{{Short description|American politician (born 1965)}} {{For|the former Philadelphia city councilwoman|Donna Reed Miller}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Donna Miller | image = Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller at May Day 2025.jpg | caption = Miller in 2025 | office = Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners<br>from the 6th district | term_start = December 2018 | term_end = | predecessor = Edward Moody | successor = | birth_name = Donna Lynne Black | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|9|7}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = {{marriage|David E. Miller|2001}} | education = Howard University (BBA)<br>Pepperdine University (attended) }} '''Donna Lynne Miller''' (''née'' '''Black'''; born September 7, 1965) is an American politician currently serving as a Cook County commissioner, representing the board's 6th district. Miller is the Democratic nominee for Illinois's 2nd congressional district in the 2026 election.<ref name=upsetwin2026>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/donna-miller-wins-illinois-democratic-primary-house-00833506|title=Jesse Jackson Jr.’s comeback bid fails in Illinois primary|first=Shia|last=Kapos|publisher=Politico|date=March 17, 2026|accessdate=March 17, 2026}}</ref><ref name="leadandupset">{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/elections/results-page/|title=Illinois primary election: Live results|publisher=NBC Chicago|date=March 17, 2026|accessdate=March 17, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=July 9, 2025 |access-date=January 4, 2026 |work=Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle |url=https://www.hfchronicle.com/2025/07/09/cook-county-commissioner-donna-miller-launches-run-for-2nd-congressional-district/ |title=Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller launches run for 2nd Congressional District}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Miller was born on September 7, 1965.<ref name="WTTW1">{{cite web |last1=Palmore |first1=Rebecca |title=Donna Miller: Candidate for Cook County Commissioner, 6th District |url=https://news.wttw.com/2018/10/09/donna-miller-candidate-cook-county-commissioner-6th-district |website=WTTW News |access-date=8 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="JET1">{{cite news |title=Society World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YsMDAAAAMBAJ&q=donna+dave+e.+miller+%22wedding%22+illinois&pg=PA29 |access-date=8 November 2020 |work=Jet |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company |date=8 October 2001 |language=en}}</ref> She spent most of her youth living in Chicago.<ref name="InsuranceNewsNet">{{cite web |title=CHICAGO DEFENDER & WOMEN of EXCELLENCE 2014 |url=https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/CHICAGO-DEFENDER-WOMEN-of-EXCELLENCE-2014-a-499798#.X6etmpNKjUo |website=InsuranceNewsNet |access-date=8 November 2020 |date=6 May 2014}}</ref>
Miller attended Ogden Elementrary in Chicago.<ref name="InsuranceNewsNet"/> She graduated from Lane Technical High School in 1983.<ref name="CST1">{{cite web |title=Cook County Board 6th District Democratic candidate: Donna Miller |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/10/4/18476801/cook-county-board-6th-district-democratic-candidate-donna-miller |website=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=8 November 2020 |language=en |date=4 October 2018}}</ref> She graduated from Howard University in 1987 with a bachelor degree in business administration.<ref name="CST1"/> She later took graduate business courses at Pepperdine University in 1992.<ref name="CST1"/>
In the fall of 2001, Miller married David E. Miller at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Chicago.<ref name="JET1"/> She adopted his surname.
Miller worked as a health care consultant, and account specialist.<ref name="swanson">{{cite web |last1=Swanson |first1=Lorraine |title=Miller Wins 6th District Democratic Primary For Cook County Board |url=https://patch.com/illinois/alsip-crestwood/presta-murphy-miller-6th-district-cook-county-board-results |website=Alsip-Crestwood, IL Patch |access-date=8 November 2020 |language=en |date=20 March 2018}}</ref><ref name="JET1"/> She has decades of experience in the biotech pharmaceutical healthcare industry.<ref name="InsuranceNewsNet"/>
Miller served on the board of Planned Parenthood Illinois beginning in 2012, serving as its board chair in 2017 and 2018.<ref name="WTTW1"/><ref name="swanson"/> She was also a board member of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action beginning in 2012, and its board chair from 2015 through 2017.<ref name="WTTW1"/>
She worked with congresswoman Robin Kelly, serving on her 2nd Congressional District Healthcare Task Force and co-chairing the Robin Kelly Annual Golf Event from 2014 through 2017.<ref name="WTTW1"/>
She served as vice-president of Illinois Democratic Women,<ref name="WTTW1"/> and as a legislative liaison to the Alliance of Illinois State Dental Society.<ref name="WTTW1"/>
She served as a board member for the Christian Community Health Center,<ref name="WTTW1"/> and as a mentor for Jobs for Youth and the MIKVA Challenge.<ref name="WTTW1"/>
Miller served as a member of the Walgreens HIV Task Force, Healthcare Business Women's Association, League of Women Voters, National Sales Network, and Professional Women's Network.<ref name="WTTW1"/>
She worked as director of Multi Cultural Markets with the American Heart Association.<ref name="InsuranceNewsNet"/>
She supported Hillary Clinton in her campaign for president in 2016, serving with Hillary Clinton Super Volunteers in from 2014 through 2016 and serving on the Illinois Clinton Leadership Team in 2015 and 2016.<ref name="WTTW1"/> Miller was a member of the Democratic National Committee Rules Committee for the 2016 Democratic National Convention.<ref name="WTTW1"/>
==2012 state senate campaign== In 2012, Miller ran for the Democratic nomination for the 15th district of Illinois State Senate to replace outgoing state senator James Meeks.<ref name="nwitimes" /> Her opponents were businessman and former NFL player Napoleon Harris and South Holland deputy village manager Patricia Mahon.<ref name="nwitimes" />
Miller received the endorsements of the Illinois AFL–CIO, two major teacher's unions, and the Democratic organizations of the Bloom and Crete townships.<ref name="nwitimes" />
