Gov. Otto Kerner
Otto Kerner
Otto Kerner is the name of two political figures from Illinois:*Otto Kerner, Sr. , Attorney General of Illinois & judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for Seventh Circuit...
.
In 1970, she was elected to be a delegate at the Illinois Constitutional Convention which took place later that year. In 1972, she was elected to the State Senate as a Democrat, first representing the 13th district, then the 4th district.
In 1990, she ran for and won the Democratic party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
's nomination for Illinois Comptroller, and went on to win the general election, beating Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Sue Suter 54% to 46%.
Gubernatorial race
Four years later, in 1994, she won an upset victory in the Democratic primary for Illinois governor, beating Illinois Attorney General Roland BurrisRoland Burris
Roland Wallace Burris is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party....
and Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
Board President Richard Phelan
Richard Phelan
Richard Phelan, D.D. was the fourth Roman Catholic Bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.- Background :...
, winning by more than 10 points ahead of Burris. Netsch had been behind in the polls a few weeks earlier. During the primary, she aired a campaign ad showing her playing (and winning) a game of eight-ball pool, reflecting a lifelong hobby of hers and also playing on her reputation as a "straight shooter." The effectiveness of this ad, in contrast to the far more flashy ones aired by her much better funded opponents, was seen as contributing to her surge in the polls in the final weeks of the primary campaign.
Netsch's campaign slogan was "Not just another pretty face." She proposed increasing the state income tax rate from 3% to 4.25% to pay for educational funding and reduce property taxes, a plan which was attacked by her Republican opponent, Governor Jim Edgar
Jim Edgar
James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...
. Netsch, a liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
who lacked strong support of the Cook County Democratic Machine
Cook County Democratic Organization
The Cook County Democratic Organization is one of the most powerful political machines in American history. Historically called the "Chicago Democratic machine", or simply the "Chicago Machine", the organization has dominated Chicago politics since the 1930s...
, was unable to overcome Edgar's popularity in a year where the Republican party romped nationally, and received only 34% of the vote.
Later career
In 1995 Netsch was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of FameChicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame
The Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame is an institution founded in 1991 to honor persons and entities who have made significant contributions to the quality of life or well-being of the LGBT community in Chicago. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley attended nearly every installation ceremony each...
as a "Friend of the Community" for her support of issues of importance to the GLBT community. She marches every year in Chicago's Gay Pride parade.
Netsch is currently a professor of Law Emeritus at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. She has been a prominent opponent of holding a new constitutional convention in Illinois.
Netsch remains involved in politics by backing candidates for elected office, such as Jan Schakowsky
Jan Schakowsky
Janice D. "Jan" Schakowsky is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes many of Chicago's northern suburbs, including Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette, Park Ridge, Des Plaines and Rosemont...
's winning bid to replace Congressman Sidney Yates, representing IL-09, in 1996, and John Schmidt
John Schmidt
John Schmidt was United States Associate Attorney General from 1994 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton. He has risen to small fame of late for his support of President George W...
's failed gubernatorial bid in 2002.
In 2010, Netsch endorsed Dan Hynes
Daniel Hynes
Daniel W. Hynes is an American politician, formerly the Illinois Comptroller.-Background:Hynes was born in Chicago. He attended St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, where he graduated in 1986. Hynes later attended the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1990 with a...
in the Democratic primary for Illinois Governor, Julie Hamos
Julie Hamos
Julie Hamos was a past Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 18th District since 1999. Her district included the Chicago neighborhood of Rogers Park and the suburbs of Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka and Glencoe.In July 2009, Hamos declared her...
in the 10th Congressional district primary, David H. Hoffman
David H. Hoffman
David H. Hoffman is a former federal prosecutor and was Chicago's inspector general. On August 26, he declared his candidacy as a Democrat for the Illinois seat of the U.S. Senate...
in the US Senate primary and Toni Preckwinkle
Toni Preckwinkle
Toni Reed Preckwinkle is the current Cook County Board President and a former alderman in the Chicago City Council representing Chicago's 4th ward in Cook County, Illinois, United States. She was elected on November 2, 2010, as president of the Cook County Board...
in the Cook County Board President primary. All but Preckwinkle failed to win the party's nomination.
Netsch was married to architect Walter Netsch
Walter Netsch
Walter Netsch was an American architect based in Chicago. He was most closely associated with the brutalist style of architecture, as well as the firm of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. His signature aesthetic is known as Field Theory and is based on rotating squares into complex shapes...
, best known for his design of the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, for 45 years until his death in 2008.
External links
- Dawn Clark Netsch on Politics Interview by Chicago Life Magazine