Former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services senior advisor Lauren Underwood won the Democratic primary in Illinois' 14th Congressional District with 57.4 percent support.^[1]

On the surface, this district seemed an unlikely addition to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s 2018 target list.

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R) represented the district for 20 years. Its current incumbent, Rep. Randy Hultgren (R), has been in office since 2011, when he defeated freshman Democratic incumbent Bill Foster.^[2] It's rated as a “likely” or “safe” Republican seat in November.

But the 14th is one of those districts CNN’s Ron Brownstein said poses an “especially revealing test” for Democrats as they try to retake the House in November. Can they reconnect with voters in the blue collar, exurban districts where Democrats have had success in the past? ^[3]

Seven Democratic candidates ran in the March 20 primary for the opportunity to face Hultgren in November: Montgomery Village President Matt Brolley (D), businessman John Hosta (D), teacher Daniel Roldan-Johnson (D), teacher Victor Swanson (D), Underwood, salesman Jim Walz (D), and retired engineer George Weber (D).

Ballotpedia identified Brolley and Underwood as top candidates based on their fundraising and endorsements as of February 2018.

In the fourth quarter of 2017, Underwood raised $50,000. Brolley and Weber followed with $33,000 and $9,000, respectively.^[4]

Illinois voter? Dates you need to know.
Primary election	March 20, 2018
Candidate filing deadline	December 4, 2017
Registration deadline	February 20, 2018
Absentee application deadline	March 15, 2018
General election	November 6, 2018
Voting information
Primary type	Open
Early voting deadline	March 19, 2018
Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day.

For more on related elections, please see:

Candidates and election results

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 14 on March 20, 2018.

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 14

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Lauren Underwood	57.3	29,391
	Matt Brolley	13.4	6,845
	Jim Walz	10.0	5,100
	Victor Swanson	7.0	3,597
	John Hosta	5.0	2,578
	George Weber	5.0	2,570
	Daniel Roldan-Johnson	2.3	1,170

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 51,251
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Election updates

February 20, 2018: The Daily Herald endorsed Underwood. "Lauren Underwood grew up in Naperville, became a registered nurse and was appointed to be a senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration. At a time when women's equality, access to reproductive health care and the Affordable Care Act are at the forefront of the political discussion, Underwood provides a strong advocate's voice. ... Underwood's background gives her a solid edge, and she offers the best potential to provide a competitive alternative to the incumbent Hultgren," the editorial board wrote.^[5]

February 14, 2018: The Chicago Sun-Times endorsed Brolley. The editorial board wrote, "Brolley, a civil engineer, is our choice in this primary race. He takes a conventional Democratic Party stand on most issues and expresses disgust for President Donald Trump’s style and values, but he has demonstrated an ability to collaborate and compromise. Anybody hoping to unseat incumbent Rep. Randy Hultgren in November in this solidly Republican district will have to appeal to centrist voters."^[6]

January 25, 2018: EMILY's List endorsed Underwood. The organization's president, Stephanie Schriock, said in a statement, "Throughout her career, Lauren has shown again and again that she is committed to improving the lives of others and pushing for economic prosperity for hardworking Illinois families, through policies like affordable child care and paid family leave."^[7]

Top candidates

Ballotpedia has identified the following candidates as top candidates based on leads in endorsements and campaign finance. These selections will be re-evaluated as the race progresses.

Matt Brolley

A civil engineer, Brolley was first elected as mayor of Montgomery, Illinois, in 2013. At the time of the 2018 primary, Brolley was still in office.

In an interview with the Aurora Beacon-News, Brolley stated that he was running due to dissatisfaction with sitting Rep. Randy Hultgren (R): "He is silent at best, or an accomplice in some of Trump's terrible policies at worst. ... My friends and neighbors go to work every day, try to save for their kids' college, join their church group and coach Little League. They are the soul of this country. They built this country and it's time they were listened to in the rooms where decisions are made."^[8]

Brolley's campaign website highlighted his background as an engineer: "Engineers by nature want to build and fix things. We can all agree that if anything needs fixing, it’s Washington, D.C."^[9] The website also emphasized Brolley's positions on healthcare, jobs, and taxes.^[10] Brolley received endorsements from Reps. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), as well as the AFL-CIO and the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association.

Lauren Underwood

A registered nurse who served as a senior policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration, Underwood has not previously sought elected office.

On her official campaign website, Underwood stated that she is "running for Congress because I believe this moment in history requires courageous people to stand up and fight to restore our voice in Washington."^[11] Her website emphasized her positions on jobs, healthcare, and family issues.^[12]

Underwood was endorsed by EMILY's List and Off the Sidelines PAC.

List of all candidates

Democratic primary candidates

Campaign themes and policy stances

Campaign themes

These are the policy positions listed on the candidates' websites, if available.

