Lane Evans
Encyclopedia
Lane Allen Evans is a former Democratic
member of the United States House of Representatives
from 1983 until 2007, representing the 17th District
of Illinois
. Evans announced that he would not seek reelection in November 2006 and retired at the end of the 109th Congress
due to the increasingly debilitating effects of Parkinson's Disease
.
He was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio
in the United States presidential election, 2004
. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll007.xml
, Evans served in the United States Marine Corps
during the Vietnam War
, stationed in Okinawa. After leaving the Marines in 1971, Evans enrolled at Augustana College
in Rock Island, graduating in 1974. He earned a Juris Doctor
degree from Georgetown University
in 1978 and began a successful law practice in Rock Island serving children, the poor and working families.
In 1982, Evans ran for and won the Democratic nomination for Illinois' 17th District, which included most of Illinois' share of the Quad Cities
area. It had been renumbered from the 19th District since Illinois lost two districts after the 1980 census
. The district had been in Republican
hands for all but two years since 1939. However, the brand of Republicanism that prevailed in the district had traditionally been a moderate one. Evans got a significant boost when 16-year incumbent Tom Railsback
was defeated for renomination by a considerably more conservative Republican, State Senator Kenneth McMillan
. Taking advantage of hardships from that year's recession
, Evans won by just over 5 percentage points. He handily defeated McMillan in a 1984 rematch even in the midst of Ronald Reagan
's gigantic landslide victory that year.
Evans faced almost no opposition in his next four campaigns, reflecting the growing influence of Moline
and Rock Island in what had once been a very rural district. In 1994, however, Evans only won by nine points over an unknown Republican who spent almost no money. This emboldened the Republicans for 1996, when Evans faced Mark Baker, an anchor at WGEM-TV
in Quincy
(the third-largest city in the district). Even though Bill Clinton
carried the district by a healthy 30,000 votes, Evans defeated Baker by only five percentage points. A 1998 rematch was even closer, with Evans only winning by 6,000 votes. A third run by Baker in 2000 saw Evans win by almost 10 points. Redistricting after the 2000 census
made Evans much safer. Decatur
and part of Springfield
were added while some more rural areas were taken out. The redistricting process, guided by House Speaker and 14th District Congressman Dennis Hastert
and 3rd District Congressman Bill Lipinski
, solidified the holdings of many Illinois incumbents. Evans was re-elected in 2002 and 2004 by margins similar to those he scored in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Evans has battled Parkinson's Disease
since 1995. While his previous opponents, including Baker, didn't make an issue of it, his 2004 opponent, Andrea Zinga
(a former anchorwoman at KWQC-TV
and WQAD-TV
in the Quad Cities) claimed he was not able to fully represent the members of his district due to his health concerns. However, this tactic backfired, and Evans won handily.
During his tenure, Evans was one of the most liberal
members of the House, and probably Illinois' most liberal congressman from outside Chicago
. A founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
, he had a near-perfect lifetime rating from Americans for Democratic Action
, while the American Conservative Union
gave him its lowest rating of any congressman outside Chicago. This would seem to be surprising, given that his district had a strong rural element. However, he had a reputation for strong constituent service. The 17th has a large number of Vietnam veterans who generally accepted his liberal social views due to his support for their interests. The Rock Island Arsenal
is a major employer within the district. During his time in office, his support of the Arsenal helped keep it open while cuts were being made nationwide.
"The FEC contended that the Evans Committee created the Victory Fund during the 1998 election cycle in order to assist with the Congressman’s reelection campaign. The Evans Committee then largely directed the Victory Fund’s operations during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles. During this period the Victory Fund raised and spent more than $500,000. Congressman Evans and his staff raised a majority of the money contributed to the Victory Fund, including more than $200,000 in labor union treasury funds, which are prohibited in federal campaigns.
The Victory Fund spent at least $330,000 on voter identification and get-out-the-vote activities promoting Congressman Evans. The FEC found that these campaign focused activities were so closely coordinated with the campaign that they represented contributions from the Victory Fund to Evans. The contributions exceeded federal limits and included funds from prohibited sources, in violation of FECA."
The Rock Island Democratic Central Committee was also fined $30,000. The penalties were paid without any admission of guilt, but Federal Judge Billy McDade wrote in the settlement that Evans' personal culpability in the scheme was clear.
, who was elected in November.http://www.macombjournal.com/articles/2006/03/29/news/news3.txthttp://www.herald-review.com/articles/2006/03/29/news/local_news/1014153.txthttp://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/14235519.htm
In 2007, Congressman Evans' papers and other materials were donated to the Archives and Special Collections Unit at Western Illinois University Libraries. They are currently being processed and will be made available to the public in the near future.
