Republican state Sen. Darin LaHood won the Sept. 10 special election for the former U.S. House seat of former Rep. Aaron Schock.
Schock resigned March 31 after a number of questions arose about his lavish spending habits. His most high-profile expenditure was the decoration of his Washington offices in the style of Downton Abbey, but the former congressman left office only after being caught asking for questionable mileage reimbursements for his personal vehicle. A skilled GOP fundraiser, Schock also traveled frequently and chronicled his adventures on social media; he has, however, maintained a low profile since leaving office. Investigators are reportedly still probing his spending.
LaHood, who won the special election with about 69 percent of the vote in the heavily Republican district, is the son of former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and has served as the state's 37th Senate District since 2011. He ran against Democrat Rob Mellon, a high school teacher whom he outspent significantly.
While in the state Senate, LaHood voted against marriage equality in 2013, as well as the anti-gay conversion therapy ban in 2015.