Matt Brolley

“

Health Care

Health care is a right. I believe every American should have access to reliable and affordable health care.

Today, the 14th district is represented by a congressman who supports the Trump Administration’s attempts to sabotage and destroy the Affordable Care Act. In May 2017, Congressman Hultgren voted to:

Take health care coverage from 23 million Americans, including over 40,000 of his own constituents
Allow insurance companies to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions
Force seniors relying on Medicare and living on a fixed income to pay thousands of dollars in an age tax
Leave thousands of children and people with disabilities without care by gutting Medicaid

In Congress, instead of trying to take my neighbors’ health care, I’ll work to protect and stabilize Obamacare while supporting efforts to build beyond it. I believe we need a better healthcare system that lowers costs, expands coverage, and secures quality. There are a few ideas we can do make that happen:

Allow Americans near retirement age to buy into Medicare. With a Medicare buy-in, Americans near retirement age can secure financial assistance just as their healthcare costs increase while their incomes often decline and become fixed. Allowing these Americans to buy into Medicare also makes the Medicare pool younger, healthier, and more cost effective.
Enact a low-cost public option. By enacting a low-cost public option, private insurers would have to find ways to lower costs on their overly-expensive healthcare plans. By being forced to compete against a low-cost public option, healthcare costs for all consumers would be lowered, making health care truly accessible to all Americans for the first time.
Allow the federal government to negotiate drug prices. Today, the United States Veterans Administration negotiates drug prices for its patients. This negotiation often results in the V.A.’s patients paying substantially lower drug prices. Just as the V.A. already negotiates lower drug prices for its patients, the federal government should do the same for all Americans.

Jobs Like many communities across the country, many families here in the 14th district still worry about poor job security and low wages. Combating structural changes in our economy by ensuring our local workforce is prepared for the jobs of the 21st century is the most critical challenge our workforce faces today.

In Congress, ensuring the 14th district has stable and good-paying jobs will always be a personal priority. I think there are solutions to these issues that are popular among Democrats and Republicans that will make meaningful differences in the 14th district. These are a few ideas:

Invest in education, including trade schools. The jobs of the 21st century often require education beyond a high school diploma. For many Americans, this will mean earning a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university. To that end, we should ensure that more Americans are able to afford a four-year education by expanding Pell Grants and lowering federal student loan interest rates. But earning a bachelor’s degree is not the only way to learn the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a 21st century economy. Community colleges and trade schools are terrific institutions our government can invest in to ensure all our children are getting the knowledge and skills they need to compete.
Raise the minimum wage. It’s been nearly a decade since Congress raised the minimum wage to $7.25/hour. In Illinois, the minimum wage stands at $8.25/hour. Minimum wages that have not kept up with the costs of living mean that many Americans can work a 40-hour week and still live in poverty. When working Americans don’t have money to spend and are forced to rely on social services to get by, our economy doesn’t grow. Meanwhile, states and localities that have raised the minimum wage since Congress last acted in 2009 have seen greater economic growth than those which haven’t acted. We should seize on that example and raise the minimum wage.
Invest in infrastructure projects. Passing a plan to rebuild and expand our roads, bridges, railways, waterways, power sources, and telecommunications systems will create good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced. Most importantly, this long overdue overhaul will give the American economy the modern tools it needs to succeed in the 21st century.
End the assault on organized labor. A simple rule that has not failed me yet is, “If it’s good for the middle class, it’s good for the economy.” One of the best things our leaders can do for the middle class (and thus the economy) is support a strong labor movement. Growing up, my mom was a union teacher. Today, my wife is also a union teacher. Their union membership has made all the difference in the world by giving them the power to collectively negotiate their salary and secure benefits that last into retirement. The labor movement built and sustained the middle class for decades after World War II. We need to stop the assault of labor at both the federal and state level.

Taxes It’s no secret that the middle class is getting crushed. For decades, reckless tax policy has expanded income inequality by deliberately distributing wealth to the rich at the expense of the rest. While the middle class endures its fourth straight decade of stagnant wages, those super wealthy Americans and big corporations are reaping in record profits. This has to change.

