State Senator
Sullivan was elected in 2002, defeating 22-year incumbent Republican Laura Kent Donahue in one of the closest and most expensive senate races that election cycle. Since he represented a historically Republican district, Sullivan was targeted for defeat by the Republicans in the 2004 election. However, he defeated Republican Tom Ernst with 61 percent of the vote. In March 2006 17th District Congressman Lane Evans announced he would be retiring at the end of his 12th term shortly after he won the nomination for a thirteenth term. Sullivan, whose district is largely coextensive with the west-central portion of what was then the congressional district entered the special nominating election finishing second to a longtime aide of Evans Phil Hare. Sullivan was unopposed for reelection in 2008. In 2012, Sullivan handily defeated Randy Freese.
Senator Sullivan is currently the Vice Chair of the Agriculture & Conservation committee and is assigned to five other committees; Energy, Higher Education, Revenue, Transportation and Insurance. Senator Sullivan currently serves a Majority Whip. As the District 47 state senator, Sullivan's associated Representatives are District 93 representative Jil Tracy and District 94 representative Norine Hammond, both Republicans. This gives Senator Sullivan the distinction of being the only State Senator to have two associated Representatives from the opposite party.
Read more about this topic: John M. Sullivan
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