Congressman Darin LaHood, born and raised in Peoria, serves the constituents of the 18th District of Illinois. Sworn into the US House of Representatives on September 17, 2015, LaHood quickly transitioned into office after his special election win on September 10. He won re-election to serve his third full-term in Congress on November 3, 2020, defeating his opponent with 70-percent of the vote.
The 18th District spans 19 counties across central and west-central Illinois, ranging from McLean County (Bloomington-Normal) to Adams County (Quincy). LaHood serves close to 710,000 constituents.
The 18th district is the 10th largest agriculture district in the nation. According to USDA, current Illinois agri-food exports support 60,600 jobs and are worth $8 billion. In addition, at least 20% of Illinois farmer income is attributable to agricultural exports.
In Central Illinois, our farmers work tirelessly to provide for our families in Illinois as well as our country and nations abroad. From raising livestock to growing crops such as soybeans and corn, they contribute to the lifeblood of our state and our economy.
To fully support the agriculture community, we must maintain effective programs that allow our farmers to remain globally competitive, we must reduce regulations, and we must expand opportunities for trade.