Daniel Hynes

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Daniel W. Hynes (born July 20, 1968 in Chicago) is currently the Comptroller of the State of Illinois. He attended St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, where he graduated in 1986. Daniel Hynes later attended the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1990 with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in economics and computer applications. He received his Juris Doctor degree with honors from Loyola University Chicago's School of Law in 1993. Daniel Hynes served as a health care attorney at the Chicago law firm of Hogan, Marren and McCahill, Ltd.

He is the son of Thomas Hynes a former Cook County assesor, president of the Illinois Senate and Democratic Ward committeeman of the 19th ward in Chicago, Illinois.

Hynes married Christina Kerger, M.D. in June 1999 and currently resides in the city of Chicago and Springfield, Illinois.

1 As Illinois State Comptroller
2 U.S. Senate campaign
3 See also
4 Electoral history

[edit] As Illinois State Comptroller

Hynes was first elected Illinois state Comptroller on November 3, 1998 at the age of 30. At the time, he was the youngest elected statewide constitutional officer in Illinois, since William Stratton was elected Treasurer of Illinois in 1942. Since first entering office in 1999, he was the first Comptroller to establish a "Rainy Day Fund" for Illinois as a way to secure funding for the state whenever there is a slowdown in revenue. Hynes also spearheaded bipartisan reform of laws governing the state's private cemeteries and funeral homes (which his office regulates) in 2001, the most extensive overhaul of these industries in 25 years.

Dan Hynes has sponsored new legislation that prohibited tax scofflaws from receiving state contracts. He also introduced legislation in 2003, that would do the same to corporations that have falsified their financial reports. Among his other measures as Comptroller, was to reform the Local Government Division of his office, increasing the percentage of compliance from Illinois's local government units in financial reporting from 65 to 95 percent. Hynes also expanded the office's commercial direct deposit program, encouraging state vendors to receive payments electronically, which saves taxpayer money and improves efficiency. Daniel Hynes was elected to a second term as Comptroller on November 5, 2002, with a margin of more than one million votes.

[edit] U.S. Senate campaign

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In 2004 Hynes was an unsuccessful candidate in the Democratic primary for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator, losing to Barack Obama, who went on to win the general election in November. Hynes finished second amongst the challengers.

In September 2006, Hynes endorsed drafting Obama for the 2008 Presidential race, in an open letter published in the Chicago Sun-Times.[1]