Don Manzullo

Incumbent Republican U.S. Congresswoman Lynn Morley Martin, of Illinois's 16th congressional district, decided to retire in order to run for the U.S. Senate. Manzullo ran in the Republican primary, but lost to State Representative John Hallock, Jr. 54%-46%. In the general election, Hallock was defeated by Democrat John W. Cox Jr., a city attorney.

Despite this dramatic remap, the new 16th was still geographically more Manzullo's district than Kinzinger's. The new 16th included roughly 44 percent of Manzullo's former territory and only 31 percent of Kinzinger's. Manzullo was backed by conservative groups including FreedomWorks, the American Conservative Union, and various Tea Party groups, while Kinzinger was backed by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. Kinzinger defeated Manzullo in the Republican primary 56%-44% and later went on to win the general election.

On January 4, 2013, after his congressional term had ended, Manzullo became the president and CEO of the Korea Economic Institute, a Washington think tank.

Manzullo served as the president and CEO of the Korea Economic Institute between 2012 and 2018.

Manzullo served as the chairman on the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific from 2011 to 2013.

Illinois' congressional map was significantly altered after the 2010 census. Manzullo's district underwent some of the most dramatic changes. For most of the last century and a half, the 16th and its predecessors had stretched from the Rockford area to the northwestern corner of the state, though from 1993 to 2013 it stretched as far as McHenry County in the Chicago suburbs. Indeed, the addition of McHenry County helped Manzullo defeat Cox in 1992. The reconfigured 16th retained Manzullo's home in Ogle County and most of Rockford's suburbs. However, most of its western portion, including more than half of Rockford itself, was shifted to the 17th District. To make up for the loss in population, the 16th was pushed well to the east, and now stretched from the Wisconsin border to the Indiana border, essentially wrapping around the collar counties. The new map drew the home of freshman 11th district incumbent Adam Kinzinger, a somewhat more moderate Republican, into the 16th.

In November 2009, Manzullo was criticized by some constituents for calling [Islam] a “savage religion.” He was referring to the religion of the detainees at the Guantanamo, Cuba prison that are being considered for transfer to a Thomson, Illinois prison located in his district. He later apologized for the comment, saying that he was not referring generally to Islam, but to terrorists who "believe and practice a violent, anti-modernity version of Wahhabism in which they seek to impose a new caliphate.”

Manzullo spent most of his career working on issues related to manufacturing. He was featured on the cover of The Manufacturer because of his work with small business-related policy. Manzullo was the chairman of the Committee on Small Business from 2001 to 2007. He held over sixty hearings during this time to investigate the phenomenon of corporate outsourcing. Manzullo has also worked on transportation issues. His ability to gain great funding for highway improvements within his district has given him somewhat of a reputation as a pork barreller. He authored a law that requires clinics to report instances of child abuse. Manzullo co-founded and co-chaired the bipartisan House Manufacturing Caucus and also served as a co-chair of the House Automotive Caucus.

During this time period, Manzullo was never challenged in the Republican primary. He won re-election every two years with at least 60% of the vote, and was completely unopposed in 1998.

Manzullo had a very conservative voting record; indeed, for much of his tenure he was one of the most (if not the most) conservative members of the Illinois delegation. He has a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 96, the highest in the Illinois delegation. He was a member of the Republican Study Committee. His views on such issues as abortion also follow this trend; he has a 100% approval rating from the National Right to Life Committee since 1997. He is also a strong supporter of the American Land Rights Association.

Manzullo ran for the 16th district again in 1992. He won the Republican primary defeating State Senator Jack Schaffer 56%-44%. In the general election, he defeated the incumbent 56%-44%.

Don Manzullo was born in Rockford, Illinois and attended Auburn High School, graduating in 1962. He earned a bachelor's degree from American University in Washington, D.C. in 1967 and a J.D. degree from Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1970. Manzullo practiced as an attorney in Oregon, Illinois before entering politics.

Donald Anthony Manzullo (born March 24, 1944) is an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 16th congressional district, from 1993 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party. From 2001 to 2007 he served as Chairman of the Committee on Small Business, and from January 2011 to January 2013 he served as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. He was defeated in the 2012 Republican Primary on March 20, 2012.