U.S. House, Illinois 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Illinois's 7th Congressional District?
La Shawn Ford has the strongest record in Illinois's 7th Congressional District. La Shawn Ford scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. La Shawn Ford's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Chad Koppie (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.
Democratic
Strongest record
La Shawn Ford
On the ballot as La Shawn K. Ford
65 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
Republican
Chad Koppie
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- 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.
La Shawn Ford
- Mark against2014-11-07
Sentenced to six months probation, a $1,000 fine and community service after pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of filing a false tax return; 17 felony bank fraud counts were dropped.
Sources: CBS Chicago, Nov. 7, 2014, Chicago Tribune, Aug. 4, 2014, WTTW News, Aug. 4, 2014
- Credit2025-08-22
Was the House sponsor of a state law, in effect in 2025, that bars police from ticketing or fining students for school discipline matters.
Chad Koppie
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.
La Shawn Ford. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026 and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Oct. 25, 2025. No FEC fine found. His 2014 tax plea is over 10 years old; see the Record.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10070419, FEC administrative fines search
Chad Koppie. 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
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
La Shawn Ford. No public record found.
Chad Koppie. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
La Shawn Ford. Appeared on WTTW's Chicago Tonight after the March 2026 primary to discuss his campaign and invites groups to request meetings on his campaign site. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: WTTW News, March 19, 2026, Campaign site, home page
Chad Koppie. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
La Shawn Ford. Has served in the Illinois House since 2007. No censure or ethics finding found in the last 10 years; a 2014 misdemeanor plea is older than the scoring window.
Sources: Ballotpedia, La Shawn Ford, CBS Chicago, Nov. 7, 2014
Chad Koppie. 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.
La Shawn Ford. Has held sworn office as a state representative since 2007. No recorded action to reject certified results and no misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, La Shawn Ford
Chad Koppie. Served in the Army and has held local elected office, including the Kane County Regional Board of Schools since 2007. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Wednesday Journal, Oct. 14, 2024
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
La Shawn Ford. State representative for the 8th District since 2007, now in his tenth term; previously a Chicago Public Schools teacher and founder of a real estate business.
Source: Ballotpedia, La Shawn Ford
Chad Koppie. Retired Delta Airlines captain and farmer; Rutland Township trustee from 1983 to 1987, District 300 school board member from 1987 to 1991, and Kane County Regional Board of Schools member since 2007.
Source: Wednesday Journal, Oct. 14, 2024
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
La Shawn Ford. Chairs the Illinois House Appropriations-Higher Education Committee in 2025 to 2026 and chaired it in earlier sessions. No detailed congressional platform was readable on his campaign site.
Chad Koppie. His campaign site states positions on spending, taxes, education and abortion in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
La Shawn Ford. Publishes a campaign biography and legislative record and gave a televised interview after the primary. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, About, WTTW News, March 19, 2026, Ballotpedia, La Shawn Ford
Chad Koppie. Publishes positions on his campaign site. No 2026 questionnaire answers found.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
La Shawn Ford. Raised in Chicago's Austin community, where he still lives, and has represented West Side and near west suburban communities since 2007. FEC by-state totals show about 95 percent of itemized individual contributions from Illinois.
Sources: Campaign site, About, Block Club Chicago, March 17, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Chad Koppie. The FEC candidate record lists his address in Gilberts, in Kane County, where he serves on the regional school board; the 7th District covers Chicago's West Side and near west suburbs. No itemized individual contributions reported.
Sources: FEC contribution totals by state, Wednesday Journal, Oct. 14, 2024
Management
Can build and run an organization.
La Shawn Ford. 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
Chad Koppie. 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.
La Shawn Ford. Was the House sponsor of a 2025 state law barring police from ticketing or fining students for school discipline matters, one of the laws credited to his legislative tenure.
Chad Koppie. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
La Shawn Ford. No public record found.
Chad Koppie. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
La Shawn Ford. No public record found.
Chad Koppie. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
La Shawn Ford. No public record found.
Chad Koppie. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
La Shawn Ford. No public record found.
Chad Koppie. 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 7th Congressional District?
La Shawn Ford has the strongest record in Illinois's 7th Congressional District. La Shawn Ford scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. La Shawn Ford's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Chad Koppie (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 7th Congressional District in 2026?
La Shawn Ford (Democratic), Chad Koppie (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is La Shawn Ford a good candidate for Congress?
La Shawn Ford scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Chad Koppie a good candidate for Congress?
Chad Koppie 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.