While his middle class constituents struggle to get by, Congressman Hultgren kept an eye out for his wealthy donors by doubling down on trickle-down. In December 2017, Congressman Hultgren voted to:

Raise taxes on the middle class to pay for tax cuts for the richest Americans
Substantially lower taxes on huge corporations without closing loopholes
Eliminate the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction, lowering home prices in the 14th district by as much as 10 percent
Add well over $1 trillion to the federal deficit

This is not the fiscal prudence Republicans promised Americans. In Congress, I’ll work to deliver a tax plan that serves the middle class and ensures the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share. There are a few things we can do to make that happen:

Stop buying into trickle-down. For the last four decades, Republicans have promised that huge tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans would grow the economy for all of us. But four decades and four Republican tax cuts later, we’re still waiting for that growth in the middle class. We shouldn’t be raising taxes on the middle class to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy, we should be cutting taxes for the middle class.
Restore middle class spending power. The middle class is the engine of the American economy. By cutting taxes on middle class Americans, we can restore their spending power and grow the economy more equitably. History tells us that when the middle class has spending power, the economy grows for everyone; not just the richest few.
Restore the SALT deduction. Illinois is a highly-taxed state, and because of the state’s own tax structure, the heaviest tax burden often falls on the middle class. Middle class Illinoisans should not be punished with higher taxes and lower home values just for living in Illinois. The 14th district needs a congressman who will fight to restore the SALT deduction.

Protecting the Environment The past year has brought some of the most destructive natural disasters in American history. Hurricane Harvey drowned Houston and eastern Texas in five feet of rain for a week. Days later, Hurricane Irma leveled Puerto Rico and pounded into Florida shortly after. Wildfires continue to rage across the American west. In addition, 2017 was the second hottest year on record; outpaced only by 2016. The science is clear, climate change is here and no amount of denial will change that.

The 14th district is home to one of America’s greatest laboratories, Fermilab, and near another, Argonne National Laboratory. Nonetheless, it is represented by one of Congress’s leading science-deniers. Despite the conclusions of 97 percent of climate scientists, Congressman Hultgren does not believe human activity causes climate change. As a result, he has put up one of the worst environmental records in Congress. Now, a key retirement puts Congressman Hultgren in line to become chair of the House science committee. We cannot allow that.

The 14th district deserves a congressman who believes in the science of climate change and is working to protect the environment. Here are my ideas for a greener America:

American leadership on clean energy. As an American-born and -trained engineer, I can’t tell you how disheartening it is to hear the new President of France encourage American scientists and engineers to move to France to work on clean energy research. America should be making the investments necessary to lead the world in clean energy research. Before I was Mayor of Montgomery, I worked on this issue on a local level when I worked with the village zoning board to change our laws so Montgomery residents could install solar panels and wind turbines on their property.
Rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement. President Trump and Congressman Hultgren’s denial of science has no greater example than pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. This is a decision that willfully ignores science placing the planet’s future and American global leadership at risk. Without our leadership, countries like China will gladly take the lead in developing clean energy technologies. As Mayor of Montgomery, I decided to sign on as a Climate Mayor by promising that Montgomery will continue to live up to the climate goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. In December, I also joined 50 mayors from around the world when I signed the Chicago Climate Charter. In Congress, I will be an environmental leader so we can leave the planet healthier and safer for our children.
Emphasizing conservation. The Trump Administration has lead an assault on America’s greatest conservation effort: the National Parks. President Trump called for a 13 percent budget cut at the National Parks while reducing the size of two National Park sites. This moves us in the wrong direction. Now more than ever, we need to be protecting and conserving our environment. In Montgomery, I’ve lead on this issue by taking steps to protect our local wildlife through the naturalization of village water basins. In Congress, I will be a reliable partner of the National Parks Service.

Opioid Epidemic In addition, we have to fight the opioid epidemic head-on. These means more investments – not cuts – for addiction treatment services. And we have to get live saving drugs like Narcan into the hands of our first responders on the front lines. This crisis didn’t happen overnight, and it’s going to take sustained effort and help on the federal level to combat this epidemic and save lives.

Social Security & Medicare Social Security & Medicare are bedrock programs that help the middle class, and in Congress I will fight to protect and strengthen them. People have paid into these programs, and they deserve for them to be there when they retire.

Despite this, Congressman Hultgren voted to raise the retirement age of Social Security. It may be fine to work until you are 70 if you are a Congressman, but try telling that to the members of my family who work in a quarry or people who work construction or drive a truck for a living. Similarly, Congressman Hultgren voted to turn Medicare into a voucher program, which would essentially end Medicare as we know it.

I will protect Social Security – no cuts, no increased retirement age. And I favor expanding Medicare to allow those 55 and up to buy in at an earlier age.

Infrastructure I was an engineer before I was a mayor, and this is near and dear to my heart. Infrastructure used to be something that was non-partisan, something all sides saw the benefit of. And the great thing about investing in infrastructure is that it creates good jobs that can’t be outsourced. So you get a double return on investment.

Here in our part of Illinois, we’ve seen growth outpacing our infrastructure. Meaning people are spending a lot of time in their cars, and that’s not good for the economy, the environment, or our quality of life. So infrastructure is going to be one of my top priorities.

