John Marshall Law School
Darin LaHood went to which school in 1986?
Darin LaHood Darin McKay LaHood ( ; born July 5 , 1968 ) is an American politician serving as the U.S . Representative for Illinois 18th congressional district since 2015 . A member of the Republican Party , he previously was the member of the Illinois Senate from the seven-county 37th legislative district ( 2011–2015 ) . He was elected to Congress in a special election following the resignation of Aaron Schock . LaHood , a native of Peoria , Illinois , is the son of Ray LaHood , the 16th United States Secretary of Transportation and before then seven-term U.S . Representative for the district his son currently represents . He has called himself a fiscal conservative focused on budget issues . While Ray was a moderate Republican , Darin is considered more conservative . Early life . LaHood was born in Peoria , Illinois , to Kathy ( Dunk ) and Ray LaHood , as the eldest of four siblings , and went to Academy of Our Lady/Spalding Institute . He graduated from Loras College in Iowa and received his Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School . His father is of Lebanese and German descent . Career as an attorney . LaHood was a prosecutor in the Tazewell County states attorneys office and the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Nevada in Las Vegas . On returning to Peoria in 2005 , he took up private law practice ; he is in the Peoria law firm of Miller , Hall & Triggs . Early political career . LaHood ran for Peoria County states attorney in 2008 , losing to incumbent Kevin Lyons by a margin of 43,208 to 36,449 . He was also involved in several other Republican campaigns , including Bill Bradys 2010 campaign for governor and Dan Rutherfords campaign for Illinois Treasurer . LaHood was appointed to the Illinois Senate on February 27 , 2011 , at the age of 42 . He took office March 1 , the day after Dale Risinger retired . When appointed , LaHood announced he would run for election to a full term in 2012 , which he won , running unopposed . U.S . House of Representatives . Elections . - 2015 special On July 7 , 2015 , LaHood defeated Mike Flynn 69%-28% in the GOP Primary to become the Republican candidate for Illinois 18th congressional district , replacing Aaron Schock . He faced the Democratic candidate Rob Mellon in the September 10 special general election , easily defeating him with a large percentage of the vote . He was sworn in by House Speaker John Boehner on September 17 , 2015 . - 2016 In the November 8 , 2016 general election , LaHood defeated Democratic candidate Junius Rodriguez by a margin of 250,506 ( 72.1% ) to 96,770 ( 27.9% ) . - 2018 In the November 6 , 2018 general election , LaHood faced Rodriguez in a rematch and defeated him by a margin of 195,927 ( 67.2% ) to 95,486 ( 32.8% ) . - 2020 In the November 3 , 2020 general election , LaHood defeated Democratic candidate George Petrilli by a margin of 261,840 ( 70.41% ) to 110,039 ( 29.59% ) . Tenure . LaHood currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee . On May 25 , 2016 , LaHood introduced legislation through the Science , Space , and Technology Committee that approved the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development ( NITRD ) Modernization Act of 2016 . The NITRD Program was originally authorized by the High Performance Computing Act of 1991 . NITRD is the federal governments primary research portfolio on transformative high-end computing , high-speed networking , high capacity systems software , cybersecurity , and related advanced information technologies . LaHood drew criticism from constituents for declining to hold an open town hall during the February 2017 recess . Constituents from across the 18th congressional district gathered in Bloomington Normal and Jacksonville to request a town hall to discuss a variety of issues , including access to health care , immigration laws , and the freedom of the press . LaHood spoke to the demonstrators outside the Farm Bureau building in Peoria who had come to push for a town hall , LaHood stated , We live in a democracy , people may not always agree with me and thats why I have to go before voters like I did in November . I was fortunate to receive 72 percent of the vote in that election . But this is part of the process . LaHood is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership . He is a member of the Republican Study Committee . Legislature . LaHood voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 . In a letter to the editor in the State Journal Register , LaHood stated that the bill would help his constituents save money and make businesses more competitive globally , including State Farm Insurance , John Deere , and other local businesses . During the 116th Congress ( 2019-2020 ) , LaHood cosponsored the Great American Outdoors Act H.R.1957 establishing the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund for priority deferred maintenance projects on federal lands managed by the National Park Service , the Forest Service , the U.S . Fish and Wildlife Service , the Bureau of Land Management , and the Bureau of Indian Education . In FY2021-FY2025 , the fund will accrue up to $1.9 billion per year from revenues on federal lands and waters received from oil , gas , coal , or alternative or renewable energy development . Political positions . Environment . LaHood believes that humans play a role regarding climate change and that there is no doubt about that . Despite this , LaHood has a 0% lifetime rating from the League of Conservation Voters , indicating consistent votes against environmental causes . Health care . LaHood opposes able-bodied working men from accessing Medicaid . He supports the full repeal of the Affordable Care Act . Regarding single-payer healthcare , LaHood would consider a bill if it was fiscally sound and benefited his constituents . Net neutrality . LaHood opposes net neutrality and believes that revoking it has zero effect on privacy or data collection . Economic issues . LaHood supports tax reform , specifically around corporate loopholes . In April 2017 , he stated he would not vote for any tax cut bill unless it was revenue neutral so it would not add to the deficit . In December , LaHood voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 , which , according to the Congressional Budget Office , will add $1.414 trillion to the national debt . Immigration . LaHood supports immigration reform , including shortening the time that it takes for people to legally enter the United States . He is 100 percent supportive of expanding the number of individuals allowed to immigrate to the country . Cannabis . LaHood has a F rating from NORML for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes . He opposes the legalization of marijuana , even for medicinal purposes . LaHood opposes veterans having access to medical marijuana if recommended by their Veterans Health Administration doctor and if it is legal for medicinal purposes in their state of residence . He believes the legalization of medical marijuana increases its illegal use and abuse by teenagers and that it is addictive . Donald Trump . LaHood believes that Trump should release his tax returns and will vote in favor of requiring it if a bill is presented to the House . Regarding Trumps visits to Mar-a-Lago , LaHood believes more business should be conducted in the White House than in Florida . LaHood supports the Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election . In December 2020 , LaHood was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v . Pennsylvania , a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election , in which Joe Biden prevailed over incumbent Donald Trump . The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state . House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of election subversion . Additionally , Pelosi reprimanded LaHood and the other House members who supported the lawsuit : The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House . Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution , they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions . New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell , citing section three of the 14th Amendment , called for Pelosi to not seat LaHood and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit . Pascrell argued that the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States . Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that . On January 6 , 2021 , a mob of U.S citizens illegally entered the U.S . Capitol Building while Congress was in session debating the Electoral College certification . LaHood and his staff were among those kept under police lockdown for over four hours . That evening , LaHood voted to certify Joe Biden as the 46th President-elect . Personal life . LaHood lives in Dunlap , a suburb of Peoria , with his wife Kristen ; they married in 2000 . They have three children : McKay , Lucas , and Teddy .