Republican · Illinois's 13th District · 2026
Jeff Wilson
Wilson and his wife, Becky, have eight children and eleven grandchildren.
Biography
Jeff Wilson and his wife, Becky, have eight children and eleven grandchildren.1 They live in Mahomet, near Champaign.2 His campaign biography describes Christian faith as a central part of his life.1 He is a retired nuclear engineer who spent part of his Navy service aboard a nuclear powered submarine.2
Wilson served first as an enlisted sailor and later as a commissioned officer in the Naval Reserve.3 He earned a master's degree in nuclear engineering at the University of Illinois and went on to leadership roles in the nuclear industry.1
He served on the Champaign County Board beginning in 2024.2 In a February 2026 interview, he said negotiating while Republicans were in the board's minority had helped prepare him for Congress.2 By August 2026, he had resigned that post to concentrate on the congressional race.3 The Republican nominee is running against Democratic incumbent Nikki Budzinski in Illinois' 13th District.3
His affordability proposals center on lower taxes, fewer regulations and expanded domestic energy production.2 He supports new nuclear generation, additional coal power and improvements to the electrical grid.3 He also advocates federal budget changes aimed at reducing deficits, stronger veterans' programs and more authority for states in healthcare policy.3 He opposes extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, arguing that more competition and limits on medication costs offer a better approach.2