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...
member of the United States House of Representatives
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...
from 1983 until 2007, representing the 17th District
Illinois' 17th congressional district
The 17th Congressional District of Illinois covers much of west central Illinois, including the cities of Sterling, Rock Island, Moline, Kewanee, Galesburg, Canton, Macomb, Quincy, Springfield and Decatur, and areas in Henry, Whiteside, Rock Island, Mercer, Knox, Warren, Henderson, Fulton,...
of Illinois
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,...
. Evans announced that he would not seek reelection in November 2006 and retired at the end of the 109th Congress
109th United States Congress
The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the fifth and sixth years of George W. Bush's presidency. House members...
due to the increasingly debilitating effects of Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.
He was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in the United States presidential election, 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll007.xml
Background
A native of Rock IslandRock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, Evans served in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, stationed in Okinawa. After leaving the Marines in 1971, Evans enrolled at Augustana College
Augustana College (Illinois)
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
in Rock Island, graduating in 1974. He earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1978 and began a successful law practice in Rock Island serving children, the poor and working families.
In 1982, Evans ran for and won the Democratic nomination for Illinois' 17th District, which included most of Illinois' share of the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
area. It had been renumbered from the 19th District since Illinois lost two districts after the 1980 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. The district had been in 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...
hands for all but two years since 1939. However, the brand of Republicanism that prevailed in the district had traditionally been a moderate one. Evans got a significant boost when 16-year incumbent Tom Railsback
Tom Railsback
Thomas Fisher Railsback served eight terms in the United States Congress from 1967-1983 for in Moline.- Early life :...
was defeated for renomination by a considerably more conservative Republican, State Senator Kenneth McMillan
Kenneth G. McMillan
Kenneth McMillan served as a Republican member of the Illinois State Senate from 1977 to 1983. McMillan ran for U.S. Congress in 1982 on a conservative platform and defeated moderate Republican incubent Tom Railsback. McMillan however lost in the general election to Democrat Lane Evans by 6%,...
. Taking advantage of hardships from that year's recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
, Evans won by just over 5 percentage points. He handily defeated McMillan in a 1984 rematch even in the midst of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's gigantic landslide victory that year.
Evans faced almost no opposition in his next four campaigns, reflecting the growing influence of Moline
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
and Rock Island in what had once been a very rural district. In 1994, however, Evans only won by nine points over an unknown Republican who spent almost no money. This emboldened the Republicans for 1996, when Evans faced Mark Baker, an anchor at WGEM-TV
WGEM-TV
WGEM-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Tri-States area of Western Illinois, Northeastern Missouri, and extreme Southeastern Iowa that is licensed to Quincy, Illinois. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter east of the city on Cannonball...
in Quincy
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
(the third-largest city in the district). Even though Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
carried the district by a healthy 30,000 votes, Evans defeated Baker by only five percentage points. A 1998 rematch was even closer, with Evans only winning by 6,000 votes. A third run by Baker in 2000 saw Evans win by almost 10 points. Redistricting after the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
made Evans much safer. Decatur
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
and part of Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
were added while some more rural areas were taken out. The redistricting process, guided by House Speaker and 14th District Congressman Dennis Hastert
Dennis Hastert
John Dennis "Denny" Hastert was the 59th Speaker of the House serving from 1999 to 2007. He represented as a Republican for twenty years, 1987 to 2007.He is the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history...
and 3rd District Congressman Bill Lipinski
Bill Lipinski
William Oliver Lipinski , American politician, was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 2005, representing a district in Chicago....
, solidified the holdings of many Illinois incumbents. Evans was re-elected in 2002 and 2004 by margins similar to those he scored in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Evans has battled Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
since 1995. While his previous opponents, including Baker, didn't make an issue of it, his 2004 opponent, Andrea Zinga
Andrea Zinga
Andrea Lane Zinga is a former television reporter, and was twice the Republican nominee for Congress in .-Personal history:Zinga was born and raised in Macomb, Illinois and is a graduate of Macomb High School...
(a former anchorwoman at KWQC-TV
KWQC-TV
KWQC-TV, virtual channel 6 , is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Quad Cities television market . It is licensed to Davenport and is owned by Young Broadcasting...
and WQAD-TV
WQAD-TV
WQAD-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Quad Cities area of West-Central Illinois and Eastern Iowa that is licensed to Moline, Illinois...
in the Quad Cities) claimed he was not able to fully represent the members of his district due to his health concerns. However, this tactic backfired, and Evans won handily.
During his tenure, Evans was one of the most liberal
Liberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
members of the House, and probably Illinois' most liberal congressman from outside Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. A founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in the United States Congress with 83 declared members, and works to advance progressive issues and positions....
