Gutiérrez, Luis V. (Luis Vicente), 1953-

GUTIÉRREZ, Luis V., a Representative from Illinois; born in Chicago, Cook County, Ill., December 10, 1953; B.A., Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Ill., 1974; teacher; social worker, Illinois state department of children and family services; administrative assistant, Chicago, Ill., mayor’s office subcommittee on infrastructure, 1984-1985; co-founder, West Town-26th Ward Independent Political Organization, 1985; alderman, Chicago, Ill., city council, 1986-1993, president pro tem, 1989-1992; delegate, Democratic National Committee, 1984; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Third and to the twelve succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1993-January 3, 2019); was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress in 2018.

<p>Luis Vicente Gutiérrez (born December 10, 1953) is an American politician. He served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 4th congressional district from 1993 to 2019. From 1986 until his election to Congress, he served as a member of the Chicago City Council representing the 26th ward. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus during his tenure in the House. In the 113th Congress, with his 20 years of service, Gutiérrez became, along with Bobby Rush, the longest serving member of the Illinois House delegation, and so was occasionally referred to as the unofficial "dean" of the delegation.</p>

<p>Of Puerto Rican descent, he is a current supporter of Puerto Rican independence, and the Vieques movement. Gutiérrez is also an outspoken advocate of workers' rights, LGBT rights, gender equality, and other liberal and progressive causes. In 2010, Frank Sharry of America's Voice, an immigration reform advocacy group, said of Gutiérrez: "He's as close as the Latino community has to a Martin Luther King figure." His supporters have given him the nickname El Gallito – the little fighting rooster – in reference to his fiery oratory and political prowess.</p>

<p>His district, the 4th congressional district, was featured by The Economist as one of the most strangely drawn and gerrymandered congressional districts in the country and has been nicknamed "earmuffs" due to its shape. It was created to pack two majority Hispanic parts of Chicago into one district, thereby creating a majority Hispanic district.</p>

<p>In November 2017, Gutiérrez announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his current term, and not seek re-election in 2018. As of 2021, Gutiérrez lives in Puerto Rico.</p>