The 18th district of Illinois is made up of 19 counties and the metropolitan areas of Peoria, Springfield, Jacksonville and Bloomington-Normal. The population of the 18th district is over 650,000 people.
The district includes all 11 counties President Abraham Lincoln represented during his one term in Congress, 1847-49.
The district continues to be a test market for nearly every sector of our economy. From politics, having three Presidential visits in the past two years; to manufacturing, with giants like Caterpillar to smaller businesses like Maui Jim; to one of the largest networks of social services agencies in the Mid-West.
It’s no wonder that Vaudeville Theaters started asking the now legendary phrase “Will it play in Peoria?”
Well clearly it has. The district is rich in history, diversity and has a remarkable business environment.