Special election date set for Schock’s House seat

by Jonathan Easley - 04/14/15 10:26 PM ET

A federal judge Tuesday set the special election date to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), who resigned last month amid an ethics scandal.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the primary election will be held July 7, with the general election to follow Sept. 10.

{mosads}State Sen. Darin LaHood (R), the son of former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, is the favorite to replace Schock in the solidly Republican district. A handful of other state lawmakers are also believed to be eyeing the seat.

Schock resigned in late March in the face of questions about his spending habits after The Washington Post reported that he used taxpayer funds to decorate his office in the fashion of the popular television show “Downton Abbey.”

A slew of similar stories followed, including allegations that Schock spent taxpayer money to fly to a Chicago Bears game, and that he spent $10,000 to take staffers on a trip to New York.

The allegations sparked a Congressional ethics probe, and on Monday, four of Schock’s former staffers were subpoenaed as part of a federal investigation into the former lawmaker.

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