Darin LaHood

Darin LaHood is a marathon runner who enjoys hiking, cycling and backpacking.¹ He and his wife, Kristen, have three sons.¹ His campaign biography describes trips with his sons to national parks for hiking, fishing and camping, along with an interest in watching their soccer teams.²

A Peoria native, LaHood earned his bachelor's degree at Loras College and a law degree at John Marshall Law School.² He worked as a prosecutor in Cook and Tazewell counties and as an assistant U.S. attorney in Las Vegas from 2001 to 2006.¹ He later practiced law in Peoria.¹

LaHood served in the Illinois Senate from 2011 to 2015, then won a special election to Congress.¹ He initially represented the 18th District, then began representing the 16th in 2023 after redistricting.¹ He serves on Ways and Means, Intelligence and the select committee focused on competition with China.²

In the 2026 campaign, he supports an energy mix that includes nuclear power, biofuels, solar and wind.³ He favors local control of data center development and more competition in healthcare.³ On Social Security, he advocates protecting benefits for people 55 and older while using a bipartisan commission to examine future financing and benefits for younger Americans.³ He supports tariffs targeted at countries such as China and Iran while criticizing broad tariffs on U.S. allies.³