John A. Kennedy (Illinois politician)

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John A. Kennedy
Portrait from the 1965–1966 Illinois Blue Book
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the at-large district
In office
January 13, 1965 – January 11, 1967
Personal details
Born
John Allen Kennedy

(1921-12-29)December 29, 1921
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 17, 1997(1997-08-17) (aged 75)
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceWinnetka, Illinois

John Allen Kennedy (December 29, 1921 – August 17, 1997) was an American politician and businessman.

Early life and education

Kennedy was born on December 29, 1921, in Chicago. He attended Lane Tech College Prep High School[1] and received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Northwestern University.[2]

Military and business career

Kennedy served in the United States Navy as an engineer from 1943 to 1946. He served at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1943, working on the Manhattan Project.[2][1] He then served in the Pacific for two years repairing electronics.[2]

After the war, Kennedy worked for Motorola from 1946 to 1949. He then founded James Electronics, a manufacturer of electronic components.[2]

Kennedy served on numerous boards, including those of the St. Elizabeth's, St. Anne's, and St. Francis hospitals. He was a trustee at Barat College and at Northwestern's Technological Institute.[1]

Political career

In 1962, Kennedy ran for Illinois's 13th congressional district, but lost to Republican candidate Donald Rumsfeld.[1] Kennedy was the co-founder and vice-chairman of the Winnetka Democratic Club.[2]

Kennedy was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in the 1964 election,[2] which was held at-large due to the legislature's failure to redistrict. Kennedy was nominated for the Democratic Party's ticket due to his name's similarity to the recently-slain John F. Kennedy, to whom he was unrelated.[3]

Kennedy chaired Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 Task Force on Intergovernmental Information. He also helped create Illinois's Management Information Division during his time in the legislature.[1]

Kennedy ran for Illinois's 1st Senate district in the 1966 Illinois Senate election, but lost to the Republican incumbent W. Russell Arrington.[4][5]

Personal life and death

Kennedy lived in Winnetka, Illinois. He had four sons and five daughters with his wife Mary Ann Bremner.[1][2] He died on August 17, 1997, at the Saint Francis Hospital of Evanston.[1]

Electoral history

1962 Illinois's 13th congressional district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Donald Rumsfeld 139,230 63.52%
Democratic John A. Kennedy 79,419 36.23%
Write-in 542 0.25%
Total votes 219,191 100%
1966 Illinois's 1st Senate district election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican W. Russell Arrington (incumbent) 55,080 70.54%
Democratic John A. Kennedy 23,005 29.46%
Total votes 78,085 100%

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Heise, Kenan (August 19, 1997). "John A. Kennedy, Ex-lawmaker". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Powell, Paul (ed.). Illinois Blue Book (1965-1966 ed.). p. 239. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  3. ^ Pearson, Rick; Hardy, Thomas (December 17, 1991). "Ruling Rekindles Visions of '64 'Bedsheet' Ballot". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  4. ^ Yuenger, James (May 15, 1966). "Hopefuls Enter Local Primary Races". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Official Vote of the State of Illinois". Illinois State Board of Elections. 1966. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  6. ^ "Official Vote of the State of Illinois". Illinois State Board of Elections. 1962. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
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