Republican Rep. Kevin Schmidt has represented this Metro East district since pulling off a shocking upset in 2022, unseating Democrat LaToya Greenwood.
Schmidt is a chiropractor focused on bringing jobs and investment to his district.
His Democratic opponent, George McClellan Jr., is a former assistant chief of the East St. Louis Fire Department and a longtime nurse. He strikes us as a credible challenger with substantial experience in public service and a focus on jobs and affordable health care. Yet Schmidt has the advantage of legislative experience and a clearly articulated commitment to fiscal restraint.
Kevin Schmidt is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
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