Cook County Board of Commissioners

Davis was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners from Chicago at-large in 1990. When the board transitioned to district elections in 1994, he was elected to its 1st district.

Entering Congress in 1997, Davis left the Cook County Board of Commissioners. He desired to see Illinois State Senator Earlean Collins appointed his successor on the board, but party leaders instead chose Darlena Williams-Burnett, executive assistant of Jesse White and the wife of alderman Walter Burnett Jr. Collins challenged and unseated Williams-Burnett in the Democratic primary for the seat in 1998.^[7][8][9]

Elections

On December 6, 1995, Davis announced his candidacy for the 7th congressional district, adding his name to the already announced Democratic candidates, including Alderman Percy Z. Giles, Cook County Board of Commissioners member Bobbie L. Steele, Alderman Ed Smith, and Alderman Dorothy Tillman.^[10] Five other Democratic candidates entered the race later: S. Mendenhall, Joan Sullivan, G. Winbush, Anthony Travis, and Joan Powell, making it the largest field of candidates for U.S. Congress in Illinois in 1996.^[11] Davis lived a block outside the district, but was familiar in it.^[12][13]

Davis ran on a progressive Democratic platform popular in the district. He was pro-choice and supported gay rights, the ERA, single-payer health care, and some federal support for child nutrition and care.^[12]

In early January 1996, the FBI revealed its Operation Silver Shovel, which included an investigation into Alderman Giles.^[14] What Operation Silver Shovel may have done to undermine Giles's chances for election are unclear as he was already lagging with a mere 3% among likely Democratic primary voters in a mid-December poll compared to Davis's 33%, Smith's 8%, Tillman's 7%, and Steele's 6%.^[15] But Giles did have Mayor Richard M. Daley's support and that of other well-known area figures—some of whom continued their support during the controversy.^[16]

On March 10, 1996, during a radio debate hosted by WMAQ-AM, Tillman and Smith called for Davis to reject the endorsement of former alderman candidate Wallace "Gator" Bradley,^[17] spokesman for convicted Gangster Disciples leader Larry Hoover.^[16] "Why do you keep badgering me with this question?" Davis replied. "You got a problem with something? You're not going to catch me going around saying I hate Gator Bradley. ... I'm not in the business of disavowing individuals. The good Lord said he hated sin, but not sinners. I'm not hating Gator Bradley. I disagree with those who commit crime and those who'd use drugs, but you won't catch me going around saying that I hate Gator Bradley."^[16] Davis never rejected Bradley's endorsement during the campaign, and after winning the primary claimed that Bradley's endorsement played no role in the outcome, though Bradley asserted the contrary.^[18]

During the campaign, Tillman highlighted comments Davis made in an August 1970 issue of Ebony: "[T]he white female often gives the black man certain kinds of recognition that the black woman often does not give him."^[19] The Davis campaign countered that Davis was speaking as a psychologist in his role as a training director at a health center.^[19]

Although Davis was fully promoted as a Democratic candidate, he also ran as a New Party candidate.^[20][21][22] Supporting this was New Party's celebration of him as the "first New Party member elected to the U.S. Congress."^[23] Although the State of Illinois did not permit fusion voting, New Party advocated it as a means to promote itself and its agenda and to project New Party ideology into the Democratic Party.^[24] Candidates were called "N[ew]P[arty] Democrats"^[24] and required to sign a contract mandating a "visible and active relationship" with New Party.^[25] During this time, New Party was experiencing substantial growth.^[26] Davis was also endorsed by the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America (CDSA),^[27] of which he had been a member^[28][29] since before his congressional run.^[30] ACORN, AFL–CIO, Sierra Club, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters also endorsed Davis.^[31]

In the March 20 Democratic primary, Davis received more votes than the two closest candidates, Tillman and Smith, combined.^[11] The first five announced candidates all received more than twice as many votes as the five late-entering candidates, with none of the latter receiving more than 2,700.^[11]

In the November 5 general election, Davis defeated Republican Randy Borow and third-party candidates Chauncey L. Stroud (Independent), Toietta Dixon (Libertarian), and Charles A. Winter (Natural Law) with over 82% of the vote.^[32]

Tenure

Davis expressed interest in replacing John Stroger on the ballot in the 2006 race for President of the Cook County Board.^[33] Stroger's son Todd Stroger was ultimately selected.

In late 2008, Davis expressed interest in being President Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate before Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's scandal erupted.^[34] In a December 31, 2008, New York Times article, Davis said that he turned down an offer from Blagojevich's representatives to appoint him to the Senate.^[35] Instead, Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris.^[36]

Davis ran for mayor of Chicago a second time in 2011, but withdrew before the election and endorsed Carol Moseley Braun.^[37]

In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Davis endorsed Kamala Harris.^[38] He later endorsed Joe Biden ahead of the Iowa caucus.^[39][40]

Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress:^[53]

• Committee on Ways and Means
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Work and Welfare (Chair)

Party leadership and caucus membership

• Chair of the Congressional Postal Caucus
• Regional Whip
• Congressional Arts Caucus^[54]
• Medicare for All Caucus
• Congressional Coalition on Adoption^[55]