Napoleon Harris ultimately won the Democratic nomination, with Miller placing second. Harris went on to win the general election unopposed.<ref name="ISBE">{{cite web |title=Election Results Information |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionResults.aspx |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=8 November 2020 |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226202545/https://elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionResults.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Cook County commissioner==
In 2018, Miller ran for the 6th district seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners.<ref name="swanson"/> The seat had been filled by Edward Moody following the 2016 death in office of commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Koeske |first=Zak |date=October 8, 2016 |title=Moody unanimous choice for vacant Cook County Board seat |work=Chicago Tribune |location=Chicago, Illinois |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-county-commissioner-selection-st-1009-20161008-story.html |access-date=August 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Edward Moody |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Edward_Moody |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=5 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Moody opted not to seek election to a full term.<ref name="swanson"/>
Miller's opponents in the Democratic primary were the deceased commissioner Murphy's daughter, Patricia Joan Murphy, and Crestwood mayor Lou Presta.<ref name="swanson"/>
In the Democratic primary, Miller's candidacy received the endorsements of the ''Chicago Tribune'', ''Chicago Sun-Times'', SEIU, United Food and Commercial Workers, Democracy for America, National Association of Social Workers-Illinois Council, Danny K. Davis, Robin Kelly, Jan Schakowsky, and Raja Krishnamoorthi.<ref name="swanson"/>
Miller's opponent Presta was endorsed by the Chicago Federation of Labor, nine democratic committeepeople, and 25 of the district's 31 mayors.<ref name="swanson"/> Presta attracted criticism for proposing the sale of Cook County Forest Preserves land to fix the county's budget, and also attracted negative press for personal debt owed to the Internal Revenue Service.<ref name="swanson"/>
Miller won the primary, and went on to win the general election unopposed.
In 2022 Miller was elected to a second term as Cook County commissioner, serving the 6th district.
==2026 U.S. congressional campaign== {{Main|2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois#District 2}}
On March 17, 2026, Miller secured the Democratic nomination in the Illinois' 2nd congressional district primary after defeating Jesse Jackson Jr., Robert Peters, Willie Preston and six other Democratic candidates<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/live-updates/illinois-midterm-primary-election-results-2026/ |title= CBS News projects Donna Miller wins 2nd District primary|first=Sara|last=Tenenbaum|publisher=CBS News Chicago|date=March 17, 2026|accessdate=March 17, 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== Miller is married to Dr. David E. Miller and has two children, sons Daniel and Donovan.<ref name="JET1"/><ref name="WTTW1"/><ref name="InsuranceNewsNet"/> Miller's husband spent a decade as an Illinois state representative.<ref name="nwitimes">{{cite web |last1=Tejeda |first1=Gregory |title=Former lawmaker from Lynwood giving wife the spotlight |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/former-lawmaker-from-lynwood-giving-wife-the-spotlight/article_756d8e3c-090e-5fc7-a07d-97f0f4b82809.html |website=nwitimes.com |publisher=The Times of Northwest Indiana |access-date=8 November 2020 |language=en |date=21 February 2012}}</ref> She resides in Lynwood, Illinois.<ref name="InsuranceNewsNet"/>
==Electoral history== ===Illinois State Senate=== {{Election box begin no change | title = 2012 Illinois State Senate 15th district Democratic primary<ref name="ISBE"/> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Napoleon Harris | votes = 10,172 | percentage = 43.64 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Donna Miller | votes = 8,209 | percentage = 35.22 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Patricia "Pat" Mahon | votes = 4,928 | percentage = 21.14 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 23,309 | percentage = 100 }} {{Election box end}}
===Cook County Board of Commissioners=== {{Election box begin no change | title=2018 Cook County Board of Commissioners 6th district Democratic primary<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cook County and The City of Chicago Primary Election March 20, 2018 Combined Summary |url=https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/sites/default/files/Combined%20Summary032018.pdf |access-date=March 9, 2020 |publisher=Cook County Clerk's Office |archive-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910160206/https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/sites/default/files/Combined%20Summary032018.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Donna Miller |votes = 17,907 |percentage = 43.38 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Patricia Joan Murphy |votes = 16,762 |percentage = 40.61 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Louis Presta |votes = 6,611 |percentage = 16.02 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 41,280 | percentage = 100 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title=2018 Cook County Board of Commissioners 6th district election<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cook County and The City of Chicago General Election November 6, 2018 Combined Summary |url=https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/sites/default/files/CombinedSummary.pdf |access-date=March 9, 2020 |publisher=Cook County Clerk's Office |archive-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910154852/https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/sites/default/files/CombinedSummary.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Donna Miller |votes = 82,556 |percentage = 100 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 82,556 | percentage = 100 }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Cook County Board of Commissioners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Donna}} Category:1965 births Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American women politicians Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:21st-century African-American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:African-American people in Illinois politics Category:Candidates in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections Category:Howard University alumni Category:Illinois Democrats Category:Living people Category:Pepperdine University alumni Category:Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Category:Women in Illinois politics