Better Government

We need to get the influence of big money out of politics. If you want to know why, look no further than Randy Hultgren’s record. He’s taking thousands of dollars from big banks, and then votes to weaken rules designed to prevent another housing crisis, and stop consumers from being able to sue banks who defraud them.

I support overturning Citizen’s United. This Supreme Court decision has led to even more money and influence by corporations and billionaires, and should be repeal. Second, I have pledged to lead by example, and am not taking any corporate PAC money during my campaign.

We need to make these changes so we can once again have a government that works for the middle class. ^[13]

”

—Matt Brolley for Congress^[14]

Lauren Underwood

“

Jobs

Families across the IL-14 deserve good, high-paying jobs and a strong local economy. In order for the economy to work for all of our families, we need a broad approach to job creation. We need to invest in small businesses; we need to stop the layoffs; we need to embrace the freelance and gig economy; we need to incentivize employers to hire out-of-work or underemployed individuals; and we need to invest in new and emerging sectors that can generate jobs for the 21st century.

Additionally, our community needs significant investment in modernizing our local infrastructure. From rehabbing highways and bridges, to supporting Metra commuter rail stops for DeKalb and Kendall counties, infrastructure investment can improve our communities and stimulate significant job growth. America has never succeeded by looking backwards; we succeed when we look forward, when we innovate, when we lead, and when we build.

Healthcare Every American has the right to high quality, affordable health care. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, we saw a historic drop in the uninsured rate, which means millions of families no longer have to worry about being one bad diagnosis away from bankruptcy. In the 14th district, 37,000 hard working folks have coverage through Obamacare. Lauren is committed to ensuring that these Illinoisans maintain the coverage they need. She knows that the Affordable Care Act is not perfect and supports policies that will improve the law, including:

Stabilizing the health insurance marketplaces by providing long-term commitment to cost-sharing reductions, including more help for middle class families
Reigning in the soaring cost of prescription drugs
Investing in comprehensive mental health care

Like many communities across the country, the 14th has been impacted by the opioid epidemic. This problem will not be solved by law enforcement solutions alone - addressing the underlying behavioral health components of addiction is critical.

To tackle this crisis, we need everyone to come to the table to implement a fully funded, comprehensive solution that will address prevention, treatment, and recovery. We must curb future addictions, but we also cannot forget those who are currently struggling without access to much needed treatment. We need to pass legislation that will reduce cost barriers to treatment, and that will ensure Medicaid and health insurance cover both detox and rehab. Inaction on this issue is not an option.

Family Maintaining the safety and security of our families is Lauren's number one priority. She is ready to fight to maintain the stability and safe spaces throughout our communities that allow children to grow and thrive.

Lauren firmly believes that every child in the 14th district should have the access to an excellent public education. She is unwavering in her support for continued investment in our local schools, and recognizes the need for continued attention in support of affordable higher education.

Families are the backbone of our society; therefore, it is essential that women and men have the freedom to plan the family they want. In order to do so, families need access to affordable child care, paid family leave, and the full range of reproductive health services. ^[13]

”

—Lauren Underwood for Congress^[15]

Debates and candidate forums

February 26 candidate forum

Six of the Democratic candidates participated in a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters at McHenry County College on February 26, 2018, where they discussed immigration policies:^[16]

Brolley supported a path to citizenship for DACA recipients.

Hosta criticized the backlog on immigration cases. He said there was too much red tape blocking individuals who "are already working and contributing to our society. We simply need to start there and get these people on board."

Roldan-Johnson said, "I stand firmly behind the Dreamers. Trump's policies and his fear mongering are having real effects on people. They should be able to stay."

Underwood said, "We need a quick, permanent solution to the DACA debacle. We had a solution. It was working. [President Donald Trump] messed it up. Comprehensive immigration reform must go beyond DACA." She argued for revising the list of preferred nations and the number of immigrants who can come from each and opposed the border wall and the "Muslim travel ban."

Walz said, "I'm a fan of the Dreamers. We need to keep families together."

Weber said immigration was necessary for the economy, but that immigrants should not work in certain jobs: [W]e have to make sure they don't take jobs that are intended for Americans. That's the one thing about it."

February 22 candidate forum

Six of the Democratic candidates participated in a candidate forum in Batvia, Illinois, on February 22, 2018, where they discussed gun policies in the wake of the Parkland shooting:^[17]

Brolley "supports both an assault weapons ban and a lifting of the ban on federal research on mass shootings and gun violence," according to The Daily Herald.

Hosta said additional funding for school security should be considered. He also said, "An assault rifle simply refers to a style. If you want to do something about this problem, do something about the performance of these weapons. The performance needs to be scaled back."

Roldan-Johnson: "Assault weapons should not be on the street and be accessible. But that's what it's going to take—one-on-one conversations about this."

