Darin LaHood

Darin LaHood
Official portrait, 2017
Darin LaHood
Born	Darin McKay LaHood 5 7, 1968
Birthplace	Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician
Known for	U.S. Representative from Illinois (2015–present)
Education	Loras College (BA) John Marshall Law School, Chicago (JD)
Children	3
Website	[https://lahood.house.gov/ Official site]

Darin McKay LaHood (born July 5, 1968) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 16th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, LaHood previously represented Illinois's 18th congressional district from 2015 to 2023, winning a special election following the resignation of Aaron Schock. Before entering Congress, he served in the Illinois Senate representing the 37th legislative district from 2011 to 2015. The son of former U.S. Representative and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Darin LaHood has built a career spanning law, state politics, and federal service. In Congress, he has focused on issues including trade policy, agriculture, tax reform, and foreign affairs, representing a largely rural and suburban district in central Illinois that was once the seat of House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel.

Early Life

Darin McKay LaHood was born on July 5, 1968, in Peoria, Illinois, into a family with deep roots in the region's political life. His father, Ray LaHood, served as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 18th congressional district from 1995 to 2009, before being appointed United States Secretary of Transportation under President Barack Obama, serving in that cabinet post from 2009 to 2013. The LaHood family's Lebanese-American heritage and long involvement in Illinois politics provided a backdrop to Darin LaHood's upbringing in the Peoria area.

Growing up in central Illinois, LaHood was exposed to public service from an early age through his father's political career, which included service as a staffer for U.S. Representative Robert H. Michel before Ray LaHood himself entered Congress. The district centered on Peoria had a tradition of Republican representation stretching back decades, and the LaHood family name became closely associated with the region's political identity.

Education

LaHood attended Loras College, a Catholic liberal arts institution in Dubuque, Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He went on to study law at John Marshall Law School in Chicago, where he received his Juris Doctor degree. His legal education prepared him for a career that would span both private legal practice and public service, including work as a federal prosecutor before he entered elected politics.

Career

Legal Career

After completing his legal education, LaHood practiced law and served as a federal prosecutor. His experience as an assistant United States attorney gave him a background in federal law enforcement and criminal prosecution that he would later draw upon in his legislative career. His prosecutorial background has continued to inform his public statements on legal and law enforcement matters. In January 2026, for instance, LaHood, described as "a former federal prosecutor," issued a statement calling a shooting incident in Minneapolis "deeply concerning" and called for local and state involvement in the investigation.

Illinois Senate (2011–2015)

In 2011, LaHood was appointed to the Illinois Senate to represent the 37th legislative district, succeeding Dale Risinger. He took office on March 1, 2011, and served in the state legislature until September 10, 2015, when he resigned to take his seat in the U.S. Congress. His successor in the Illinois Senate was Chuck Weaver.

During his time in the Illinois Senate, LaHood represented a district in central Illinois and worked on state-level legislative issues. His tenure in Springfield provided him with legislative experience and a platform from which to build name recognition beyond what his family name already afforded in the region.

U.S. House of Representatives

Special Election (2015)

In March 2015, LaHood announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Aaron Schock, who had represented Illinois's 18th congressional district. Schock had resigned amid scrutiny over his use of congressional office funds and campaign expenditures. LaHood won the special election and took office on September 17, 2015, becoming the representative for the same district his father had held for 14 years.

18th Congressional District (2015–2023)

LaHood represented Illinois's 18th congressional district from 2015 through 2023. The district encompassed a large swath of central and western Illinois, including the city of Peoria and surrounding communities. It was a historically Republican district that had been represented by House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel before Ray LaHood succeeded him in 1995.

LaHood won reelection to full terms representing the 18th district in subsequent election cycles, consistently securing large margins of victory in the Republican-leaning district.

Redistricting and the 16th Congressional District (2023–present)

Following the 2020 census, Illinois lost one congressional seat in the apportionment process, reducing its delegation from 18 to 17 members. During the 2022 redistricting cycle, the 18th congressional district was effectively eliminated as new district boundaries were drawn by the Democratic-controlled state legislature. LaHood opted to run in the newly redrawn 16th congressional district, which incorporated much of the territory he had previously represented. He won election to the 16th district and has represented it since 2023.

