Robert "Bob" Rita (born October 2, 1969) is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 28th District since January 8, 2003. Rita is also the Calumet Township Democratic committeeman and a trustee on the township board.[citation needed] His state representative district includes parts of Chicago's 9th and 34th wards, as well as several suburbs. Rita lists economic redevelopment, equitable school funding and increased health care availability as his top priorities in the state legislature. Rita is an Operating Engineer and a member of Local #150. He is currently being investigated for felony intimidation following an incident in Orland Park, IL on October 4. 2023.[1]

Bob Rita
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 28th district
Assumed office
January 8, 2003
Preceded byTom Dart
Personal details
Born (1969-10-02) October 2, 1969 (age 55)
Oak Lawn, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationMoraine Valley Community College
Governors State University

Rita has been re-elected four times, and was unopposed in the 2008 general election. His opponent in the February 5, 2008 Democratic primary, Earick Rayburn, was backed by William Dugan - then-head of Operating Engineers Union Local 150. The union contributed nearly $100,000 to Rayburn's campaign.[2][3] Rita defeated Rayburn by a margin of more than 3-to-1 in the primary, and received about 60% of the vote in a five candidate race.[4]

As of July 3, 2022, Representative Rita is a member of the following Illinois House committees:[5]

  • Cities & Villages Committee (HCIV)
  • Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, & IT Committee (HCDA)
  • Ethics & Elections Committee (SHEE)
  • (Chairman of) Executive Committee (HEXC)
  • Prescription Drug Affordability Committee (HPDA)
  • Revenue & Finance Committee (HREF)
  • (Chairman of) Sales, Amusements, and Other Taxes Subcommittee (HREF-SATX)

Electoral history

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Illinois 28th Representative District Democratic Primary, 2002[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita 6,855 37.55
Democratic Arvin Boddie 6,427 35.20
Democratic Derrick C. Davis 4,976 27.25
Total votes 18,258 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2002[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita 23,544 79.84
Republican Wayland Johnson Jr. 4,703 15.95
Libertarian Jerome F. Kohn 1,241 4.21
Total votes 29,488 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District Democratic Primary, 2004[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 9,739 56.60
Democratic Arvin Boddie 3,066 17.82
Democratic Brenda Williams 2,757 16.02
Democratic Ladonna Thomas 896 5.21
Democratic Katrina "Ki-ki" Gines 750 4.36
Total votes 17,208 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2004[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 35,592 84.62
Republican Michael Fredette 6,468 15.38
Total votes 42,060 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District Democratic Primary, 2006[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 10,119 76.18
Democratic Brenda Williams 2,963 22.31
Democratic Florida Cresswell 201 1.51
Total votes 13,283 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2006[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 23,809 84.66
Republican Christopher G. Newhall 4,315 15.34
Total votes 28,124 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District Democratic Primary, 2008[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 14,530 60.67
Democratic Earick D. Rayburn 4,455 18.60
Democratic James J. Taylor 2,083 8.70
Democratic Pamela "Little Pam" Caston 1,510 6.30
Democratic Michael E. Mayden 1,373 5.73
Total votes 23,951 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2008[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 38,054 100.0
Total votes 38,054 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2010[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 24,428 100.0
Total votes 24,428 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2012[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 37,179 100.0
Total votes 37,179 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2014[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 26,395 100.0
Total votes 26,395 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2016[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 37,190 100.0
Total votes 37,190 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District Democratic Primary, 2018[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 11,123 69.99
Democratic Mary Carvlin 2,752 17.32
Democratic Kimberly Nicole Koschnitzky 2,017 12.69
Total votes 15,892 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2018[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 28,841 100.0
Total votes 28,841 100.0
Illinois 28th Representative District General Election, 2020[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert "Bob" Rita (incumbent) 37,640 99.36
Write-in 243 0.64
Total votes 37,883 100.0

References

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  1. ^ "Orland Park Police: State Rep. Rita accused of assaulting Orland Township Supervisor O'Grady".
  2. ^ 150 Out for Blood CapitolFax.com, November 5, 2007
  3. ^ Campaign Committee: Residents for Rayburn IL State Board of Elections
  4. ^ 2008 Primaries ABC News Chicago
  5. ^ "Illinois General Assembly - Representative Committees". ilga.gov. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  6. ^ "Election Results 2002 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  7. ^ "Election Results 2002 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  8. ^ "Election Results 2004 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  9. ^ "Election Results 2004 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  10. ^ "Election Results 2006 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  11. ^ "Election Results 2006 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  12. ^ "Election Results 2008 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  13. ^ "Election Results 2008 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  14. ^ "Election Results 2010 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  15. ^ "Election Results 2012 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  16. ^ "Election Results 2014 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  17. ^ "Election Results 2016 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "Election Results 2018 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  19. ^ "Election Results 2018 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  20. ^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
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