Illinois Opportunity Project's Legislative Vote Card (2012)

The Illinois Opportunity Project released a 2012 Legislative Vote Card, grading all members in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly on the basis of their support for the institute's priorities. The institute has characterized its mission as to "advance free-market principles into law" and to support "pro-growth economic policies that increase personal freedom and reign in expansive government."^[1]^[2]^[3]

2012 report

On October 10, 2012, the Illinois Opportunity Project released its 2012 Illinois Legislative Vote Card. The report included information about eight votes in the Illinois State Senate and eight votes in the Illinois House of Representatives. Each legislator received a grade from A to F on the basis of what the institute described as "how often his or her votes protected taxpayers’ interests and promoted economic growth."^[2] Although 2012 was the IOP's first year publishing the report, the Illinois Policy Institute, another conservative-libertarian think tank, published a similar vote card in 2010 and 2011.^[4]

The IOP evaluated votes on Medicaid restructuring, charter school funding, campaign finance, and cigarette and satellite taxes, among other issues.

In the state House, there were 9 A's, 17 B's, 23 C's, 26 D's, and 43 F's. The mean score for state representatives was 50.61 (D-). In the state Senate, there were 15 A's, 6 B's, 6 C's, 5 D's, and 43 F's. The mean score for state senators was 54.19 (D). One senator and two representatives did not receive a letter grade because they were not present for enough of the selected votes.

Highest and lowest scores

Two representatives and eleven senators, all Republicans, received scores of 100.

Legislators Scoring 100
District	Name	Party	Score	Grade
House 54	Thomas R. Morrison	Republican	100.00	A+
House 109	Brad Halbrook	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 21	Ron Sandack	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 23	Carole Pankau	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 26	Dan Duffy	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 27	Matt Murphy	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 34	Dave Syverson	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 37	Darin LaHood	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 38	Sue Rezin	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 41	Christine Radogno	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 44	Bill Brady	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 51	Kyle McCarter	Republican	100.00	A+
Senate 55	Dale A. Righter	Republican	100.00	A+

Four representatives and twelve senators, all Democrats, received scores of 0.

Legislators Scoring 0
District	Name	Party	Score	Grade
House 8	La Shawn K. Ford	Democratic	0.00	F
House 10	Derrick Smith	Democratic	0.00	F
House 27	Monique D. Davis	Democratic	0.00	F
House 67	Charles E. Jefferson	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 2	William Delgado	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 3	Mattie Hunter	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 4	Kimberly Lightford	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 5	Annazette Collins	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 14	Emil Jones III	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 15	James Meeks	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 16	Jacqueline Collins	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 17	Donne Trotter	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 20	Iris Martinez	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 22	Michael Noland	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 40	Toi Hutchinson	Democratic	0.00	F
Senate 57	James Clayborne Jr.	Democratic	0.00	F

Completed rankings

Click [show] in order to expand the tables below with the full lists of rankings by legislator.