Legislative Priorities and Policy Positions

In Congress, LaHood has engaged with a range of policy areas, with particular focus on trade, agriculture, tax reform, and foreign affairs.

Trade Policy

LaHood has been an active voice on trade issues, participating in discussions about U.S. trade policy and its effects on domestic industries and agriculture. In December 2025, he appeared alongside Representative Suzan DelBene (D-WA) at a Washington International Trade Association summit on global economic approaches to emerging technologies, discussing U.S. trade policy in a bipartisan context.

In February 2026, LaHood expressed skepticism about the imposition of "blanket tariffs," even as he had recently supported the president on taxing Canadian imports. He urged caution regarding broad tariff measures, reflecting concerns about the potential impact on consumers and businesses in his district. This position illustrated a willingness to diverge from the Trump administration's trade approach on specific measures while remaining broadly aligned with the party.

Agriculture

Representing a district with significant agricultural interests in central Illinois, LaHood has been involved in efforts to pass a new farm bill. In an August 2025 interview, he acknowledged that Congress had been "deficient" in getting a new farm bill passed and discussed issues including U.S.–China agricultural trade relations and the reorganization of the USDA.

Tax Reform

LaHood has been a proponent of tax reform legislation. In July 2025, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the McLean County Chamber of Commerce hosted LaHood for a roundtable discussion on tax reform, reflecting his engagement with business communities on fiscal policy.

Also in July 2025, LaHood voiced support for a major Republican tax and spending bill that included reductions to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). News reports noted that this represented a shift from past positions he had taken on such spending measures.

Foreign Affairs

LaHood has participated in foreign policy discussions, particularly regarding the Middle East. In December 2025, he took part in a fireside chat hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the topic of Lebanon's future, moderated by CSIS Senior Adviser and Middle East Program Director Mona Yacoubian. The discussion focused on prospects for Lebanon's political trajectory. LaHood's Lebanese-American heritage has informed his interest in Middle Eastern affairs and U.S. relations with Lebanon.

Government Spending and Shutdowns

In September 2025, amid signals from the Trump administration that a government shutdown could lead to mass firings of federal employees, LaHood stated that he hoped such a scenario would not come to pass, indicating a preference for negotiated budget solutions over disruptive government closures. The same interview also covered his views on foreign aid policy following changes to USAID.

Relationship with the Trump Administration

LaHood has generally been described as an ally of President Donald Trump, supporting the administration on a range of policy matters. However, he has at times diverged from the administration's positions on specific issues. His February 2026 expression of caution on blanket tariffs, coming days after he had supported the president on taxing Canadian imports, illustrated a pattern of broad alignment with occasional independence on matters directly affecting his constituents. Similarly, his January 2026 statement on a Minneapolis shooting appeared to diverge from the administration's characterization of the incident, as he called for local and state involvement in the investigation.

Personal Life

Darin LaHood resides in the Dunlap area near Peoria, Illinois. He and his wife have three children. His father, Ray LaHood, served as a Republican member of Congress from 1995 to 2009 and subsequently as Secretary of Transportation under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. The LaHood family is of Lebanese-American heritage, and this background has played a role in Darin LaHood's interest in Middle Eastern policy and U.S.–Lebanon relations. LaHood's career trajectory—from attorney and federal prosecutor to state senator to U.S. representative—has followed a path in the same region of central Illinois where his family has long been prominent in civic and political life.

Legacy

LaHood's tenure in Congress has placed him in a line of Republican representation from central Illinois that stretches back through his father, Ray LaHood, and further to House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel, who represented the Peoria-based district for decades before retiring in 1995. The continuity of this political lineage has made the LaHood name synonymous with Republican politics in the region. As a second-generation congressman from the same area, Darin LaHood represents a notable instance of political succession in American legislative history.

His work on trade policy, particularly his engagement with tariff debates and agricultural trade concerns, reflects the economic interests of central Illinois, where agriculture and manufacturing remain central to the local economy. His willingness to express caution about broad tariff measures while maintaining general alignment with Republican leadership positions him as a figure navigating between constituent interests and party loyalty—a dynamic common among representatives of agricultural districts.

LaHood's participation in foreign policy discussions, especially regarding Lebanon and the broader Middle East, has added a dimension to his congressional profile that extends beyond domestic policy. His Lebanese-American heritage has provided both a personal connection and a platform for engagement on issues of U.S. relations with the region.