2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois

The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the 18 U.S. representatives from the state of Illinois, one from each of the state's 18 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.

The filing deadline for candidates for major parties was November 30, 2015. The candidates listed below were the official filed candidates for the party primaries for each district, per the Illinois State Board of Elections. Objections to a candidate's nomination papers needed to be filed by December 7, 2015. The primaries were held on March 15.

By district
Results of the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois by district:

District 1
The incumbent was Democrat Bobby Rush, who had represented the district since 1993. He was re-elected with 73% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+28.

Democratic primary
On November 12, 2015, Chicago Alderman Howard Brookins Jr. was reported to be circulating petitions to run for Congress, leading to speculation that Rush might retire. Brookins had previously circulated petitions in 2013, but declined to run at that time when Rush announced for re-election. Brookins announced that this time he would run for the seat, regardless of Rush's decision. In November 2015, Rush announced that he would run for re-election. Former Cure Violence director and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Tio Hardiman had announced he would challenge Rush for the Democratic nomination. Hardiman withdrew in order to run for Cook County Clerk of Court.

Nominee

 * Bobby Rush, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Howard Brookins, Chicago Alderman
 * Patrick Brutus, economic development consultant and candidate for the 2nd district in 2013

Removed

 * Harold Bailey, City Parks District employee and candidate for this seat in 2010 and 2012

Nominee

 * August Deuser

Eliminated in primary

 * Jimmy Lee Tillman

District 2
The incumbent was Democrat Robin Kelly, who had represented the district since 2013. She was re-elected with 78% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+29.

Kelly considered running for the U.S. Senate, but decided to run for re-election instead.

Nominee

 * Robin Kelly, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Marcus Lewis, postal worker, independent candidate in 2012 and 2013 and Democratic candidate in 2014
 * Dorian Myrickes
 * Charles Rayburn, candidate in 2013 and 2014

Nominee

 * John Morrow

District 3
The incumbent was Democrat Dan Lipinski, who had represented the district since 2005. He was re-elected with 65% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+5.

Democratic primary
Incumbent Dan Lipinski ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Oren Jacobson, a tech entrepreneur, had formed an exploratory committee in May 2015 to consider a primary challenge of Lipinski. Jacobson terminated the committee in July 2015.

Nominee

 * Dan Lipinski, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Oren Jacobson, tech entrepreneur

Removed

 * Art Jones, neo-Nazi

District 4
The incumbent was Democrat Luis Gutiérrez, who had represented the district since 1993. He was re-elected with 78% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+29.

Democratic primary
Javier Salas, a former journalist and former senior policy adviser to Governor Pat Quinn, challenged Gutiérrez for the Democratic nomination. Salas cited Gutiérrez's support for Mayor Rahm Emanuel over challenger Chuy Garcia in the 2015 Chicago mayoral election as a reason for his primary challenge.

Nominee

 * Luis Gutiérrez, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Javier Salas, former journalist, radio host and senior policy adviser to Governor Pat Quinn

Republican primary
No candidates filed for the Republican primary for this seat.

District 5
The incumbent was Democrat Mike Quigley, who had represented the district since 2009. He was re-elected with 63% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+16.

Nominee

 * Mike Quigley, incumbent U.S. Representative

Republican primary
No candidates filed for the Republican primary for this seat.

Nominee

 * Rob Sherman, atheist activist, businessman, and perennial candidate

Eliminated in primary

 * Warren "Grizz" Grimsley

Removed from ballot

 * Richard Mayers

District 6
The incumbent was Republican Peter Roskam, who had represented the district since 2007. He was re-elected with 67% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+4.

Republican primary
Glen Ellyn Park District commissioner Jay Kinzler opposed Roskam in the primary. Kinzler ran to the political right of Roskam.

