John A. Kennedy (Illinois politician)
John A. Kennedy | |
|---|---|
.png) Portrait from the 1965–1966 Illinois Blue Book | |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the at-large district | |
| In office January 13, 1965 – January 11, 1967 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Allen Kennedy December 29, 1921 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 17, 1997 (aged 75) Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Winnetka, Illinois |
John Allen Kennedy (December 29, 1921 – August 17, 1997) was an American politician and businessman.
Early life and education
[edit]Kennedy was born on December 29, 1921, in Chicago. He attended Lane Tech College Prep High School[1] and received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Northwestern University.[2]
Military and business career
[edit]Kennedy served in the United States Navy as an engineer from 1943 to 1946. He served at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1943, working on the Manhattan Project.[2][1] He then served in the Pacific for two years repairing electronics.[2]
After the war, Kennedy worked for Motorola from 1946 to 1949. He then founded James Electronics, a manufacturer of electronic components.[2]
Kennedy served on numerous boards, including those of the St. Elizabeth's, St. Anne's, and St. Francis hospitals. He was a trustee at Barat College and at Northwestern's Technological Institute.[1]
Political career
[edit]In 1962, Kennedy ran for Illinois's 13th congressional district, but lost to Republican candidate Donald Rumsfeld.[1] Kennedy was the co-founder and vice-chairman of the Winnetka Democratic Club.[2]
Kennedy was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in the 1964 election,[2] which was held at-large due to the legislature's failure to redistrict. Kennedy was nominated for the Democratic Party's ticket due to his name's similarity to the recently-slain John F. Kennedy, to whom he was unrelated.[3]
Kennedy chaired Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 Task Force on Intergovernmental Information. He also helped create Illinois's Management Information Division during his time in the legislature.[1]
Kennedy ran for Illinois's 1st Senate district in the 1966 Illinois Senate election, but lost to the Republican incumbent W. Russell Arrington.[4][5]
Personal life and death
[edit]Kennedy lived in Winnetka, Illinois. He had four sons and five daughters with his wife Mary Ann Bremner.[1][2] He died on August 17, 1997, at the Saint Francis Hospital of Evanston.[1]
Electoral history
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Donald Rumsfeld | 139,230 | 63.52% | |
| Democratic | John A. Kennedy | 79,419 | 36.23% | |
| Write-in | 542 | 0.25% | ||
| Total votes | 219,191 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | W. Russell Arrington (incumbent) | 55,080 | 70.54% | |
| Democratic | John A. Kennedy | 23,005 | 29.46% | |
| Total votes | 78,085 | 100% | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Heise, Kenan (August 19, 1997). "John A. Kennedy, Ex-lawmaker". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Powell, Paul (ed.). Illinois Blue Book (1965-1966 ed.). p. 239. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Pearson, Rick; Hardy, Thomas (December 17, 1991). "Ruling Rekindles Visions of '64 'Bedsheet' Ballot". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ Yuenger, James (May 15, 1966). "Hopefuls Enter Local Primary Races". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "Official Vote of the State of Illinois". Illinois State Board of Elections. 1966. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "Official Vote of the State of Illinois". Illinois State Board of Elections. 1962. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- 1921 births
- 1997 deaths
- 20th-century American legislators
- Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
- Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni
- Northwestern University trustees
- People from Winnetka, Illinois
- Manhattan Project people
- 20th-century Illinois politicians