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About Mark Pera

Quick Hits on Mark
Age:
53

Wife:
Leslie, college sweetheart, married 25 years.

Kids:
Three sons, Sam, Ben, and Jack, and one daughter, Emily.

Education:
Bachelor of Arts, 1978
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
Juris Doctorate, 1981
DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois

Professional & Civic Background:
For the last 10 years Mark has worked as an Assistant State's Attorney with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Before taking a leave of absence in August to run for Congress full-time, he was the supervisor of the office's Environment and Energy Division.

Before joining the State's Attorney's office, Mark worked in private practice for 17 years.

Prior to college and during breaks from his college and law school studies, Mark worked in the steel mills of East Chicago and Gary, Indiana.

Mark has served as president of the Lyons Township High School Board of Education since 2001. He was first elected to the board in 1997.

Mark coached youth basketball, baseball and soccer here in Western Springs and La Grange and has served on a number of charitable, religious and civic boards.
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The 2008 Democratic primary provides a critical opportunity to change the direction of leadership in our district. With your help, we can send a message that we will no longer tolerate business as usual.

Mark Pera's FamilyI am a mainstream Democrat who cares deeply about the issues that are important to Democratic voters.

I have said for months that our troops in Iraq need to start coming home now and that Congress needs to set a target date to finish a safe and full troop withdrawal.

I will support funding for stem cell research. I am pro-choice.

As supervisor of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office's Environmental and Energy Department, I prosecuted major polluters and I believe the federal government needs to protect our environment, develop a sensible energy policy and preserve our natural resources.

Mark Pera (Collage)
My opponent advocates a long-term troop commitment, of three to five years, to Iraq. He is opposed to stem cell research and choice, even in instances that involve rape and incest.

My opponent voted to give lucrative tax breaks and other incentives to oil companies and voted to open up the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

Time and time again, on these issues and others, my opponent has turned away from Democratic principles and voted with the Republicans and the Bush Administration.

Our district deserves to be represented by a mainstream Democrat who reflects the views of moderate voters and is part of the community.

I am that candidate and I believe that, together, we will make a real difference in Washington, D.C.
Mark Pera (Signature)



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