Swanson supported changing campaign finance regulations to limit the influence of groups like the National Rifle Association and opposed arming teachers. "I did not become a teacher to carry a gun. I didn't become a teacher to have to stop a bullet for my students," he said.

Underwood said she supports "common sense gun reform" and an "assault weapons ban."

Weber said, "I believe in the Second Amendment. But there were not assault rifles when they came up with the Second Amendment. That needs to be taken under consideration."

January 30 candidate forum

On January 30, 2018, six of the declared candidates (all except Roldan-Johnson) participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Kendall County Democratic Party.^[18]

Brolley argued that sitting Rep. Randy Hultgren (R) had cast votes that were counter to the district's interests: "Every one of us in this room has been harmed by the dozens of terrible votes that Congressman Hultgren has taken this year alone. The two biggest ones that you know of are the healthcare bill that thankfully died, and the tax plan that won't benefit hardly anybody in this room or the district."

Hosta argued in favor of modifications to the nation's healthcare system: "We also need to bring in alternative medical solutions that aren't simply chemicals. We also need to bring into play a community hospital that's very privatized that also monopolizes a particular area. So what happens is they have basically been able to charge almost any type of cost that they want to on simple things like X-rays."

Swanson criticized Congress for what he contended was inaction on healthcare proposals.

Underwood called for reductions in the cost of healthcare: "What can we do to make healthcare more affordable for families? How can we lower the prices of prescription drugs?"

Walz argued that Hultgren was not representative of the district: "Randy Hultgren is so underinformed as to what the true issues are for constituents of the 14th Congressional District. He is nowhere to be found and people know it. That could be the number one issue is the total lack of representation."

Weber called for changes to the nation's firearms laws: "It turns out that 85 percent of gun owners are for common-sense gun legislation."

Policy position comparison

Position summaries for top candidates
Issue	Brolley	Underwood
Healthcare	Supports allowing citizens approaching the retirement age to buy in to Medicare Supports the introduction of a public option Calls for the federal government to be allowed to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers^[19]	Calls for measures to reduce the cost of healthcare Calls for decreased prices for prescription drugs Calls for increased investment in mental health care Calls for increased funding for opioid treatment^[20]
Jobs	Calls for increased access to Pell grants and decreased interest rates for federally-backed student loans Calls for increased investments in community colleges and vocational schools Calls for federal increase in minimum wage Calls for increased investment in infrastructure Opposed to measures which he argues would restrict unions^[19]	Calls for increased investment in small businesses Calls for increased investment in freelance work Calls for incentives for employers to hire employees who are underemployed or unemployed Calls for increased investment in infrastructure Calls for expansion of commuter rail^[20]

Endorsements

Democratic candidate endorsements
Endorsement	Date	Brolley	Underwood	Walz
Federal officials
Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL)^[21]	January 30, 2018		✔
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)^[22]	September 28, 2017	✔
Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL)^[23]	June 29, 2017	✔
State figures
State Sen. Terry Link (D)^[24]	September 15, 2017			✔
Local figures
DeKalb County Board Chairman Mark Pietrowski (D)^[25]	August 8, 2017	✔
Former Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner (D)^[25]	August 8, 2017	✔
Organizations
Will County Progressives^[26]	February 5, 2018			✔
DeKalb Area Progressives^[27]	February 3, 2018			✔
EMILY's List^[28]	January 25, 2018		✔
Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association^[29]	January 22, 2018	✔
AFL-CIO^[30]	January 11, 2018	✔
The Collective PAC^[31]	October 12, 2017		✔
Naperville Women's March Action^[32]	September 30, 2017		✔
Off the Sidelines PAC^[33]	September 25, 2017		✔
Our Revolution Illinois Berniecrats^[34]	June 28, 2017			✔
Newspapers
Chicago Tribune^[5]	February 20, 2018		✔
The Daily Herald^[5]	February 20, 2018		✔
The Chicago Sun-Times^[35]	February 14, 2018	✔

Campaign finance

The table below contains data from FEC Quarterly January 2018 reports. It includes only candidates who have reported at least $10,000 in campaign contributions as of December 31, 2017.^[36]

Democrats

Campaign strategies and tactics

Campaign advertisements

Matt Brolley

Support

"Matt Brolley for Congress" - Brolley campaign ad, released November 1, 2017

"Lincoln" - Brolley campaign ad, released December 4, 2017

Lauren Underwood

Support

"Lauren Underwood for Congress" - Underwood campaign ad, released August 13, 2017

Online presence

The following social media statistics were compiled on January 28, 2018.

