Mike Frerichs
Encyclopedia
Mike Frerichs is a Democratic
member of the Illinois Senate
, representing the 52nd District since 2007. His district includes the cities of Champaign
, Urbana
and portions of Danville
.
Frerichs lives with his wife, Laura, in Champaign. Upon graduating from Rantoul Township High School, Frerichs attended Yale University
and received his BA in 1995. Frerichs was a teacher from 1995 to 1997.
Frerichs ran against former State Representative Timothy V. Johnson
, but lost. In 2000 Frerichs was elected to the Champaign County Board and reelected in 2002. He was appointed to Champaign County Auditor by the County Board in 2002 and was elected to that office in 2004.
In 2005, Frerichs announced he would run for the 52nd Legislative District seat that includes most of Champaign County
and Vermilion County
. In what eventually became the second most expensive legislative race in Illinois
history, Senator Frerichs was elected as the first Democratic State Senator to represent East Central Illinois since 1936.
Senator Frerichs is noted as both the youngest and tallest State Senator in Illinois. At 35, he is one of the youngest elected leaders in Springfield today. And, at 6 feet, 8 inches, he is one of the tallest legislators in Illinois history. (Abraham Lincoln was only 6 feet, 4 inches tall.)
Senator Frerichs also serves on his local volunteer fire department, on the board of a local non-profit nursing home, and is a member of the Urbana Rotary Club.
After Governor
Rod Blagojevich
was removed from office by the State Senate, Frerichs moved to have the former governor barred from ever holding office again in Illinois. This motion, like the vote to convict and remove Blagojevich, carried unanimously.
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 Illinois Senate
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
, representing the 52nd District since 2007. His district includes the cities of Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
, Urbana
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
and portions of Danville
Danville, Illinois
Danville is a city in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is the principal city of the'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Danville and Vermilion County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 32,467. It is the county seat of...
.
Frerichs lives with his wife, Laura, in Champaign. Upon graduating from Rantoul Township High School, Frerichs attended Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and received his BA in 1995. Frerichs was a teacher from 1995 to 1997.
Frerichs ran against former State Representative Timothy V. Johnson
Timothy V. Johnson
Timothy Vincent "Tim" Johnson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life and education:...
, but lost. In 2000 Frerichs was elected to the Champaign County Board and reelected in 2002. He was appointed to Champaign County Auditor by the County Board in 2002 and was elected to that office in 2004.
In 2005, Frerichs announced he would run for the 52nd Legislative District seat that includes most of Champaign County
Champaign County, Illinois
Champaign County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 201,081, which is an increase of 11.9% from 179,669 in 2000.. It is the 10th most populous county in Illinois...
and Vermilion County
Vermilion County, Illinois
Vermilion County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties...
. In what eventually became the second most expensive legislative race in 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,...
history, Senator Frerichs was elected as the first Democratic State Senator to represent East Central Illinois since 1936.
Senator Frerichs is noted as both the youngest and tallest State Senator in Illinois. At 35, he is one of the youngest elected leaders in Springfield today. And, at 6 feet, 8 inches, he is one of the tallest legislators in Illinois history. (Abraham Lincoln was only 6 feet, 4 inches tall.)
Senator Frerichs also serves on his local volunteer fire department, on the board of a local non-profit nursing home, and is a member of the Urbana Rotary Club.
After Governor
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....
Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
was removed from office by the State Senate, Frerichs moved to have the former governor barred from ever holding office again in Illinois. This motion, like the vote to convict and remove Blagojevich, carried unanimously.
External links
- Mike Frerichs, Illinois Senate official website
- Mike Frerichs For State Senate official campaign website
- Illinois General Assembly - Senator Mike Frerichs (D) 52nd District official IL Senate website
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Michael W. Frerichs (IL) profile
- Follow the Money - Mike Frerichs
- 2006 campaign contributions
- Illinois State Senate Democrats - Senator Mike Frerichs profile