U.S. House, Illinois 16th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Illinois's 16th Congressional District?
Darin LaHood has the strongest record in Illinois's 16th Congressional District. Darin LaHood scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Darin LaHood's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Paul Nolley (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Darin LaHood
71 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 81
Democratic
Paul Nolley
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Darin LaHood
- On the record2024-09-27
Filed a periodic transaction report on Sept. 27, 2024 disclosing a Nov. 17, 2022 sale of West Suburban Bancorp stock worth $1,001 to $15,000, past the STOCK Act 45-day deadline.
Source: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20025916
- On the record2023-12-01
Voted Yea to expel Rep. George Santos from the House while Speaker Mike Johnson voted Nay; the expulsion passed.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 691, 2023
- On the record2020-12 to 2021-01
Signed the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief, then voted Nay on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania, brief of 126 House members as amici, House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- On the record2020-05-14
PolitiFact rated False his May 1, 2020 TV statement that 93 percent of Illinois COVID-19 cases came from Chicago.
Source: PolitiFact, May 14, 2020
- On the record2020-09-06
PolitiFact rated Pants on Fire his Aug. 24, 2020 TV statement that the Postal Service was operating with about a $12 billion surplus.
Source: PolitiFact, Sept. 6, 2020
- Credit2025-01-04
His Supporting America's Children and Families Act (H.R. 9076), on child welfare programs, was signed into law on Jan. 4, 2025.
- Credit2023-2026
Chairs the House Intelligence Committee's National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee and the Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Paul Nolley
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Darin LaHood. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed May 15, 2026. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found. A 2024 periodic transaction report disclosed a November 2022 stock sale about 22 months late; not scored under E16 (no outlet reports found).
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076177, House Committee on Ethics site search for LaHood, FEC administrative fines search, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20025916
Paul Nolley. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Aug. 13, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077261, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Darin LaHood. Voted Nay on the January 2021 objections to certified electoral votes, which his party's leader supported, voted against the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act backed by Speaker McCarthy, and voted to expel Rep. George Santos when Speaker Johnson voted no.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 243, May 31, 2023 (Fiscal Responsibility Act), House Clerk Roll Call 691, Dec. 1, 2023 (expulsion of Rep. Santos)
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Darin LaHood. Took part in an October 2026 candidate forum with Paul Nolley presented by WTVP PBS and the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria. No open in-person town hall this term found.
Source: WGLT, Oct. 8, 2026
Paul Nolley. Took part in the October 2026 WTVP PBS and League of Women Voters forum with Rep. Darin LaHood.
Source: WGLT, Oct. 8, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Darin LaHood. A former state and federal prosecutor and Illinois state senator, in Congress since 2015. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: Office site, Biography, House Committee on Ethics site search for LaHood
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Darin LaHood. Signed the December 2020 House amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania but voted Nay on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021 (E2).
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Texas v. Pennsylvania, brief of 126 House members as amici, Dec. 2020
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Darin LaHood. In the U.S. House since September 2015, seeking a sixth full term, after four years in the Illinois Senate and more than nine years as a state and federal prosecutor.
Sources: Office site, Biography, GovTrack, Darin LaHood
Paul Nolley. Executive director of Project First Rate, which promotes union construction, after work with the YMCA, United Way and Habitat for Humanity. Has not held public office.
Source: WGLT, May 12, 2025
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Darin LaHood. Chairs the Intelligence Committee's National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee and the Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Paul Nolley. Publishes positions on wages, health care, Social Security and civil liberties in general terms.
Sources: WGLT, Oct. 1, 2026, Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Darin LaHood. Offers an email newsletter and issue pages, answered questions in WGLT's 2026 candidate series and took part in a televised forum. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, WGLT, Oct. 1, 2026, Ballotpedia, Darin LaHood
Paul Nolley. Took part in a televised forum, answered questions in WGLT's 2026 candidate series and publishes an issues page. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: WGLT, Oct. 8, 2026, WGLT, Oct. 1, 2026, Ballotpedia, Paul Nolley
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Darin LaHood. Born and raised in Peoria; his FEC statement of candidacy lists a Dunlap address, in the district. About 45 percent of itemized individual contributions this cycle came from Illinois.
Sources: Office site, Biography, FEC Form 2, statement of candidacy, Nov. 15, 2024, FEC contribution totals by state
Paul Nolley. A lifelong resident of the Rockford area; his FEC statement of candidacy lists a Roscoe address, in the district. About 96 percent of itemized individual contributions this cycle came from Illinois.
Sources: WGLT, May 12, 2025, FEC Form 2, statement of candidacy, March 21, 2025, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Darin LaHood. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Paul Nolley. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Darin LaHood. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.540 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.473, exceeds expectations. Seven bills he sponsored were enacted, including the Supporting America's Children and Families Act, signed Jan. 4, 2025.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 9076 (118th Congress)
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Darin LaHood. Missed 139 of 5,908 roll call votes, 2.4 percent, from September 2015 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Darin LaHood. Runs district offices in Peoria, Rockford and Normal and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, Offices, Office site, home page
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Darin LaHood. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.31853 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 76 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Darin LaHood. No public record found.
Paul Nolley. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Illinois's 16th Congressional District?
Darin LaHood has the strongest record in Illinois's 16th Congressional District. Darin LaHood scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Darin LaHood's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Paul Nolley (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Illinois's 16th Congressional District in 2026?
Darin LaHood (Republican, incumbent), Paul Nolley (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Darin LaHood a good candidate for Congress?
Darin LaHood scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 81 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Paul Nolley a good candidate for Congress?
Paul Nolley has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Illinois race scored, and the Illinois 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.