, he had a near-perfect lifetime rating from Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action is an American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.-History:...
, while the American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
gave him its lowest rating of any congressman outside Chicago. This would seem to be surprising, given that his district had a strong rural element. However, he had a reputation for strong constituent service. The 17th has a large number of Vietnam veterans who generally accepted his liberal social views due to his support for their interests. The Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Island Arsenal
The Rock Island Arsenal comprises , located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It lies within the state of Illinois. The island was originally established as a government site in 1816, with...
is a major employer within the district. During his time in office, his support of the Arsenal helped keep it open while cuts were being made nationwide.
FEC actions
On June 27, 2005, Evans' campaign committee agreed to pay $185,000 to settle an investigation by the Federal Elections Commission. The inquiry stemmed from allegations of illegal coordination between the 17th District Victory Fund, the Rock Island Democratic Central Committee and the congressman's campaign during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles."The FEC contended that the Evans Committee created the Victory Fund during the 1998 election cycle in order to assist with the Congressman’s reelection campaign. The Evans Committee then largely directed the Victory Fund’s operations during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles. During this period the Victory Fund raised and spent more than $500,000. Congressman Evans and his staff raised a majority of the money contributed to the Victory Fund, including more than $200,000 in labor union treasury funds, which are prohibited in federal campaigns.
The Victory Fund spent at least $330,000 on voter identification and get-out-the-vote activities promoting Congressman Evans. The FEC found that these campaign focused activities were so closely coordinated with the campaign that they represented contributions from the Victory Fund to Evans. The contributions exceeded federal limits and included funds from prohibited sources, in violation of FECA."
The Rock Island Democratic Central Committee was also fined $30,000. The penalties were paid without any admission of guilt, but Federal Judge Billy McDade wrote in the settlement that Evans' personal culpability in the scheme was clear.
Retirement
Evans won the Democratic primary in 2006 and was poised for a rematch against Zinga. On March 28, 2006, Evans announced that he would not stand for a 13th term in November 2006. He made a brief return to Washington in June 2006. His withdrawal from the general election left local Democrats with the task of finding a replacement candidate in November. Their choice was Congressman Evans' District Director and endorsed successor, Phil HarePhil Hare
Philip G. "Phil" Hare is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, who was elected in November.http://www.macombjournal.com/articles/2006/03/29/news/news3.txthttp://www.herald-review.com/articles/2006/03/29/news/local_news/1014153.txthttp://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/14235519.htm
In 2007, Congressman Evans' papers and other materials were donated to the Archives and Special Collections Unit at Western Illinois University Libraries. They are currently being processed and will be made available to the public in the near future.
Electoral history
- Election of November 2, 1982
- D. Lane Evans — 94,483 53%
- R. Kenneth McMillanKenneth G. McMillanKenneth McMillan served as a Republican member of the Illinois State Senate from 1977 to 1983. McMillan ran for U.S. Congress in 1982 on a conservative platform and defeated moderate Republican incubent Tom Railsback. McMillan however lost in the general election to Democrat Lane Evans by 6%,...
— 84,347 47%
- Election of November 6, 1984
- D. Lane Evans — 128,273 57%
- R. Kenneth McMillan — 98,069 43%
- Election of November 4, 1986
- D. Lane Evans — 85,442 56%
- R. Sam McHard — 68,101 44%
- Election of November 8, 1988
- D. Lane Evans — 132,130 65%
- R. William E. Stewart — 71,560 35%
- Election of November 6, 1990
- D. Lane Evans — 102,062 67%
- R. Dan Lee — 51,380 33%
- Election of November 3, 1992
- D. Lane Evans — 156,233 60%
- R. Kenneth Schloemer — 103,719 40%
- Election of November 8, 1994
- D. Lane Evans — 95,312 55%
- R. Jim Anderson — 79,471 45%
- Election of November 5, 1996
- D. Lane Evans — 120,008 52%
- R. Mark W. Baker — 109,240 47%
- L. William J. Herrman — 1,925 1%
- Election of November 3, 1998
- D. Lane Evans — 100,128 52%
- R. Mark W. Baker — 94,072 48%
- Election of November 7, 2000
- D. Lane Evans — 132,494 55%
- R. Mark W. Baker — 108,853 45%
- Election of November 5, 2002
- D. Lane Evans — 127,093 62%
- R. Peter Calderone — 76,519 38%
- Election of November 2, 2004
- D. Lane Evans — 172,320 61%
- R. Andrea ZingaAndrea ZingaAndrea Lane Zinga is a former television reporter, and was twice the Republican nominee for Congress in .-Personal history:Zinga was born and raised in Macomb, Illinois and is a graduate of Macomb High School...
— 111,680 39%