We honor these Lincolnesque members of Congress
The conference honors the Lincolnesque Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D, 8th District of Illinois, a progressive) and Rep. Darin LaHood (R, 18th District of Illinois, a conservative). They represent adjacent districts in which Abraham Lincoln lived and worked most of his adult life. They both identify with Lincoln and his values, expressed during the rage and murder of the Civil War: "we are friends, we can not be enemies" and "with malice toward none, with charity for all". These two exemplary members of Congress are friends and live Lincoln’s nonpartisan humanity by holding their town halls together in their districts, though they are from different parties and believe different ideologies. They affirm that citizens have the right to address the ideal future of our country in the ‘People’s House’ with the respectful relationships, moral judgement and visionary leadership exemplified by Abraham Lincoln.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi
(Democrat, Illinois, 8th Congressional District)
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Subramanian Raja Krishnamoorthi is an American businessman and politician who is the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district. He is a member of the Democratic Party. In 1973, Krishnamoorthi was born into a Tamil-speaking family in New Delhi, India. His family moved to Buffalo, New York when he was three months old so that his father could attend graduate school. They lived in public housing and used food stamps. In 1980, the Krishnamoorthis moved to Peoria, Illinois. His father became a professor at Bradley University.
Krishnamoorthi attended Princeton University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He then received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Krishnamoorthi served as a partner at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis and as a special assistant attorney general of Illinois. He also served as deputy state treasurer from 2007 to 2009. He was the president of Sivananthan Laboratories and Episolar Inc., which develops and sells technology for military and civilian customers, until resigning all his business positions before entering Congress to eliminate any conflicts of interest. Krishnamoorthi's wife, Priya, is a doctor. They live in Schaumburg, Illinois, with their two sons, Vijay and Vikram, and daughter, Sonia.
In January 2017, Krishnamoorthi, a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, and his elder son attended the Cubs' official White House commemoration of their World Series victory.
Rep. Darin LaHood
(Republican, Illinois, 18th Congressional District)
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Darin McKay LaHood (born July 5, 1968) from Peoria, Illinois is the United States Representative for Illinois's 18th congressional district. Before being elected to Congress, he was a member of the Illinois Senate representing the seven-county 37th legislative district.
LaHood is the son of Ray LaHood, the former United States Secretary of Transportation and before then the seven term congressman from the district his son currently represents. He has called himself a fiscal conservative focused on budget issues. While Ray was a moderate Republican, Darin is considered more conservative. LaHood is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership and of the Republican Study Committee.
He was born in Peoria, Illinois and is the eldest of four siblings. He went to Academy of Our Lady/Spalding Institute. He graduated from Loras College in Iowa and received his Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School. LaHood lives in Dunlap, a suburb of Peoria, with his wife Kristen; they married in 2000. They have three children: McKay, Lucas, and Teddy.
