Greg Harris (Illinois)

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Rep. Greg Harris

Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 13^th district
In office January 2007 – present
Preceded by	Larry McKeon

Born	June 5, 1955 (1955-06-05) (age 53) Denver, Colorado
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Chicago, Illinois

Gregory S. Harris is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, having represented the state's 13th district since 2007. He was elected in November 2006, having been selected by the 13th district's Democratic ward committeemen to replace Larry McKeon as the party's nominee on the November ballot.^[1] No Republican filed for the District 13 seat in downtown Chicago so he was elected unopposed.^[2] He will be unopposed for re-election in 2008.^[3]

McKeon, who had held the seat for five terms, announced his intention to retire from the legislature in July 2006. He had, though, already been re-elected unopposed and it fell to the local Democratic committeemen to select his successor on the ballot. Harris, like McKeon, is both openly gay and HIV-positive.^[1]

At the time of his selection, Harris had been chief of staff to Chicago’s 48th Ward Alderman Mary Ann Smith for 14 years. An alumnus of the University of Colorado, he had previously worked for social service agencies.^[1]

Harris is currently the only openly gay member of the Illinois General Assembly. In 2008, he looks set to be joined by lesbian Deb Mell, who is running unopposed in the 40th district on Chicago's northwest side.