Adam Kinzinger
Encyclopedia
Adam Daniel Kinzinger is the U.S. Representative
for . He is a member of the Republican Party
.
, but raised in Bloomington, Illinois
. He graduated from Normal Community West High School
and earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois State University
in 2000. He served as an intern for former U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald as part of a program offered at Illinois State
. In 2003, he joined the United States Air Force
. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in November 2003 and later awarded his pilot wings. Kinzinger has served in the Air Force Special Ops
, Air Combat Command
, Air Mobility Command
, and Air National Guard
and was later promoted to Captain
.
from 1998 to 2003. Kinzinger defeated an incumbent County Board member in 1998 while still a student at Illinois State. Kinzinger served in that role until 2003 when he elected to serve full time in the U.S. Air Force.
Kinzinger is a member of both the Conservative Republican Study Committee
and the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership
.
in January 2009 meeting with Congressman Mike Pence
who is the GOP House Conference Chairman and also met with fellow Illinois Congressmen Mark Kirk
and Peter Roskam
to discuss his possible run for Congress. Kinzinger began campaigning full time in May 2009, when he returned home from his 3rd tour in Iraq. In the early autumn, Kinzinger held eight town halls across the 11th Congressional District that were attended by nearly 2,000 people. His primary election campaign was endorsed by Mitt Romney
, Gov. Tim Pawlenty
, Gov. Sarah Palin, Liberty First PAC, the Chicago Tribune
, and the Chicago Sun-Times
. Kinzinger won the Republican primary on February 2, 2010 against four primary opponents. He received 63.7% of the vote and defeated Henry Meers Jr., David McAloon, Darrell Miller, and Dave White. In the general election, Kinzinger was endorsed by Governor Pawlenty
. Kinzinger defeated incumbent Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson
on November 2, 2010 with 57.5% of the vote.
. Recalling the event in an ABC Milwaukee interview, Kinzinger stated "The whole time it was, to me, kind of a done deal that I was going to get stabbed in the process, but I knew that this wasn't something I could wake up to...everyday with that memory that I watched her die." The woman survived. For this act Kinzinger also received the United States Air Force Airman's Medal
and the National Guard's Valley Forge Cross for Heroism.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for . He is a member of the Republican Party
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...
.
Early life, education and career
Kinzinger was born in 1978 in KankakeeKankakee, Illinois
Kankakee is a city in Kankakee County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,561, and 26,840 as of a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Kankakee County...
, but raised in Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
. He graduated from Normal Community West High School
Normal Community West High School
Normal Community West High School is a public high school in Normal, Illinois. The mascot is the wildcat and school colors are black and silver. The school opened in 1995 and its current student body numbers roughly 2,000.-Sports:Football...
and earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois State University
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
in 2000. He served as an intern for former U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald as part of a program offered at Illinois State
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
. In 2003, he joined the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in November 2003 and later awarded his pilot wings. Kinzinger has served in the Air Force Special Ops
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
, Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
, Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
, and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
and was later promoted to Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
.
Early political career
Kinzinger served as a County Board member in McLean County, IllinoisMcLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
from 1998 to 2003. Kinzinger defeated an incumbent County Board member in 1998 while still a student at Illinois State. Kinzinger served in that role until 2003 when he elected to serve full time in the U.S. Air Force.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Energy and CommerceUnited States House Committee on Energy and CommerceThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade
- Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
Kinzinger is a member of both the Conservative Republican Study Committee
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
and the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership
Republican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
.
2010
Kinzinger was in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in January 2009 meeting with Congressman Mike Pence
Mike Pence
Michael Richard "Mike" Pence is the U.S. Representative for Indiana's , and previously the , serving since 2001. The 6th district covers much of Eastern Indiana. He is a member of the Republican Party....
who is the GOP House Conference Chairman and also met with fellow Illinois Congressmen Mark Kirk
Mark Kirk
Mark Steven Kirk is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Kirk was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district....
and Peter Roskam
Peter Roskam
Peter James Roskam is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders; also served in the Illinois Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives.-Early life,...
to discuss his possible run for Congress. Kinzinger began campaigning full time in May 2009, when he returned home from his 3rd tour in Iraq. In the early autumn, Kinzinger held eight town halls across the 11th Congressional District that were attended by nearly 2,000 people. His primary election campaign was endorsed by Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
, Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James "Tim" Pawlenty , also known affectionately among supporters as T-Paw, is an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Minnesota . He was a Republican candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 election from May to August 2011...
, Gov. Sarah Palin, Liberty First PAC, the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, and the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
. Kinzinger won the Republican primary on February 2, 2010 against four primary opponents. He received 63.7% of the vote and defeated Henry Meers Jr., David McAloon, Darrell Miller, and Dave White. In the general election, Kinzinger was endorsed by Governor Pawlenty
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James "Tim" Pawlenty , also known affectionately among supporters as T-Paw, is an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Minnesota . He was a Republican candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 election from May to August 2011...
. Kinzinger defeated incumbent Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson
Debbie Halvorson
Deborah L. "Debbie" Halvorson is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party...
on November 2, 2010 with 57.5% of the vote.
Personal life
In 2006, the Wisconsin Red Cross named Kinzinger "Hero of the Year" for wrestling a knife-wielding man to the ground and disarming him. The man had cut the throat of a woman on a street in downtown Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. Recalling the event in an ABC Milwaukee interview, Kinzinger stated "The whole time it was, to me, kind of a done deal that I was going to get stabbed in the process, but I knew that this wasn't something I could wake up to...everyday with that memory that I watched her die." The woman survived. For this act Kinzinger also received the United States Air Force Airman's Medal
Airman's Medal
The Airman’s Medal is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and is awarded to those service members or those of a friendly nation who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Air Force, distinguish themselves by heroic actions, usually at the voluntary risk of life, but...
and the National Guard's Valley Forge Cross for Heroism.
External links
- Congressman Adam Kinzinger official U.S. House site
- Adam Kinzinger for U.S. Congress official campaign site