Napoleon Harris
Napoleon Harris (Democratic Party) is a member of the Illinois State Senate, representing District 15. He assumed office in 2013. His current term ends on January 13, 2027.
Harris (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Illinois State Senate to represent District 15. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Harris was a 2016 candidate who sought election to the U.S. Senate from Illinois.[1] Harris was defeated by Tammy Duckworth in the Democratic primary on March 15, 2016.[2]
Biography
Harris' professional experience includes playing as a linebacker in the NFL from 2002 to 2009 and owning and operating two Beggars Pizza stores.[3]
He was identified as one of 13 people who played in at least one Super Bowl before running for elected office or serving in government. Click here for more information.
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Harris was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- Commerce Committee, Vice Chair
- Energy and Public Utilities Committee
- Senate Executive Committee
- Behavioral and Mental Health
- Senate Insurance Committee, Chair
- Pensions Committee
2021-2022
Harris was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- Commerce Committee, Vice-Chair
- Energy and Public Utilities Committee
- Senate Executive Committee
- Senate Human Services Committee
- Senate Insurance Committee, Chair
- Pensions Committee
2019-2020
Harris was assigned to the following committees:
- Commerce and Economic Development Committee
- Committee of the Whole
- Senate Executive Committee
- Senate Human Services Committee
- Senate Insurance Committee, Chair
- Telecommunications & InfoTechnology Committee, Vice chair
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Agriculture, Chair |
| • Commerce and Economic Development, Vice chair |
| • Committee of the Whole |
| • Insurance |
| • Licensed Activities and Pensions |
| • Telecommunications & InfoTechnology |
| • Transportation |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Harris served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Commerce and Economic Development |
| • Insurance, Vice chair |
| • Licensed Activities and Pensions |
| • Public Health |
| • Transportation |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Harris served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Appropriations II |
| • Committee of the Whole |
| • Human Services |
| • Labor and Commerce |
| • Public Health |
| • Transportation |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Illinois State Senate District 15
Incumbent Napoleon Harris won election in the general election for Illinois State Senate District 15 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Napoleon Harris (D) | 100.0 | 51,700 |
| Total votes: 51,700 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Eric Wallace (R)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate District 15
Incumbent Napoleon Harris advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate District 15 on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Napoleon Harris | 100.0 | 19,480 |
| Total votes: 19,480 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Illinois State Senate District 15
Incumbent Napoleon Harris won election in the general election for Illinois State Senate District 15 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Napoleon Harris (D) | 100.0 | 59,332 |
| Total votes: 59,332 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate District 15
Incumbent Napoleon Harris advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate District 15 on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Napoleon Harris | 100.0 | 27,322 |
| Total votes: 27,322 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Terry Brown (D)
2016
The race for Illinois' U.S. Senate seat was one of nine competitive battleground races in 2016. U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D) defeated incumbent Mark Kirk (R)—who was seeking re-election to his second term—Kenton McMillen (L), and Scott Summers (G) in the general election on November 8, 2016.
In her victory speech, Duckworth said, “Tonight, we showed a campaign that respects voters and is focused on practical solutions rather than shopworn slogans can be successful. We showed that a relentless focus on rebuilding Illinois’ middle class and respecting hard worth rather than wealth can be successful, too.”[4]
During his concession speech, Kirk said, "What unites us as Americans is much stronger than what divides us." Kirk also invited Duckworth to have a beer with him as a peace offering. He said, “This beer summit with [sic] show kids across Illinois that opponents can peacfully [sic] bury the hatchet.”[4][5]
Numerous analysts labeled Kirk the most vulnerable GOP incumbent in 2016 due to Illinois' tendency to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats during presidential election cycles. Kirk faced significant opposition from national Democrats who targeted Illinois as an essential seat needed to regain the majority in the U.S. Senate. Democrats picked up two seats in Election Day, but they fell short of the five seats that they needed to take control of the Senate.[6]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Tammy Duckworth |
54.9% | 3,012,940 | |
| Republican | Mark Kirk Incumbent | 39.8% | 2,184,692 | |
| Libertarian | Kenton McMillen | 3.2% | 175,988 | |
| Green | Scott Summers | 2.1% | 117,619 | |
| K.A. | Write-in | 0% | 639 | |
| Total Votes | 5,491,878 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mark Kirk Incumbent |
70.6% | 931,619 | ||
| James Marter | 29.4% | 388,571 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,320,190 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections |
||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tammy Duckworth |
64.4% | 1,220,128 | ||
| Andrea Zopp | 24% | 455,729 | ||
| Napoleon Harris | 11.6% | 219,286 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,895,143 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections |
||||
2014
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Illinois State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 18, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 2, 2013. Incumbent Napoleon Harris was set to face Victor Jonathan in the Democratic primary, but Jonathan withdrew from the race on December 30, 2013, leaving Harris unopposed. Harris was unchallenged in the general election.[7][8][9]
2013
Harris sought election to the U.S. House in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District special election in 2013. The election was held to replace Jesse Jackson, Jr..
