Mark Kirk | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2010 | |
| United States Senator from Illinois | |
| In office November 29, 2010 – January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Roland Burris |
| Succeeded by | Tammy Duckworth |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 10th district | |
| In office January 3, 2001 – November 29, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | John Porter |
| Succeeded by | Bob Dold |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mark Steven Kirk September 15, 1959 Champaign, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Kimberly Vertolli
(m. 2001; div. 2009) |
| Education | Cornell University (BA) London School of Economics (MSc) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Website | Senate website (Archived) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1989–2013 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Unit | Naval Intelligence |
| Battles/wars | NATO bombing of Yugoslavia Operation Northern Watch |
Mark Steven Kirk (born September 15, 1959) is an American retired politician and attorney who served as a United States senator for Illinois from 2010 to 2017, and as the United States representative for Illinois's 10th congressional district from 2001 to 2010. A member of the Republican Party, Kirk describes himself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative.[1][2] To date, he is the last Republican to serve Illinois in the U.S. Senate.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Kirk graduated from Cornell University, the London School of Economics, and Georgetown University Law Center. He practiced law throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He joined the United States Navy Reserve as a Direct Commission Officer in the Intelligence career field in 1989 and was recalled to active duty for the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. He participated in Operation Northern Watch in Iraq the following year. He attained the rank of Commander and retired from the Navy Reserve in 2013.[3]
Kirk was elected to the House in 2000. During his fifth term in November 2010, he won two concurrent elections: to finish the final months of former Senator Barack Obama's term and to serve the next six-year term. He was sworn in on November 29, 2010, and began a six-year Senate term on January 3, 2011.[4] In January 2012, Kirk suffered a stroke; almost a full year passed before he returned to his senatorial duties.[5] In 2016, Kirk ran for re-election to a second full term, but was defeated by Democrat Tammy Duckworth.[6]
- ^ Palmer, Anna; Everett, Burgess (October 27, 2015). "The most endangered Republican in the country". Politico. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ Gray, Steven (December 11, 2010). "Illinois' Mark Kirk: Can a Moderate Republican Thrive in Today's Senate?". Time. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
USNRwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Sen. Mark Kirk has stroke: Surgery Monday at Northwestern Hospital". Chicago Sun-Times. January 23, 2012. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ Camia, Catalina (January 3, 2013). "Sen. Kirk makes dramatic return after stroke". USA Today. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ House, Jennifer Bendery White (November 8, 2016). "Tammy Duckworth Takes Back Obama's Illinois Senate Seat For Democrats". HuffPost.