Illinois's 15th congressional district
The 15th congressional district of Illinois is located in eastern and southeastern Illinois. It is currently represented by Republican Mary Miller.
Illinois's 15th congressional district | |||
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![]() ![]() District boundaries | |||
Representative |
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Area | 14,696 sq mi (38,060 km2) | ||
Distribution |
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Population (2019) | 685,859 | ||
Median household income | $56,268[1] | ||
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | R+26[2][3] |
With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+26, it is the most Republican district in Illinois.[2] In most of the district, there are no elected Democrats above the county level, and Donald Trump carried over 70% of the district's vote in both of his bids for president.
2011 redistricting
The congressional district covers parts of Bond, Champaign, Ford and Madison counties, and all of Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Moultrie, Pope, Richland, Saline, Shelby, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, and White counties. All or parts of Centralia, Charleston, Danville, Edwardsville, Effingham, Glen Carbon, Mattoon, and Rantoul will be included.[4] The representatives for these districts were elected in the 2012 primary and general elections, and the boundaries became effective on January 5, 2013.
2012 election
The district covered much of the territory previously in the 19th district, and its incumbent, Republican John Shimkus, filed to run in the redrawn 15th.[5][6] Angela Michael, a retired nurse and pro-life activist,[7] ran on a single-issue pro-life Democratic ticket.[8]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | John Shimkus (incumbent) | 205,775 | 68.6 | |
Democratic | Angela Michael | 94,162 | 31.4 | |
Total votes | 299,937 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold | ||||
2014 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Shimkus (incumbent) | 166,274 | 74.9 | |
Democratic | Eric Thorsland | 55,652 | 25.1 | |
Total votes | 221,926 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
2016 election
Shimkus faced no opposition in the general election, after facing a challenge in the Republican primary from Illinois State Senator Kyle McCarter, who had Tea Party backing and funding from the Club for Growth.[11][12]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | John Shimkus (incumbent) | 274,554 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 274,554 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
2018 election
Shimkus loomed large in the 15th, but finally faced credible (if not well-funded) Democratic opposition from a local teacher and former Obama campaign worker.[14]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | John Shimkus (incumbent) | 181,294 | 70.9 | |
Democratic | Kevin Gaither | 74,309 | 29.1 | |
Independent | Tim E. Buckner (write-in) | 5 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 255,608 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
2020 election
After John Shimkus announced that he would not seek reelection, Republican nominee Mary Miller and Democratic nominee Erika Weaver emerged as contenders for the open Congressional seat.[16]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
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Republican | Mary Miller | 244,947 | 73.45 | +2.52% | |
Democratic | Erika Weaver | 88,559 | 26.55 | -2.52% | |
Total votes | 333,506 | 100.0 | |||
Republican hold |
History of district boundaries
2003 – 2013
The district included the cities of Charleston, Urbana, Danville, and Champaign, and all or parts of Livingston, Iroquois, Ford, McLean, DeWitt, Champaign, Vermillion, Macon, Piatt, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie, Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Crawford, Lawrence, Wabash, Edwards, White, Saline, and Gallatin counties.
List of members representing the district
Recent election results from statewide races
Year | Office | Results |
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2000 | President | George W. Bush 54% - Al Gore 42% |
2004 | President | George W. Bush 58% - John Kerry 41% |
2008 | President | John McCain 50% - Barack Obama 47% |
2012 | President | Mitt Romney 64% - Barack Obama 34% |
2016 | President | Donald Trump 71% - Hillary Clinton 25% |
2018 | Governor | Bruce Rauner 60% - J.B. Pritzker 29% |
2020 | President | Donald Trump 72% - Joe Biden 25% |
Historical district boundaries

References
- "My Congressional District".
- "Introducing the 2021 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- Barone, Michael; McCutcheon, Chuck (2013). The Almanac of American Politics 2014. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 588–590. ISBN 978-0-226-10544-4. Copyright National Journal.
- Illinois Congressional District 15, Illinois Board of Elections
- "Congressman Shimkus Files for Re-Election in 15th Congressional District". WBJD Radio. December 23, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
- "2012 General Election Candidates" (PDF). Champaign County Clerk. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
- "IL-15: Fake Democrat running against GOP Rep. John Shimkus". dailykos.com.
- Huchel, Brian L. (December 24, 2011). "Second candidate files in 15th Congressional District". Commercial-News. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
- "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
- "Illinois General Election 2014". Illinois State Board of Elections. November 4, 2014. Archived from the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
- capitolfax.com/2016/01/13/poll-has-shimkus-leading-mccarter-65-13/
- "Will John Shimkus be the tea party's next victim? A new poll says 'Hell no!'". dailykos.com.
- "2016 General Election Official Vote Totals". Illinois State Board of Elections. November 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
- "Democrats nominate Gaither to face Shimkus in 15th congressional district". March 20, 2018.
- "2018 General Election Official Vote Totals Book".
- "Miller, Weaver face off for House". dailyeasternnews.com.
- "Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- "Illinois 2020 Election Results". Chicago Sun-Times. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present