Complete Rankings for Illinois State Representatives
Name	District	Party	Score	Grade
1	Dena Carli	Democratic	37.50	F
2	Edward J. Acevedo	Democratic	33.33	F
3	Luis Arroyo	Democratic	42.86	F
4	Cynthia Soto	Democratic	50.00	D-
5	Kenneth Dunkin	Democratic	12.50	F
6	Esther Golar	Democratic	25.00	F
7	Karen Yarbrough	Democratic	37.50	F
8	La Shawn K. Ford	Democratic	0.00	F
9	Arthur Turner II	Democratic	25.00	F
10	Derrick Smith	Democratic	0.00	F
11	Ann M. Williams	Democratic	25.00	F
12	Sara Feigenholtz	Democratic	37.50	F
13	Gregory Harris	Democratic	42.86	F
14	Kelly M. Cassidy	Democratic	37.50	F
15	John D'Amico	Democratic	50.00	D-
16	Lou Lang	Democratic	50.00	D-
17	Daniel K. Biss	Democratic	50.00	D-
18	Robyn Gabel	Democratic	25.00	F
19	Joseph M. Lyons	Democratic	50.00	D-
20	Michael McAuliffe	Republican	85.71	B
21	Michael Zalewski	Democratic	50.00	D-
22	Michael Madigan	Democratic	50.00	D-
23	Daniel Burke	Democratic	50.00	D-
24	Elizabeth Hernandez	Democratic	25.00	F
25	Barbara Flynn Currie	Democratic	37.50	F
26	Kimberly du Buclet	Democratic	14.29	F
27	Monique D. Davis	Democratic	0.00	F
28	Robert Rita	Democratic	25.00	F
29	Thaddeus Jones	Democratic	25.00	F
30	William Davis	Democratic	12.50	F
31	Mary E. Flowers	Democratic	25.00	F
32	Andre Thapedi	Democratic	14.29	F
33	Marlow H. Colvin	Democratic	0.00	NA
33	Marcus Evans	Democratic	14.29	F
34	Constance A. Howard	Democratic	37.50	F
35	Bill Cunningham	Democratic	37.50	F
36	Kelly M. Burke	Democratic	50.00	D-
37	Charles Krezwick	Democratic	37.50	F
38	Al Riley	Democratic	12.50	F
39	Maria Antonia Berrios	Democratic	50.00	D-
40	Deb Mell	Democratic	50.00	D-
41	Chris Nybo	Republican	75.00	B-
42	Sandra M. Pihos	Republican	75.00	B-
43	Keith Farnham	Democratic	62.50	C-
44	Fred Crespo	Democratic	62.50	C-
45	Franco Coladipietro	Republican	62.50	C-
46	Dennis Reboletti	Republican	62.50	C-
47	Patricia R. Bellock	Republican	87.50	A-
48	Michael Connelly	Republican	87.50	A-
49	Tim Schmitz	Republican	71.43	C
50	Kay Hatcher	Republican	75.00	B-
51	Ed Sullivan, Jr.	Republican	87.50	A-
52	Kent Gaffney	Republican	66.67	C
53	Sidney Mathias	Republican	62.50	C-
54	Thomas R. Morrison	Republican	100.00	A+
55	Harry R. Ramey, Jr.	Republican	57.14	D
56	Michelle Mussman	Democratic	62.50	C-
57	Elaine Nekritz	Democratic	37.50	F
58	Karen May	Democratic	37.50	F
59	Carol Sente	Democratic	75.00	B-
60	Rita Mayfield	Democratic	28.57	F
61	JoAnn D. Osmond	Republican	62.50	C-
62	Sandy Cole	Republican	75.00	B-
63	Jack D. Franks	Democratic	75.00	B-
65	Rosemary Mulligan	Republican	42.86	F
66	David Harris	Republican	75.00	B-
66	Michael W. Tryon	Republican	87.50	A-
67	Charles E. Jefferson	Democratic	0.00	F
68	Dave Winters	Republican	62.50	C-
69	Joe Sosnowski	Republican	87.50	A-
70	Robert W. Pritchard	Republican	50.00	D-
71	Richard Morthland	Republican	75.00	B-
72	Patrick J. Verschoore	Democratic	50.00	D-
73	David R. Leitch	Republican	37.50	F
74	Donald L. Moffitt	Republican	50.00	D-
75	Pam Roth	Republican	75.00	B-
76	Frank J. Mautino	Democratic	57.14	D
77	Angelo Saviano	Republican	75.00	B-
78	Camille Y. Lilly	Democratic	14.29	F
79	Lisa M. Dugan	Democratic	25.00	F
80	Anthony DeLuca	Democratic	28.57	F
81	Renee Kosel	Republican	62.50	C-
82	Jim Durkin	Republican	57.14	D
83	Linda Chapa LaVia	Democratic	28.57	F
84	Tom Cross	Republican	87.50	A-
85	Emily McAsey	Democratic	57.14	D
86	Jack McGuire	Democratic	0.00	NA
86	Lawrence Walsh	Democratic	71.43	C
87	Bill Mitchell	Republican	62.50	C-
88	Dan Brady	Republican	62.50	C-
89	Jim Sacia	Republican	50.00	D-
90	Jerry L. Mitchell	Republican	71.43	C-
91	Michael D. Unes	Republican	75.00	B-
92	Jehan Gordon	Democratic	28.57	F
93	Jil Tracy	Republican	85.71	B
94	Norine K. Hammond	Republican	62.50	C-
95	Mike Fortner	Republican	75.00	B-
96	Darlene Senger	Republican	71.43	C
97	Jim Watson	Republican	50.00	D-
98	Wayne Arthur Rosenthal	Republican	50.00	D-
99	Raymond Poe	Republican	50.00	D-
100	Rich Brauer	Republican	62.50	C-
101	Adam M. Brown	Republican	62.50	C-
102	Paul Evans	Republican	75.00	B-
103	Naomi D. Jakobsson	Democratic	25.00	F
104	Chad D. Hays	Republican	75.00	B-
105	Jason Barickman	Republican	87.50	A-
106	Keith P. Sommer	Republican	62.50	C-
107	John Cavaletto	Republican	57.14	D
108	David Reis	Republican	62.50	C-
109	Brad Halbrook	Republican	100.00	A+
110	Chapin Rose	Republican	71.43	C
111	Daniel V. Beiser	Democratic	50.00	D-
112	Dwight D. Kay	Republican	75.00	B-
113	Scott Penny	Democratic	37.50	F
114	Eddie Lee Jackson	Democratic	12.50	F
115	Mike Bost	Republican	50.00	D-
116	Jerry Costello Jr.	Democratic	50.00	D-
117	John E. Bradley	Democratic	71.43	C
118	Brandon W. Phelps	Democratic	50.00	D-

