Biography:

Luis Gutierrez was born in Chicago, where he still resides. He attended public and Catholic schools. He received a liberal arts degree from Northeastern Illinois University in the summer of 1976 and then moved to Puerto Rico, his family's homeland, where he taught school and got married.

Gutierrez returned to Chicago in 1978 with his wife and got a job as a cab driver. In 1979, he became a social worker with the Department of Children and Family Services. He quit in 1983 to become involved in politics.

Gutierrez worked for Harold Washington, Chicago's first black mayor, 1983-84. In 1986, Gutierrez was elected as a city alderman, cementing Washington's hold on the city council. He chaired the city council's Housing Committee and specialized in affordable housing issues.

He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1992.

Gutierrez and his wife, Soraida, have two daughters, Omaira and Jessica.

Past Campaigns:

Luis Gutierrez lost a 1984 campaign for Democratic alderman in Chicago but won a seat in 1988.

He won a 1986 special election to city council and was re-elected in 1990.

He was elected to the U.S. House in 1992 with 77 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Hildegarde Rodriguez-Schieman.

He was re-elected in 1994 with 75 percent, defeating Republican Steven Valtierra. In 1996, he was re-elected with 94 percent of the vote with no major party opposition.

Gutierrez defeated Republican John Birch in 1998 with 82 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in 2000 with 89 percent of the vote against Libertarian Party candidate Stephanie Sailor.

In March 2002, he easily won the Democratic primary with 68 percent of the vote. Attorney and community activist Marty Castro received 21 percent and John Holowinski had 10 percent.

Gutierrez garnered almost 80 percent of the vote in the November 2002 general election as he defeated Republican Anthony J. Lopez-Cisneros (15 percent) and Libertarian Maggie Kohls (5 percent).

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