	Facebook			Twitter
Candidate	Followers	Likes	Comments on Last Ten Posts	Followers	Following	Tweets
Brolley	1,072	1,036	5	1,793	650	813
Underwood	1,350	1,277	67	1,658	155	365

Tweets by Matt Brolley Tweets by Lauren Underwood

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Race ratings: Illinois' 14th Congressional District election, 2018
Race tracker	Race ratings
	October 30, 2018	October 23, 2018	October 16, 2018	October 9, 2018
The Cook Political Report	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Lean Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Tilt Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Solid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

District election history

2016

	2020 → ← 2016
Illinois' 14th Congressional District
	Democratic primary; Republican primary; General election
Election details
	Filing deadline: December 4, 2017
	Primary: March 20, 2018; General: November 6, 2018; Pre-election incumbent:; Randy Hultgren (Republican)
How to vote
	Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Voting in Illinois
Race ratings
	Cook Partisan Voter Index (2018): R+5; Cook Political Report: Toss-up; Inside Elections: Tilt Republican; Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
	U.S. Senate battlegrounds; U.S. House battlegrounds; Federal and state primary competitiveness; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
	Illinois' 14th Congressional District; 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th; Illinois elections, 2018; U.S. Congress elections, 2018; U.S. Senate elections, 2018; U.S. House elections, 2018; Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House racesArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House racesFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House racesOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House racesTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House racesVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House racesSubmit

See also: Illinois' 14th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Randy Hultgren (R) defeated Jim Walz (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Hultgren ran unopposed in the Republican primary on March 15, 2016, while Walz defeated John Hosta and Jesse Maggitt to win the Democratic nomination.^[37]^[38]

**U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2016**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Randy Hultgren Incumbent	59.3%	200,508
	Democratic	Jim Walz	40.7%	137,589
Total Votes				338,097
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections

**U.S. House, Illinois District 14 Democratic Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jim Walz	42.7%	27,706
John Hosta	38.3%	24,866
Jesse Maggitt	19%	12,311
Total Votes		64,883
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections

2014

See also: Illinois' 14th Congressional District elections, 2014

The 14th Congressional District of Illinois held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Randy Hultgren (R) defeated challenger Dennis Anderson (D) in the general election.

**U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2014**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Randy Hultgren Incumbent	65.4%	145,369
	Democratic	Dennis Anderson	34.6%	76,861
Total Votes				222,230
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections Official Results

General election candidates

Randy Hultgren - Incumbent
Dennis Anderson

March 18, 2014, primary results

Republican Primary

Randy Hultgren - Incumbenta

Democratic Primary

2012

See also: Illinois' 14th Congressional District elections, 2012

The 14th Congressional District of Illinois held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Randy Hultgren won re-election in the district.^[42]

**U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2012**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Randy Hultgren Incumbent	58.8%	177,603
	Democratic	Dennis Anderson	41.2%	124,351
Total Votes				301,954
Source: Illinois Board of Elections "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals"

2010

On November 2, 2010, Randy Hultgren won election to the United States House. He defeated Bill Foster (D), Daniel J. Kairis (G) and Doug Marks (I) in the general election.^[43]

U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Randy Hultgren	51.3%	112,369
	Democratic	Bill Foster incumbent	45%	98,645
	Green	Daniel J. Kairis	3.6%	7,949
	Independent	Doug Marks	0%	50
Total Votes				219,013

2008

On November 4, 2008, Bill Foster won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jim Oberweis (R) in the general election.^[44]

U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2008
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Bill Foster incumbent	57.7%	185,404
	Republican	Jim Oberweis	42.3%	135,653
Total Votes				321,057

2006

On November 7, 2006, J. Dennis Hastert won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jonathan "John" Laesch (D) in the general election.^[45]

U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2006
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	J. Dennis Hastert incumbent	59.8%	117,870
	Democratic	Jonathan "John" Laesch	40.2%	79,274
Total Votes				197,144

2004

On November 2, 2004, J. Dennis Hastert won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Ruben Zamora (D) in the general election.^[46]

U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2004
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	J. Dennis Hastert incumbent	68.6%	191,618
	Democratic	Ruben Zamora	31.4%	87,590
Total Votes				279,208

2002

On November 5, 2002, J. Dennis Hastert won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Lawrence J. Quick (D) in the general election.^[47]

U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2002
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	J. Dennis Hastert incumbent	74.1%	135,198
	Democratic	Lawrence J. Quick	25.9%	47,165
Total Votes				182,363

2000

On November 7, 2000, J. Dennis Hastert won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Vern Deljohnson (D) in the general election.^[48]

U.S. House, Illinois District 14 General Election, 2000
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	J. Dennis Hastert incumbent	74%	188,597
	Democratic	Vern Deljohnson	26%	66,309
	N/A	Write-in	0%	3
Total Votes				254,909

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+5, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 5 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Illinois' 14th Congressional District the 191st most Republican nationally.^[49]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.97. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.97 points toward that party.^[50]

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Illinois heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

Following the 2016 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in Illinois.
Democrats held 11 of 18 U.S. House seats in Illinois.

