Biography:

Mark Steven Kirk was born in Champaign, Ill., and resides in Highand Park, Ill. He graduated from Cornell University in 1981 with a degree in history, and received a master's degree in economics from the London School of Economics in 1982. He then remained in London, where he taught at The Milestone School and was a parliamentary assistant in the House of Commons, through 1983.

From 1984 to 1990, Kirk worked in the Washington office of Rep. John Porter, R-Ill., the last three years as chief of staff. In 1990, he was an officer at the World Bank's International Finance Corporation.

He received a law degree from the Georgetown University Law School in 1992. He then became special assistant to the State Department's assistant secretary for inter-American affairs.

From 1993 to 1995, he was an associate at the law firm of Baker & MacKenzie. In 1995, he became counsel at the House International Relations Committee.

He was first elected to the U.S. House in 2000.

Kirk is married.

Past Campaigns:

Mark Kirk, in his first run for office, won the open seat in the 2000 election with 51 percent of the vote beating Lauren Gash, who was a state representative.

Under a more Republican district, crafted under a new redistricting map, he was re-elected in 2002 with 68 percent of the vote against Democrat Henry H. "Hank" Perritt Jr., a Glencoe resident who was dean of the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

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