Frustration, fear and rage seem increasingly common, and Facebook is far less a factor than what’s happening in Washington, D.C.

Or, not happening.

What can be done?

Many congressional representatives … aren’t.

“The title — REPRESENTATIVE — says it all. That’s their job,” says 64-year-old East Peoria Democrat Joe Albright, who’s running to be the next U.S. Representative. from Illinois’ 16th District. “A lot of people around here think nobody represents them [in Congress].

Retired from Caterpillar after 18 years, Joe helps run a small business with his wife Jennifer. She was a good sounding board after they cast ballots in November, he says. In the voting booth, Albright noticed Darin LaHood had no challenger.

“I thought, ‘We need a choice,’ and my wife said, ‘What are we going to do about it?’

“I’d never really been political (except serving as a Spring Bay Trustee). But given my background [in accounting], I saw the Trump promises, which Darin supports, didn’t make sense. It all got more ridiculous in January and February —the polices don’t work; the math doesn’t add up.

“I figured, it was time to put up or shut up.”

He filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on March 13.

Over coffee one morning, people who’d heard rumors of his candidacy stopped by and wished him well.

“People talk to me and they’re hugging and crying,” he says. “Some want to verbalize their disappointment or disgust. One lady whose family has a small farm was upset — she said she could lose the farm.”

Joe describes his campaign as “standing for truth and building common ground.”

From Aaron To Darin

Darin LaHood’s been in Congress for a decade, after replacing Aaron Schock.

Before that, Darin was defeated by Kevin Lyons in the 2008 race for Peoria County State’s Attorney and in 2011 was appointed to fill the seat of State Sen. Dale Risinger, who resigned. The next year Darin ran unopposed and served four years in Springfield.

Since, Darin has had a few Democratic opponents with too little Democratic Party support.

Running for Congress in 2016 and 2018, Darin beat Junius Rodriguez both times. In 2020 he defeated George Petrilli; in 2022 he beat Elizabeth Haderlein. Last year — after the 2020 Census cost Illinois a district and Darin ran in the new 16th — no one ran against him.

Darin has received 66% to 72% of the votes, but most of those races were before Trump and MAGA wrested control of the GOP. And Darin, some say.

Previously, the District was Republican when its roots were the party of Everett Dirksen, Charles Percy and Jim Edgar. (Even Schock — before resigning because of what he called “distractions” about spending irregularities — had received 58% to 74% of the vote.)

Money-wise, Darin has built up a war chest in his 10 years on Capitol Hill. According to the nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization Center for Responsive Politics, Darin’s campaign has cash on hand of $5.5 million, and his last cycle had him raising $3.7 million — 57.3% from Political Action Committees (PACs), 22.5% from large individual contributions, just 3.8% from small donations, and zero self-financed.

The top sectors giving him money were from Insurance, Finance, Lobbyists, Health Professionals, and Pharmaceutical Products.

“Looking at who contributes shows who they’re beholden to,” Albright says. “I won’t take any ‘dark money.’ I’ll count on the people of the district — a people-powered campaign.”

Others may step up

Other candidates may challenge LaHood, too, so Albright was asked about a Democratic primary. “There’s not going to be tearing down each other, no negative approach,” Albright says. “There’s enough of that nonsense.”

Albright also teaches part-time at Bradley, where years ago he worked third shift as a Bradley police officer and occasionally met for coffee with former Republican Congressman Bob Michel, who lived nearby.

“We got along fine,” he says. “I totally soured on the Republican Party when Newt Gingrich took over in ’95.

“Today — looking to 2026 — we all just have to keep our eyes on the prize, and I’ll campaign on what I believe.”

About a week after Albright filed, 36-year-old Paul Nolley, a Rockford-area Democrat, filed with the FEC. Nolley said he’s worked for several nonprofits such as United Way, the YMCA and most recently Project First Rate, a group of union contractors and building trades in Northwest Illinois.

“I am running as a citizen candidate,” he told The Community Word. “No one in my family has deep pockets, is politically connected, or is influential, unlike the incumbent.”

Another possible challenger is 24-year-old Scott Best, who’s worked at Rivian in Normal, but at press time had not filed his candidacy. Interestingly, LaHood may have a primary challenge, as 42-year-old Chicagoan John Kitover on March 28 also filed to run for the 16th as a Republican.

As far as Albright, he’s launched his social-media presence and donations are set up.

“I’ve got fundraising [the Committee to Elect Joe Albright for U.S. Representative] and an actblue.com account [for contributions], and I’m visiting people and places all over the 16th.

Congressional Districts are carved out to have about 750,000 residents, so that’s a lot of door-knocking between now and Nov. 3, 2026.

“I’m getting the word out,” Albright says. “Between August and October I’ll get the signatures I need to get on the ballot. Even in political terms, it’s a year and a half to work on it.”

— Bill Knight serves as Peoria County Democratic Precinct Committeeman.