David Reis

David B. Reis was born September 15, 1964.^[1] Reis has an associate degree in agricultural sciences from Lake Land College and a Bachelor of Science in agriculture from the University of Illinois College of Agriculture.^[1] After working in Chicago as an executive recruiter, he returned to the farm after his father's death in 1990.^{[citation needed]} He served on the board of directors of the Illinois Pork Producers Association from 1997 to 2004.^[2] Reis grew up and continues to live on his family's fifth-generation family farm near Ste. Marie, Illinois.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2002 general election, Reis ran a strong campaign against Democratic incumbent Charles A. Hartke.^[3] In the 2004 general election, Reis was the Republican candidate against Hartke's successor, William J. Grunloh. Reis won 62%-38%.^[4]

During the 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries, Reis worked on behalf of the presidential campaign of former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson as a member of the Illinois statewide steering committee and as a congressional district chair for Illinois's 19th congressional district.^[5]

Reis was one of only five Illinois representatives to vote against the Illinois Right to Vote Amendment on its passage in the Illinois House of Representatives.^[6] The bill subsequently was passed unanimously in the Illinois Senate,^[7] and was approved as a constitutional amendment by the voters of Illinois.^[8][9]

Reis ran for re-election in 2018, but was defeated by Darren Bailey in the Republican primary.^[10] Many attributed his defeat because of his vote in favor of overriding Governor Bruce Rauner's veto of a tax increase that had passed the Illinois General Assembly.