Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz | |
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Member of the IllinoisHouseofRepresentatives from the 17th district | |
Assumed office January 6, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Laura Fine |
Personal details | |
Born | 1968or1969(age 55–56) Oak Park,Illinois,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Children | 3 |
Education | Indiana University,Bloomington (BA) Loyola University Chicago (JD) Northwestern University (LLM) |
Website | Official biography |
Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (born 1968/1969) [1] [2] is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 17th district. The 17th district includes all or parts of Evanston,Glenview,Golf,Morton Grove,Northbrook,Skokie and Wilmette. [3]
Gong-Gershowitz received the Democratic nomination in the election to succeed Rep. Laura Fine,who was not seeking re-election and instead running for Illinois State Senate. Gong-Gershowitz won the 2018 general election with 69.2% of the vote and was re-elected in 2020. She was sworn in to her second term in 2021. She is the second Chinese American to serve in the Illinois General Assembly after Theresa Mah. [4]
Gong-Gershowitz currently serves on four committees:the Immigration &Human Rights committee;the Energy &Environment committee;the Judiciary - Civil committee;and the Mental Health &Addiction committee. Additionally,she is the chairperson for both the Immigration &Human Rights committee and the Judiciary - Civil committee.
Gong-Gershowitz has introduced several bills that have gone on to become law. This includes HB0376,which requires Illinois schools to create a unit of curriculum dedicated to studying Asian-American history, [5] as well as HB0709,which required the Illinois Department of Human Services "to conduct a public information campaign to educate immigrants,refugees,asylum seekers,and other noncitizens residing in Illinois of their rights under the U.S. Constitution and Illinois laws that apply regardless of immigration status." [6]
Gong-Gershowitz is of third-generation Chinese-American descent through her father,and Irish through her mother. [7] She resides in Glenview with her husband and three sons. She is a human rights attorney by trade. [8] She is Jewish. [9]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz | 7,800 | 36.61 | |
Democratic | Candance Chow | 7,165 | 33.63 | |
Democratic | Mary Rita Luecke | 3,526 | 16.55 | |
Democratic | Alexandra Eidenberg | 1,812 | 8.51 | |
Democratic | Pete Dagher | 1,002 | 4.70 | |
Total votes | 21,305 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz | 34,328 | 69.20 | |
Republican | Peter Lee | 15,281 | 30.80 | |
Total votes | 49,609 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (incumbent) | 42,471 | 67.62 | −1.58% | |
Republican | Yesoe Yoon | 18728 | 29.82 | −0.98% | |
Green | Christopher Kruger | 1606 | 2.56 | N/A | |
Total votes | 62,805 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (incumbent) | 29,057 | 71.38 | +3.76% | |
Republican | Bradley Martin | 11648 | 28.62 | −1.20% | |
Total votes | 40,705 | 100.0 |
My name is Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz. I'm the granddaughter of Chinese immigrants whose legacy inspired me to do human rights and social justice work.