Nominee

 * Peter Roskam, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Gordon "Jay" Kinzler, Glen Ellyn Park District commissioner

Withdrawn

 * Gerald "Jerry" Drabik

Nominee

 * Amanda Howland, College of Lake County trustee and 2012 state senate candidate

Eliminated in primary

 * Robert Marshall, radiologist and perennial candidate

District 7
The incumbent was Democrat Danny K. Davis, who had represented the district since 1997. He was re-elected with 85% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+36.

Nominee

 * Danny K. Davis, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Thomas Day

Removed

 * Frederick Collins

Republican primary
No candidates filed for the Republican primary for this seat.

District 8
The incumbent was Democrat Tammy Duckworth, who had represented the district since 2013, and who retired so she could run for the United States Senate in 2016 against Republican incumbent Mark Kirk. She was re-elected with 56% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+8.

Democratic primary
Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi, a past candidate for the district, and State Senator Mike Noland declared they would run for the district. Krishnamoorthi was endorsed by Representative Jan Schakowsky.

Nominee

 * Raja Krishnamoorthi, former deputy state treasurer, candidate for this seat in 2012, and candidate for Comptroller in 2010

Eliminated in primary

 * Deb Bullwinkel, Mayor of Villa Park
 * Michael Noland, state senator

Withdrawn

 * Tom Cullerton, state senator (running for re-election)

Declined

 * Jenny Burke, legal analyst, Itasca School Board member and 2014 State House Candidate
 * Tammy Duckworth, incumbent U.S. Representative (running for the U.S. Senate)

Nominee

 * Pete DiCianni, DuPage County Commissioner and former mayor of Elmhurst

Removed

 * Richard Evans
 * Joseph Hantsch
 * Andrew Straw, disability rights attorney and Green candidate for Indiana's 2nd congressional district in 2012

Declined

 * Larry Kaifesh, retired United States Marine Corps Colonel and nominee for this seat in 2014
 * David McSweeney, state representative
 * Darlene Ruscitti, DuPage County Superintendent of Education
 * Tim Schneider, Cook County Commissioner and chairman of the Illinois Republican Party

District 9
The incumbent was Democrat Jan Schakowsky, who had represented the district since 1999. She was re-elected with 66% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+15.

Nominee

 * Jan Schakowsky, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Joan McCarthy Lasonde

District 10
The incumbent was Republican Bob Dold, who had represented the district since 2015 and previously from 2011 to 2013. He was elected with 51% of the vote in 2014, defeating Democratic incumbent Brad Schneider. The district had a PVI of D+8, which made the 10th congressional district the most Democratic district in the country represented by a Republican. As such, Dold was a top Democratic target.

Nominee

 * Bob Dold, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary
Schneider announced on April 2, 2015, that he would again run for the 10th district against Dold.

Nominee

 * Brad Schneider, former U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Nancy Rotering, Mayor of Highland Park, Illinois

District 11
The incumbent was Democrat Bill Foster, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 14th district from 2008 to 2011. He was re-elected with 53% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+8.

Foster considered running for the U.S. Senate, but decided to run for re-election instead.

Nominee

 * Bill Foster, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Tonia Khouri, DuPage County board member

Eliminated in primary

 * Dominick Stella, cardiologist
 * Herman White, scientist

District 12
The incumbent was Republican Mike Bost, who had represented the district since 2015. He was elected with 52% of the vote in 2014, defeating Democratic incumbent William Enyart. The district had an even PVI.

Nominee

 * Mike Bost, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary
Prior to the Democratic primary, international aid worker Edward Vowell had formed an exploratory committee.

Nominee

 * C.J. Baricevic, attorney

Declined

 * Jerry Costello II, state representative
 * Jay Hoffman, state representative
 * Brendan Kelly, St. Clair County State's Attorney
 * Sheila Simon, former Lieutenant Governor and nominee for Comptroller in 2014
 * Edward Vowell, international aid worker
 * Rick Watson, St. Clair County Sheriff

Nominee

 * Paula Bradshaw, nurse, local radio talk show host and nominee for this seat in 2012 & 2014

Eliminated in primary

 * Sadona Folkner

FEC complaint
On June 28 the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission with allegations of election illegality involving the Baricevic campaign.