State executives

As of May 2018, Democrats held four of 7 state executive positions, Republicans held two, and the remaining position was officially nonpartisan.
The governor of Illinois was Republican Bruce Rauner. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.

State legislature

Democrats controlled both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly. They had a 67-51 majority in the state House and a 37-22 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

Illinois was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Bruce Rauner (R) served as governor, while Democrats controlled the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: Illinois elections, 2018

Illinois held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Illinois
	Illinois	U.S.
Total population:	12,839,047	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	55,519	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	72.3%	73.6%
Black/African American:	14.3%	12.6%
Asian:	5%	5.1%
Native American:	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.2%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	16.5%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	87.9%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	32.3%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$57,574	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	16.8%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Illinois. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Illinois' three largest cities were Chicago (pop. est. 2.7 million), Aurora (pop. est. 200,000), and Joliet (pop. est. 150,000).^[51]^[52]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Illinois every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Illinois 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2016	Hillary Clinton	55.8%	Donald Trump	38.8%	17.0%
2012	Barack Obama	57.6%	Mitt Romney	40.7%	16.9%
2008	Barack Obama	61.9%	John McCain	36.8%	25.1%
2004	John Kerry	54.8%	George W. Bush	44.5%	10.3%
2000	Al Gore	54.6%	George W. Bush	42.6%	12.0%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Illinois 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2016	Tammy Duckworth	54.9%	Mark Kirk	39.8%	15.1%
2014	Dick Durbin	53.5%	Jim Oberweis	42.7%	10.8%
2010	Mark Kirk	48.0%	Alexander Giannoulias	46.4%	1.6%
2008	Dick Durbin	67.8%	Steve Sauerberg	28.5%	39.3%
2004	Barack Obama	70.0%	Alan Keyes	27.0%	43.0%
2002	Dick Durbin	60.3%	Jim Durkin	38.0%	22.3%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Illinois.

Election results (Governor), Illinois 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2014	Bruce Rauner	50.3%	Pat Quinn	46.3%	4.0%
2010	Pat Quinn	46.8%	Bill Brady	45.9%	0.9%
2006	Rod Blagojevich	49.8%	Judy Baar Topinka	39.3%	10.5%
2002	Rod Blagojevich	52.2%	Jim Ryan	45.1%	7.1%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Illinois in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Illinois 2000-2016
Year	Republicans	Republicans (%)	Democrats	Democrats (%)	Balance of power
2016	7	38.9%	11	61.1%	D+4
2014	8	44.4%	10	55.6%	D+2
2012	6	33.3%	12	66.7%	D+6
2010	11	57.9%	8	42.1%	R+3
2008	7	36.8%	12	63.2%	D+5
2006	9	47.4%	10	52.6%	D+1
2004	9	47.4%	10	52.6%	D+1
2002	10	52.6%	9	47.4%	R+1
2000	10	50.0%	10	50.0%	Even

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Illinois Party Control: 1992-2025
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas • Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
House	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D

Footnotes

[show]

Illinois' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tammy Duckworth (D)

Dick Durbin (D)

Representatives

District 1

Jonathan Jackson (D)

District 2

Robin Kelly (D)

District 3

Delia Ramirez (D)

District 4

Jesus Garcia (D)

District 5

Mike Quigley (D)

District 6

Sean Casten (D)

District 7

Danny Davis (D)

District 8

Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

District 9

Jan Schakowsky (D)

District 10

Brad Schneider (D)

District 11

Bill Foster (D)

District 12

Mike Bost (R)

District 13

Nikki Budzinski (D)

District 14

Lauren Underwood (D)

District 15

Mary Miller (R)

District 16

Darin LaHood (R)

District 17

Eric Sorensen (D)

Democratic Party (16)

Republican Party (3)

[1] Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results, General Primary - 3/20/2018," accessed May 24, 2018

[2] Clerk of the House of Representatives, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 14, 2018

[3] CNN, "The places that will decide the 2018 midterm elections," February 20, 2018

[FECQ4-4] Politico, "House Q4 Election Reports," accessed February 13, 2018

[Herald-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 Daily Herald, "Endorsement: Underwood for the Democrats in Congress Dist. 14," February 20, 2018 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Herald" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Herald" defined multiple times with different content

[6] The Chicago Sun-Times, "ENDORSEMENT: Matt Brolley for Congress in 14th District Democratic Primary," February 14, 2018

[7] EMILY's List, "EMILY’s List Endorses Lauren Underwood for Congress in Illinois' 14th District," January 25, 2018

[8] Chicago Tribune, "Montgomery village president running for Congress," June 29, 2017

