John Wayne Cox Jr. (born July 10, 1947) is an American politician and attorney who served a single term as a Democratic member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

representing

Illinois's 16th congressional district The 16th congressional district of Illinois is represented by Republican Darin LaHood. Prominent past representatives from the 16th district have included Everett Dirksen, who went on to become the Republican leader in the United States Senate; ...

Early life and career

Cox was born in

Hazel Green, Wisconsin Hazel Green is a village in Grant County, Wisconsin, Grant and Lafayette County, Wisconsin, Lafayette counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,173 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Of this, 1,151 were in Grant Co ...

. He attended the nearby

University of Wisconsin–Platteville University of Wisconsin–Platteville (UW–Platteville or UW Platt) is a public university in Platteville, Wisconsin, United States. Part of the University of Wisconsin System, it offers bachelor's degree, bachelor's and Master's degree, master ...

Platteville, Wisconsin Platteville is the largest city in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,836 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located atop the greater Platte River (Wisconsin), Platte River valley in the southern Dr ...

. After graduation, he joined the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

where he served from 1969-1970. He then earned his J.D. degree at John Marshall Law School in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. In 1976, Cox defeated Victor Sprengelmeyer, a Republican appointee, for election to serve as

State's Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

for

Jo Daviess County, Illinois Jo Daviess County () is the northwesternmost county (United States), county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 22,035. Its county seat is Galena, Illinois, Galena. Jo ...

. During his tenure as State's Attorney, Cox was an advocate for enhanced federal prosecution of human traffickers operating on the

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

—

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

border. He served two terms and returned to private practice. He was succeeded by J. Christopher Moore as State's Attorney. After his terms as State's Attorney, Cox served as a Special Assistant Attorney General with the Illinois Department of Public Aid, an instructor at

Loras College Loras College is a private Catholic college in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students and is the oldest post-secondary institution in the state of Iowa. Loras offers both undergraduate and graduat ...

, and the City Attorney for

Galena, Illinois Galena is the largest city in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 3,308 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A section of the city is listed on the National Register of Historic Plac ...

Congressional term

After the retirement of Republican incumbent

Lynn Morley Martin Lynn Morley Martin (born Judith Lynn Morley; December 26, 1939) is an American businesswoman and former politician who served as the 21st United States secretary of labor from 1991 to 1993, under President George H. W. Bush. A member of the Re ...

, Cox joined the race to succeed her in Congress. Surprisingly, Cox defeated Republican John Hallock, a member of the

Illinois House of Representatives The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 representativ ...

from Rockford. During his term, he served on the Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee; Government Operations Committee; Financial Institutions Supervision, Regulation and Insurance Subcommittee; Housing and Community Development Subcommittee; and Government Information, Justice and Agriculture Subcommittee During the Republican-led 1991 decennial redistricting, the 16th district added portions of staunchly Republican McHenry County. Donald Manzullo defeated Cox in the newly drawn 16th district. At the time of Cox's loss, fellow Illinois Democrat

Dan Rostenkowski Daniel David Rostenkowski (January 2, 1928 – August 11, 2010) was a United States Representative from Chicago, serving for 36 years, from 1959 to 1995. He became one of the most powerful legislators in Congress, especially in matters of t ...

was laying the groundwork to get Cox a seat on the

United States House Committee on Ways and Means The Committee on Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The committee has jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs, and other revenue-raising measures, as well as a number of other progr ...

. Manzullo held the seat until his defeat by fellow Republican Congressman

Adam Kinzinger Adam Daniel Kinzinger (; born February 27, 1978) is an American politician, senior political commentator for CNN, and former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard. He served as a United States representative from Illinois from 2011 to 20 ...

for renomination in the 2012 Republican primary election held on March 20, 2012, after the 2011 decennial redistricting.

Post congressional career

Following his term, Cox returned to

where he continued his private law practice. Since returning to Galena, Cox he served as City Attorney for the City of Galena, Illinois. Cox served as Vice President for External Affairs and General Counsel for Jo-Carroll Energy, Inc. (NFP), an Illinois energy cooperative until he retired.

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, John W. Jr. 1947 births Illinois lawyers Living people People from Galena, Illinois People from Hazel Green, Wisconsin University of Wisconsin–Platteville alumni Military personnel from Wisconsin Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois Businesspeople from Illinois University of Illinois Chicago School of Law alumni Loras College faculty 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives