Illinois's 17th congressional district

Illinois's 17th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023. Points indicate major cities in the district.
Representative
Area4,571.4 sq mi (11,840 km2)
Distribution
  • 73.3% urban
  • 26.7% rural
Population (2023)728,697
Median household
income		$57,307[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+2[2]

The 17th congressional district of Illinois is represented by Democrat Eric Sorensen. It includes most of the northwestern portion of the state, with most of its population living on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities, as well as parts of Peoria and Rockford.

The 17th congressional district has shifted northward after redistricting in 2012. It subsequently lost Quincy and Decatur, as well as its share of Springfield. It was generally thought that the redrawn map would allow the district to revert to the Democrats, who held it without interruption from 1983 to 2011.[3] As expected, incumbent Representative Bobby Schilling was defeated, after serving only one term, by Democratic opponent Cheri Bustos in the 2012 election cycle, who served until 2023.[4][5]

The boundaries were drawn in a bipartisan deal to protect both Democratic incumbent Lane Evans and neighboring Republican incumbents. The lines of the district were drawn to move Republican voters into neighboring districts and to include Democratic neighborhoods in Springfield and Decatur.[6] Evans retired in 2006 as a result of declining health, and the seat was won by his longtime aide Phil Hare. Although the district had been designed to elect a Democrat, Hare lost in 2010 to Republican pizzeria owner Bobby Schilling. In 2012, Democrat Cheri Bustos won the district election.

In early 2021, Cheri Bustos announced her intention to retire at the end of the 117th congress.[5] In November 2021, former WREX and WQAD meteorologist Eric Sorenson announced his candidacy for the seat.[7] He later won the election with 52% of the vote.[8]

Composition

2011 redistricting

The district covers parts of Peoria, Tazewell and Winnebago counties, and all of Carroll, Fulton, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess, Knox, Mercer, Rock Island, Stephenson, Warren and Whiteside counties, as of the 2011 redistricting which followed the 2010 census. All or parts of Canton, East Moline, Freeport, Galesburg, Kewanee, Moline, Peoria, Rock Island, Rockford, Pekin and Sterling are included.[9] The representatives for these districts were elected in the 2012 primary and general elections, and the boundaries became effective on January 5, 2013.

2021 redistricting

Composition
# County Seat Population
15 Carroll Mount Carroll 15,526
57 Fulton Lewistown 32,541
73 Henry Cambridge 48,448
95 Knox Galesburg 48,411
109 McDonough Macomb 26,839
131 Mercer Aledo 15,487
113 McLean Bloomington 170,441
143 Peoria Peoria 177,513
161 Rock Island Rock Island 141,236
177 Stephenson Freeport 43,105
179 Tazewell Pekin 129,541
187 Warren Monmouth 16,185
195 Whiteside Morrison 54,498
201 Winnebago Rockford 280,922

Cities and CDPs with 10,000 or more people

2,500 to 10,000 people

As of the 2020 redistricting, this district will retain the Illinois side of the Quad Cities area where much of its population previously resided, while its southern borders will now extend further into Central Illinois. The district will take in parts of Henry, Warren, and McDonough Counties; half of Mercer, Stephenson, Tazewell, McLean, Fulton, and Peoria Counties; and all of Carroll, Rock Island, Whiteside, and Knox Counties.

Henry County is split between this district and the 16th district. They are partitioned on the northwest side by Shaffer Creek, Oakwood Cir, Oakmont Dr, Oakwood Country Club, Glenwood Rd, US Highway 6, E 450th St, Illinois Highway 280, Green River Rd, and Kings Dr. They are partitioned on the southeast side by E 1770th St, N 650th Ave/N 570th Ave, Timber Rd, E 2400th St, and N 1200 St. The 17th district takes in the municipalities of Colona, Kewanee, and Galva.

Warren County is split between this district and the 15th district. They are partitioned by 60th St and 180th Ave. The 17th district takes in the communities of Alexis (shared with Mercer County), Monmouth, and part of Cameron.

McDonough County is split between this district and the 15th district. They are partitioned by US Highway 136, US Highway 67, N 1150th Rd, Grant St, Deer Rd, N 1200th St, S Quail Walk Rd, Jamestown Rd, Arlington Rd, La Moine River, Emory Rd, N 1400th Rd, Krohe Dr, E 1200th St, N 1800th Rd, and E 1900th St, N 1700th St, E 2000th St. The 17th district takes in the municipality of Bardolph and most of Macomb.

Mercer County is split between this district and the 15th district. They are partitioned by 220th St. The 17th district takes in the communties of Burgess, Matherville, Viola, Preemption, Sherrard, Swedona, Cable, Windsor, North Henderson, and Alexis (shared with Warren County).

Stephenson County is split between this district and the 16th district. They are partitioned by Daws Rd, Howardsville Rd, Cedarville Rd, N Fawver Rd, and Maize Rd. The 17th district takes in the communities of Freeport, Pearl City, Bolton, Ridott, German Valley, Willow Lake; and part of Baileyville, Cedarville, and Lena.

Tazewell County is split between this district and the 16th district. They are partitioned by Illinois River, S 3rd St, Prince St, Elm St, Maple St, Mechanic St, Koch St, 5th St, Illinois Central Railroad, Townline Rd, Highway I-55, Illinois Highway 122, Indian Creek, Southwest Lincoln St, Southeast Main St, Hopedale Rd, Springtown Rd, Mackinaw Rd, and Lagoon Rd. The 17th district takes in the communities of Delavan, Green Valley, and Armington; most of South Pekin; and part of Pekin (shared with Peoria County).

McLean County is split between this district and the 16th district. They are partitioned by E 1000 North Rd, N 250 East Rd, E 1200 North Rd, Middle Fork Sugar Creek, E 1250 North Rd, N 750 East Rd, E 1300 North Rd, E 1280 North Rd, N 900 East Rd, E 1350 North Rd, E 1400 North Rd, N 1100 East Rd, N Rivian Motorway, King Mill Creek, Illinois Highway 74, Hovey Ave, S Cottage Ave, Gregory St, N Adelaide St, W Raab Rd, N Towanda Ave, E Shelbourne Dr, Old Route 66, Hershey Rd, E College Ave, Illinois Highway 55, Sugar Creek, General Electric Rd, Rainbow Ave, Mill Creek Rd, Clearwater Ave, Newcastle Dr, Illinois Highway 9, S Towanda Barnes Rd, Central Illinois Airport, Winchester Dr, S Hershey Rd, E Oakland Ave, S Veterans Parkway, S Mercer Ave, Norfolk and Southern Railroad, Rhodes Ln, E Hamilton Rd, S Morris Ave, Six Points Rd, W Oakland Ave, Fox Creek Rd, Crooked Creek Rd, Carrington Ln, and N 1200 East Rd. The 17th district takes in the communities of McLean, Shirley; most of Bloomington; and southern Normal.

Fulton County is split between this district and the 15th district. They are partitioned by East Oscar Linn Highway. The 17th district takes in the communities of Canton, Cuba, Farmington (shared with Peoria County), Avon, Marietta, Ellisville, Smithfield, Fairview, Norris, St. David, Bryant, Dunfermline, and Banner.

Peoria County is split between this district and the 16th district. They are partitioned by W Gerber Rd/W Rosenbohm Rd, W Southport Rd, BN & SF Railroad, W Southport Rd, N Townhouse Rd, W Cottonwood Rd, N McAllister Rd, W Greengold Rd, W Farmington Rd, N Kickapoo Creek Rd, Saint Mary's Cemetery, N Swords Ave, N Northcrest Dr, C & NW Railroad, Weaverridge Golf Club, W Charter Oak Rd, Illinois Highway 6, W War Memorial Dr, N Allen Rd, W Northmoor Rd, Big Hollow Creek, West Imperial Dr, West Willow Knolls Dr, North University St, Manning Park, West Teton Dr, Illinois Highway 40, North Prospect Rd, East Prospect Ln, North Montclair Ave, East Euclid Ave, North Grandview Dr, Forest Park Nature Center, Forest Park Apartments, North Galena Rd, Illinois Highway 29, and Forest Park Riverfront-Longshore. The 17th district takes in the communities of Hanna City, Glasford, Elmwood, Farmington (shared with Fulton County), Trivoli, Smithville, Lake Camelot, Kingston Mines, Bartonville, and Mapleton; most of Peoria, West Peoria, and Bellevue; and part of Norwood, Peoria Heights, and Pekin (shared with Tazewell County).

Winnebago County is split between this district and the 16th district. The 17th district takes in the communities of Winnebago; most of Rockford; and part of Loves Park.

From 2003 to 2013 the district was known as "the rabbit on a skateboard" for its unusual shape devised as the outcome of gerrymandering.[10][11]

Presidential election results

This table indicates how the district has voted in U.S. presidential elections; election results reflect voting in the district as it was configured at the time of the election, not as it is configured today.
Year Office Results
2000 President Al Gore 53% – George W. Bush 43%
2004 President John Kerry 51% – George W. Bush 48%
2008 President Barack Obama 60% – John McCain 39%
2012 President Barack Obama 57% – Mitt Romney 41%
2016 President Hillary Clinton 50% – Donald Trump 42%
2020 President Joe Biden 54% – Donald Trump 42%

Recent election results from statewide races

This table indicates how the district has voted in recent statewide elections; election results reflect voting in the district as it is currently configured, not necessarily as it was at the time of these elections.
Year Office Results
2016 President Hillary Clinton 49.6% – Donald Trump 42.9%
Senate Tammy Duckworth 49.9% – Mark Kirk 44.0%
2018 Governor J. B. Pritzker 50.2% – Bruce Rauner 40.9%
Attorney General Kwame Raoul 50.3% – Erika Harold 46.9%
Secretary of State Jesse White 64.1% – Jason Helland 33.3%
2020 President Joe Biden 52.7% – Donald Trump 44.9%
Senate Dick Durbin 52.6% – Mark Curran 43.5%
2022 Senate Tammy Duckworth 51.9% – Kathy Salvi 46.1%
Governor J. B. Pritzker 49.4% – Darren Bailey 47.6%
Attorney General Tom DeVore 49.7% – Kwame Raoul 47.4%
Secretary of State Dan Brady 51.3% – Alexi Giannoulias 45.9%

List of members representing the district

Representative Party Years Cong
ress 		Electoral history District location
District created March 4, 1873

William R. Morrison
(Waterloo) 		Democratic March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1883 		43rd
44th
45th
46th
47th 		Elected in 1872.
Re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Redistricted to the 18th district.

Samuel W. Moulton
(Shelbyville) 		Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885 		48th Redistricted from the 15th district and re-elected in 1882.
Retired.

John R. Eden
(Sullivan) 		Democratic March 4, 1885 –
March 3, 1887 		49th Elected in 1884.
Lost re-election.

Edward Lane
(Hillsboro) 		Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 3, 1895 		50th
51st
52nd
53rd 		Elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Redistricted to the 18th district and lost re-election there.

James A. Connolly
(Springfield) 		Republican March 4, 1895 –
March 3, 1899 		54th
55th 		Elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Retired.

Ben F. Caldwell
(Chatham) 		Democratic March 4, 1899 –
March 3, 1903 		56th
57th 		Elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Redistricted to the 21st district.

John A. Sterling
(Bloomington) 		Republican March 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1913 		58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd 		Elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Lost re-election.

Louis FitzHenry
(Bloomington) 		Democratic March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1915 		63rd Elected in 1912.
Lost re-election.

John A. Sterling
(Bloomington) 		Republican March 4, 1915 –
October 17, 1918 		64th
65th 		Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Died.
Vacant October 17, 1918 –
March 3, 1919 		65th

Frank L. Smith
(Dwight) 		Republican March 4, 1919 –
March 3, 1921 		66th Elected in 1918.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.

Frank H. Funk
(Bloomington) 		Republican March 4, 1921 –
March 3, 1927 		67th
68th
69th 		Elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Lost renomination.

Homer W. Hall
(Bloomington) 		Republican March 4, 1927 –
March 3, 1933 		70th
71st
72nd 		Elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Lost re-election.
Frank Gillespie
(Bloomington) 		Democratic March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935 		73rd Elected in 1932.
Lost re-election.

Leslie C. Arends
(Melvin) 		Republican January 3, 1935 –
January 3, 1973 		74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd 		Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Redistricted to the 15th district.

George M. O'Brien
(Joliet) 		Republican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1983 		93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th 		Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Redistricted to the 4th district.

Lane Evans
(Rock Island) 		Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 2007 		98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th 		Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Retired. 		1983–1993
[data missing]
1993–2003
[data missing]
2003–2013

Phil Hare
(Rock Island) 		Democratic January 3, 2007 –
January 3, 2011 		110th
111th 		Elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Lost re-election.

Bobby Schilling
(Colona) 		Republican January 3, 2011 –
January 3, 2013 		112th Elected in 2010.
Lost re-election.

Cheri Bustos
(Moline) 		Democratic January 3, 2013 –
January 3, 2023 		113th
114th
115th
116th
117th 		Elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Retired. 		2013–2023

Eric Sorensen
(Moline) 		Democratic January 3, 2023 –
present 		118th Elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024. 		2023–present

Representation

Since 1982, the representative from this district has hailed from a city within Rock Island, County. From 1982 to 2013, the district's representatives hailed from Rock Island, these being Lane Evans, Phil Hare, and Bobby Schilling. Since 2013, the district's representatives have hailed from neighboring Moline, and include Cheri Bustos and Eric Sorenson.

Election results

2012

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois, 2012
Illinois's 17th congressional district election results, 2012[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cheri Bustos 153,519 53.3
Republican Bobby Schilling (incumbent) 134,623 46.7
Independent Eric Reyes (write-in) 10 0.0
Independent Joe Faber (write-in) 9 0.0
Total votes 288,161 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

2014

Illinois's 17th congressional district, 2014[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cheri Bustos (incumbent) 110,560 55.5
Republican Bobby Schilling 88,785 44.5
Independent Bill Fawell (write-in) 16 0.0
Total votes 199,361 100.0
Democratic hold

2016

Illinois's 17th congressional district, 2016[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cheri Bustos (incumbent) 173,125 60.3
Republican Patrick Harlan 113,943 39.7
Total votes 287,068 100.0
Democratic hold

2018

Illinois's 17th congressional district, 2018[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cheri Bustos (incumbent) 142,659 62.1
Republican Bill Fawell 87,090 37.9
Total votes 229,749 100.0
Democratic hold

2020

Illinois's 17th congressional district, 2020[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cheri Bustos (incumbent) 156,011 52.02
Republican Esther Joy King 143,863 47.97
Write-in 21 0.01
Total votes 299,895 100.0
Democratic hold

2022

Illinois's 17th congressional district, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eric Sorensen 121,186 51.98
Republican Esther Joy King 111,931 48.01
Write-in 6 0.003
Total votes 233,123 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
  2. ^ "2022 Cook PV: District Map and List". The Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  3. ^ Sweeny, Chuck. "Rockford stands to lose big in the new 17th District". Rockford Register Star. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  4. ^ "Bustos beats Schilling in redrawn 17th District". aledotimesrecord.com. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Democrat Cheri Bustos Announces Retirement From Congress". HuffPost. April 30, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  6. ^ "5 Ways to Tilt an Election" (PDF). The New York Times. September 25, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  7. ^ "Former Rockford meteorologist Eric Sorensen announces run for Illinois' 17th Congressional District". WIFR-LD. November 10, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Democrat Eric Sorensen's win keeps Illinois House seat with Democrats". NPR. November 10, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  9. ^ Illinois Congressional District 17 Archived February 12, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Illinois Board of Elections
  10. ^ "Electoral boundaries in America". The Economist. October 7, 2010. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  11. ^ Aaron Blake (July 27, 2011). "Name that district! (Gerrymandering edition)". Washington Post. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ a b "Illinois General Election 2014". Illinois State Board of Elections. November 4, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  14. ^ "2018 General Election Official Vote Totals Book".
  15. ^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  16. ^ "Illinois 2020 Election Results". Chicago Sun-Times. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.

References

41°23′22″N 90°13′07″W / 41.38944°N 90.21861°W / 41.38944; -90.21861