Phil Hare

Phil Hare
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 17th district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Lane Evans
Succeeded by	Bobby Schilling
Personal details
Born	(1949-02-21) February 21, 1949 Galesburg, Illinois
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Rebecca Hare
Children	Amy Hare Louis Hare
Residence	Rock Island, Illinois
Alma mater	Black Hawk College
Occupation	political assistant, union leader
Religion	Roman Catholic
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army Reserves
Years of service	1969–1975

Philip G. "Phil" Hare (born February 21, 1949) is a former U.S. Representative for Illinois's 17th congressional district, serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Illinois's share of the Quad Cities area and includes Rock Island, Moline, Quincy, Decatur, Galesburg and part of Springfield.

Early life, education, and early political career

Hare was born in Galesburg but grew up in Rock Island. He graduated from Alleman High School in 1967. The son of a machinist, Hare went to work at Seaford Clothing Factory in Rock Island, where he stayed for 13 years. He received his A.A. degree at Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois. While working there Hare served as a union leader and was President of UNITE HERE Local 617. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1969 to 1975.^[1]

Hare began his political career in 1980 when he ran as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention in support of the presidential candidacy of Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. He was one of six candidates running for alternate delegate but the three Kennedy delegates were defeated by the three candidates supporting President Jimmy Carter.

Working for Lane Evans

In 1982 Hare left his union position to help his friend Lane Evans, who was running for the U.S. House of Representatives in an attempt to unseat 16-year incumbent Republican Tom Railsback. Hare first met Evans in 1976 when the two were volunteers in U.S. Senator Fred R. Harris's campaign for president. Railsback was upset by conservative State Senator Kenneth McMillan in the Republican primary, and Evans defeated McMillan in November, and appointed Hare as district director.

For the next 24 years Hare worked as an aide to Evans, assisting the congressman primarily on constituent issues and labor problems. In the last few years of Evans's time in Congress, Hare attended several speaking engagements and even debated Evans's opponents in 2002 and 2004 because of the congressman's Parkinson's disease, which often prevented Evans from participating.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2006

Evans decided to retire in March 2006 and Hare announced his candidacy shortly afterward. In a special Democratic caucus of precinct committee members from across the 17th Congressional District, Hare received his former boss's endorsement and prevailed over the four other candidates to replace Evans as the Democratic nominee. In the November election Hare defeated his Republican opponent, Andrea Zinga, with 57% of the vote.

2008

Hare ran unopposed in 2008.

2010

Hare was challenged by Republican nominee Bobby Schilling and Green Party nominee Roger K. Davis. The race was rated a tossup by the Cook Political Report, CQ Politics, and the New York Times.^[2][3][4] By October, RealClearPolitics rated it "Leans Republican".^[5]

In the November 2 election, Schilling defeated Hare 53%-42%. Hare lost his home county, the normally solidly Democratic Rock Island County, by 9 percentage points.

Tenure

Hare's voting record was generally liberal, mirroring that of his former boss, Evans. Hare is also a founding member of the LGBT Equality Caucus^[6][7] and was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, of which Evans was a founding member.

Health care

Hare has been an advocate for health-care reform since becoming a congressman on Memorial Day, May 29, 2006.^[8] During the summer of 2009, Hare took a hard-line stance on a public health insurance option, saying, "I will not support any plan that does not contain a robust public option because a plan without a public option is sort of like a car without a motor. It may look good on the outside, but in the end it will get you nowhere."^[9] After many local health care town halls and public polling, Hare backed off of his support of the public option. Hare has said he ultimately supports a public option but that "It [the public option] is not a deal-breaker."^[10]

Labor

Hare is a supporter of organized labor, including the living wage and the Employee Free Choice Act.^[11]

Abortion

Hare has consistently supported access to and funding for contraception, as well as keeping most methods of abortion legal.^[12] He has received the endorsement of NARAL Pro-Choice America.^[13]

Controversies

At an April 2010 town hall meeting, Hare stated on camera, "I don't worry about the Constitution on this to be honest," in relation to Congressional health-care reform efforts.^[14] The cameraman, who was affiliated with the St. Louis Tea Party, was heard to say "jackpot, brother!" after Hare said this, to which Hare responded, "Oh, please." Hare's communications director, Tim Schlittner, later explained that Hare's quote was "taken out of context" and he meant that "he is not worried about this health care law being ruled unconstitutional."^[15] However in the same interview, Hare said, "I believe it (the Constitution) says 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'" When it was pointed out to him that was actually from the Declaration of Independence, Hare said, "It doesn't matter to me."^[16]

Phil Hare has been accused of distorting his military service. Mr. Hare, who served in the Army Reserves in the United States during the Vietnam War, claims to be a Vietnam veteran even though, legally, he is not. By federal law Hare's military service does not make of him a "veteran" of the Vietnam War because he had never served in Vietnam. When challenged about his military record by an actual Vietnam vet, Mr. Hare demanded to know the identity of the man. When the vet refused to give his name Mr. Hare reportedly told an aide to follow the man to his car and get his license plate number so he could find out who the man was. According to the vet, "As Mr. Hare was turning to walk away form me he paused, and turning back to my direction, he glared at me intently, and while leaning forward pointed his finger at me, and in a threatening and intimidating manner said, "I'll find out who you are!" Given the nature of Illinois politics, and Mr. Hare's reputation as a mean politician, I felt intimidated by the power of Mr. Hare's office and what he might do." ^[17]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Election history

• Nomination of precinct committeepersons U.S. House 2006
  • Phil Hare — 17,011 — 64%
  • John M. Sullivan — 7,530 — 28%
  • Mark Schwiebert — 1,370 — 5%
  • Michael Boland — 612 — 2%
  • Rob Mellon — 98 — 0%
• Election of November 7, 2006 for U.S. House Dist. 17
  • Phil Hare (D) — 114,638 — 57%
  • Andrea Zinga (R) — 85,734 — 43%
• Election of November 4, 2008 for U.S. House Dist. 17
  • Phil Hare (D) —- 220,961—99.77%
  • Mark E. Lioen—517—0.23%

Personal life

Hare and his wife Beckie currently live in Rock Island and have two grown children, Amy and Louis.

Hare appeared on the March 15, 2007 episode of The Colbert Report in the show's "Better Know a District" series.^[18]

References

External links

• U.S. Congressman Phil Hare official U.S. House site
• Friends of Phil Hare official campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at SourceWatch