On January 20, 2013, he announced that he was withdrawing from the race and giving his support to Robin Kelly.[10]
2012
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2012
Harris won election in the 2012 election for Illinois State Senate District 15. Harris defeated Joseph Letke, Jr., Donna Miller and Patricia Mahon in the Democratic primary on March 20, 2012, and was unopposed in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012. Incumbent James Meeks (D) did not for re-election.[11][12][13]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Napoleon Harris |
100% | 73,762 | |
| Total Votes | 73,762 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Patricia Mahon | 21.1% | 4,928 |
| Donna Miller | 35.2% | 8,209 |
| Napoleon Harris |
43.6% | 10,172 |
| Total Votes | 23,309 | |
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Polls
2013
| Illinois' 3rd Congressional District, Democratic primary | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Debbie Halvorson | Toi Hutchinson | Robin Kelly | Napoleon Harris | Mel Reynolds | Anthony Beale | Other | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||
| Normington-Petts (January 8-10) | 16% | 12% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 40% | +/-4.9 | 400 | |||||||||
| GBA Strategies (January 3-7) | 25% | 16% | 15% | 9% | 8% | 10% | 2% | 15% | +/-4.4 | 500 | |||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected] | |||||||||||||||||||
Endorsements
2014
In 2014, Harris' endorsements included the following:[14]
- The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Napoleon Harris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2012
Harris' campaign website listed the following issues:[15]
- Bildung
- Excerpt: "Currently, 77% of education funding comes from local sources—mainly property taxes. Because of our over-reliance on property taxes affluent communities can provide quality education but most poor communities cannot."
- Job Creation & Economic Development
- Excerpt: "Illinois Main Street is an economic development program that revitalizes historic and business districts. There are nearly 80 of these programs across the state but only one in the Southland. "
- Crime Prevention
- Excerpt: "Law enforcement alone cannot prevent crime, and officials depend on residents to be the eyes and ears of the neighborhood."
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Illinois scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2023, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 to May 27.
|
2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2022, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 5 to April 9.
|
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2021, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 13 to June 1.
|
2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2020, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 to May 23.
|
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2019, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
|
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2018, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 31.
|
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 through May 31. There were also special sessions. The 1st special session was June 21-July 6. The 2nd special session was July 26-July 31. During the 3rd special session, the Senate met on August 13, and the House met on August 16. The 4th special session was on August 28-29. There was a veto session from October 24-November 9.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2016, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 13 through May 31.
|
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2015, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 14 through December 7 (extended session).
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 29 through June 2.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2013, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 31.
|
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Harris and his wife, Nicole, have two children. Harris is a member of the board of directors of the House of James Shelter. He is also founder of the Napoleon Harris Foundation and a volunteer for Restoration Ministries.[3][18]
Additional reading
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Napoleon Harris Illinois Senate. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Officeholder Illinois State Senate District 15 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Crain's, "State Sen. Napoleon Harris to enter race against Mark Kirk," October 27, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Illinois Primary Results," March 15, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Elect Napoleon Harris, "About," accessed January 3, 2011
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 WTTW.com, "Duckworth Defeats Kirk in Heated US Senate Race," accessed November 15, 2016
- ↑ CBS Chicago, "Tammy Duckworth Defeats Mark Kirk In U.S. Senate Race," accessed November 15, 2016
- ↑ Roll Call, "Democrats Could Face Primary Mess in Illinois Senate Race," January 23, 2015
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Board of Elections, "General Primary Election Official Canvass," April 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedrc - ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed December 5, 2011
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Official 2012 Primary Results," accessed February 22, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, “Official Vote - November 6, 2012 General Election,” accessed December 31, 2012
- ↑ Illinois AFL-CIO, "2014 Illinois AFL-CIO Primary Election Endorsements," accessed March 5, 2014
- ↑ Campaign website, Issues
- ↑ Citizen Action Illinois, "99th General Assembly Legislative Scorecard 2016," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities, "2016 Illinois Community Living Report," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Napoleon Harris III's Biography," accessed February 22, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Meeks (D) |
Illinois State Senate District 15 2013-Present |
Succeeded by - |