Results
Bost defeated Baricevic and Bradshaw in the general election on November 8, 2016, winning 54% of the vote.

District 13
The incumbent was Republican Rodney L. Davis, who had represented the district since 2013. He was re-elected with 59% of the vote in 2014. The district had an even PVI. Davis ran for re-election.

Nominee

 * Rodney Davis, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Ethan Vandersand, pharmacist

Nominee

 * Mark Wicklund, president of the Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corporation and former Macon County Board member

Declined

 * Tom Banning, Assistant Illinois Attorney General
 * Tony DelGiorno, Sangamon County Board Member
 * David Gill, physician and nominee in 2004, 2006, 2010, and 2012 (running as Independent)
 * Andy Manar, state senator
 * Julia Rietz, Champaign County State's Attorney

Independents
Physician David Gill, the Democratic nominee for this district in 2004, 2006, 2010, and 2012 announced that he would make a fifth run, but as an independent this time. In order to qualify for the general election ballot, Gill needed to file nomination papers by June 27, 2016.

District 14
The incumbent was Republican Randy Hultgren, who had represented the district since 2011. He was re-elected with 65% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+5.

Republican primary
Joe Walsh, former Republican representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district from 2011 to 2013 and radio talk show host on 560 AM considered a primary bid against Hultgren. Walsh did not file to run, leaving Hultgren unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Nominee

 * Randy Hultgren, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Joe Walsh, former U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Jim Walz

Eliminated in primary

 * John Hosta
 * Jesse Maggitt

District 15
The incumbent was Republican John Shimkus, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 19th district from 2003 to 2013 and the 20th district from 1997 to 2003. He was re-elected with 74% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+14. Shimkus ran for re-election.

Republican primary
State Senator Kyle McCarter unsuccessfully challenged Shimkus from the right.

Nominee

 * John Shimkus, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Kyle McCarter, state senator

Democratic primary
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary for this seat.

District 16
The incumbent was Republican Adam Kinzinger, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 11th district from 2011 to 2013. He was re-elected with 71% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+4.

Republican primary
Congressman Adam Kinzinger was considered a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate if Republican senator Mark Kirk had decided not to run again. However, Senator Kirk ended up filing for re-election and Kinzinger remained running for re-election.

Colin McGroarty announced on July 16, 2015, at a meeting of the Northern Illinois Tea Party that he would challenge Kinzinger for the Republican nomination.

Nominee

 * Adam Kinzinger, incumbent U.S. Representative

Removed

 * Colin McGroarty, technology consultant and Tea Party activist

Democratic primary
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary for this seat.

District 17
The incumbent was Democrat Cheri Bustos, who had represented the district since 2013. She was re-elected with 55% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+7.

Bustos considered running for the U.S. Senate, but decided to run for re-election instead.

Nominee

 * Cheri Bustos, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Patrick Harlan, fuel truck driver and president of the Knox County Tea Party

Eliminated in primary

 * Jack Boccarossa, retired engineer and tree farm owner

District 18
The incumbent was Republican Darin LaHood, who had represented the district since 2015. He was elected with 69% of the vote in the September 10, 2015 special election to fill the remainder of the term of former Congressman Aaron Schock. Aaron Schock, who had represented the district since 2009 resigned March 31, 2015 due to controversy over his spending. The district had a PVI of R+11.

Republican primary
Mark Zalcman, a Normal, Illinois attorney, planned to challenge Schock in the Republican primary election in March 2016. Zalcman promoted a platform based on his Christian Gospel-centered faith and values. Zalcman declined to run in the special election due to a shortened period to obtain the necessary signatures to qualify for the ballot. Zalcman announced that he would focus on the 2016 primary instead. Zalcman did not file for this seat, leaving LaHood unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Nominee

 * Darin LaHood, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Mark Zalcman, attorney

Democratic primary
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary for this seat.

Write-in

 * Darrel Miller