Davis, Danny K., 1941-

Daniel K. Davis (born September 6, 1941) is an American politician who is the U.S. Representative from Illinois's 7th congressional district, elected in 1996. The district serves much of western Chicago, including the Loop. It also includes several of Chicago's inner western suburbs, such as Bellwood, Oak Park, and River Forest. Davis is a Democrat, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is also one of five members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) serving in Congress. Davis was one of 31 U.S. Representatives who voted against counting the electoral votes from Ohio in the 2004 presidential election.

Davis was born in Parkdale, Arkansas, and educated at Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; B.A. in history, 1961), Chicago State University (M.S. in guidance, 1968), and the Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, Ohio (Ph.D. in public administration, 1977). Davis worked as a government clerk, a high school teacher, executive director of the Greater Lawndale Conservation Commission, director of training at the Martin L. King Neighborhood Health Center, and executive director of the Westside Health Center before entering politics, where he represented Chicago's 29th Ward on the Chicago City Council from 1979 until 1990.

Davis was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners from Chicago at-large in 1990. When the board transitioned to district elections in 1994, he was elected to its 1st district in in 1994. On December 6, 1995, Davis announced his candidacy for the 7th congressional district, running on the progressive Democratic platform popular in the district. He was pro-choice and supported gay rights, the ERA, single-payer health care, and some federal support for child nutrition and care. Davis ultimately received more votes than the two next closest Democratic candidates in the March 1996 primary. He received 82 percent of the vote in the general election that November. In each of his reelection bids, Davis has received more than 80 percent of the vote in each general election.