[9] Brolley for Congress, "Home," accessed January 28, 2018

[10] Brolley for Congress, "Issues," accessed January 28, 2018

[11] Underwood for Congress, "Home," accessed January 28, 2018

[12] Underwood for Congress, "Values," accessed January 28, 2018

[quotedisclaimer-13] 13.0 ^13.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[14] Matt Brolley for Congress, "Issues," accessed February 13, 2018

[15] Lauren Underwood for Congress, "Values," accessed February 13, 2018

[16] Daily Herald, "14th District Dems voice opinions on immigration reform," February 26, 2018

[17] Daily Herald, "14th Democratic hopefuls talk guns at Batavia forum," February 23, 2018

[18] WSPY News, "Congressional Democratic Primary Candidates Sound Off on Healthcare, Gun Control at Yorkville Forum," January 31, 2018

[BrolleyIssues-19] 19.0 ^19.1 Brolley for Congress, "Matt Brolley on the Issues," accessed January 28, 2018

[UnderwoodIssues-20] 20.0 ^20.1 Lauren Underwood for Congress, "Values," accessed January 28, 2018

[21] Underwood for Congress, "Congresswoman Robin Kelly Endorses Lauren Underwood for IL-14 ," January 30, 2018

[22] Chicago Tribune, "Morning Spin: Preckwinkle won't face a primary challenge from pop tax opponent Boykin," September 28, 2017

[23] Kane County Chronicle, "Brolley makes 14th District run official," June 29, 2017

[24] Jim Walz for Congress, "State Senator Terry Link (IL-30) Endorses Jim Walz For U.S. Congress To Represent Illinois 14th Congressional District," September 15, 2017

[BrolleyAug8-25] 25.0 ^25.1 Brolley for Congress, "Brolley Announces 11 Local Endorsements," August 8, 2017

[26] Jim Walz for Congress, "WILL COUNTY PROGRESSIVES ENDORSE JIM WALZ FOR CONGRESS," February 5, 2018

[27] Jim Walz for Congress, "DEKALB AREA PROGRESSIVES ENDORSE JIM WALZ FOR CONGRESS," February 3, 2018

[28] Politico, "Super PAC says GOP must sell tax reform," January 25, 2018

[29] Facebook, "Brolley for Congress," January 22, 2018

[30] Facebook, "Brolley for Congress," January 11, 2018

[31] Lauren Underwood for Congress, "The Collective PAC Endorses Lauren Underwood among Historic Group of Local, Statewide & Federal Candidates," October 12, 2017

[32] Underwood for Congress, "Naperville Women's March Action Endorses Lauren Underwood for Congress," September 30, 2017

[33] Underwood for Congress, "Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's Off the Sidelines PAC stands with Lauren Underwood," September 25, 2017

[34] Jim Walz for Congress, "Endorsement From Our Revolution Illinois Berniecrats," June 28, 2017

[35] The Chicago Sun-Times, "ENDORSEMENT: Matt Brolley for Congress in 14th District Democratic Primary," February 14, 2018

[36] FEC, "Federal Election Commission", accessed February 13, 2018

[37] Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed November 30, 2015

[38] The New York Times, "Illinois Primary Results," March 15, 2016

[39] Geneva Patch, "Dennis Anderson Announces Candidacy in St. Charles for Congress - IL 14," accessed October 18, 2013

[40] Beacon News, "Anderson makes another run for Congress," accessed October 18, 2013

[41] Illinois Election Division, "John Hosta," accessed November 27, 2013

[42] Politico, "2012 Election Map, Illinois"

[43] U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013

[44] U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013

[45] U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013

[46] U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013

[47] U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013

[48] U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013

[49] Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017

[50] FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018

[51] Illinois Demographics, "Illinois Cities by Population," accessed December 11, 2017

[52] U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Illinois," accessed December 11, 2017

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Illinois' 14th Congressional District election (March 20, 2018 Democratic primary)

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 14

Election updates

Top candidates

Matt Brolley

Lauren Underwood

List of all candidates

Campaign themes and policy stances

Campaign themes

Matt Brolley

Lauren Underwood

Debates and candidate forums

February 26 candidate forum

February 22 candidate forum

January 30 candidate forum

Policy position comparison

Endorsements

Campaign finance

Campaign strategies and tactics

Campaign advertisements

Matt Brolley

Support

Lauren Underwood

Support

Online presence

Race ratings

District election history

2016

2014

2012

2010

2008

2006

2004

2002

2000

District analysis

State overview

Partisan control

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

Trifecta status

2018 elections

Demographics

State election history

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

Trifectas, 1992-2017

See also

Footnotes

Information about voting

2026 Elections

2025 Elections

Election analysis

Trending

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Information for candidates

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