Complete Rankings for Illinois State Senators
Name	District	Party	Score	Grade
1	Antonio Munoz	Democratic	42.86	F
2	William Delgado	Democratic	0.00	F
3	Mattie Hunter	Democratic	0.00	F
4	Kimberly Lightford	Democratic	0.00	F
5	Annazette Collins	Democratic	0.00	F
6	John Cullerton	Democratic	37.50	F
7	Heather Steans	Democratic	28.57	F
8	Ira Silverstein	Democratic	37.50	F
9	Jeffrey Schoenberg	Democratic	42.86	F
10	John G. Mulroe	Democratic	57.14	D
11	Steven Landek	Democratic	62.50	C-
12	Martin Sandoval	Democratic	37.50	F
13	Kwame Raoul	Democratic	14.29	F
14	Emil Jones III	Democratic	0.00	F
15	James Meeks	Democratic	0.00	F
16	Jacqueline Collins	Democratic	0.00	F
17	Donne Trotter	Democratic	0.00	F
18	Edward Maloney	Democratic	37.50	F
19	Maggie Crotty	Democratic	37.50	F
20	Iris Martinez	Democratic	0.00	F
21	Ron Sandack	Republican	100.00	A+
22	Michael Noland	Democratic	0.00	F
23	Carole Pankau	Republican	100.00	A+
24	Kirk Dillard	Republican	87.50	A-
25	Chris Lauzen	Republican	75.00	B-
26	Dan Duffy	Republican	100.00	A+
27	Matt Murphy	Republican	100.00	A+
28	John Millner	Republican	60.00	D
29	Susan Garrett	Democratic	57.14	D
30	Terry Link	Democratic	37.50	F
31	Suzi Schmidt	Republican	87.50	A-
32	Pamela Althoff	Republican	85.71	B
33	Dan Kotowski	Democratic	50.00	D-
34	Dave Syverson	Republican	100.00	A+
35	Christine J. Johnson	Republican	87.50	A-
36	Mike Jacobs	Democratic	62.50	C-
37	Darin LaHood	Republican	100.00	A+
38	Sue Rezin	Republican	100.00	A+
39	Don Harmon	Democratic	37.50	F
40	Toi Hutchinson	Democratic	0.00	F
41	Christine Radogno	Republican	100.00	A+
42	Linda Holmes	Democratic	37.50	F
43	Pat McGuire	Democratic	50.00	D-
44	Bill Brady	Republican	100.00	A+
45	Tim Bivins	Republican	85.71	B
46	Dave Koehler	Democratic	25.00	F
47	John Sullivan	Democratic	62.50	C-
48	Tom Johnson	Republican	85.71	B
49	William "Sam" McCann	Republican	85.71	B
50	Larry Bomke	Republican	71.43	C
51	Kyle McCarter	Republican	100.00	A+
52	Michael Frerichs	Democratic	42.86	F
53	Shane Cultra	Republican	87.50	A-
54	John O. Jones	Republican	75.00	B-
55	Dale A. Righter	Republican	100.00	A+
56	William Haine	Democratic	62.50	C-
57	James Clayborne Jr.	Democratic	0.00	F
58	David Luechtefeld	Republican	100.00	n/a
59	Gary Forby	Democratic	62.50	C-

Methodology

The Illinois Opportunity Project weighted all votes equally. Each legislator's score was calculated by dividing the number of times he or she voted as recommended by the IOP by the number of selected votes at which he or she was present. The IOP used the following grading scale to assign letter grades.^[5]

Lower Limit	Upper Limit	Grade
87.50	100.00	A
75.00	87.49	B
62.50	74.99	C
50.00	62.49	D
0	49.99	F
This was the grading rubric used by the Illinois Opportunity Project for its 2012 Legislative Vote Card.

External links

Footnotes

[1] Illinois Opportunity Project, "The Project," accessed February 21, 2013

[IOP-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Illinois Opportunity Project, Legislative Vote Card home page, February 21, 2013

[3] The Illinois Opportunity Project, "Our Mission," accessed February 23, 2023

[4] Illinois Policy Institute, "2011 Illinois General Assembly Legislative Vote Card: Mid Year Report," October 11, 2011

[5] Illinois Opportunity Project, 2012 Illinois Legislative Vote Guide 97th General Assembly

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Illinois Opportunity Project's Legislative Vote Card (2012)

Contents

2012 report

Highest and lowest scores

Completed rankings

Methodology

See also

External links

Footnotes

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