The Winner

If you live in Illinois's 13th U.S. House District, you will continue to be represented in Congress by Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), who has been declared the winner of the 2026 congressional race, according to the Associated Press. The AP called the race on Nov. 3, with Budzinski taking about 75.1 percent of the vote; vote totals are preliminary and may change until the state certifies the results, according to official results from the Illinois State Board of Elections. ​

The Race

Republican Jeff Wilson) advanced through the March 17, 2026, Republican primary to reach the general election ballot. Cook Political Report rated the seat Solid D heading into Election Day; Inside Elections and Sabato's Crystal Ball each rated it Solid Democratic or Safe Democratic, according to Ballotpedia.

Illinois's 13th Congressional District spans Bond, Cass, Coles, Cumberland and DeWitt counties, among others, according to the U.S. Census Bureau; the district has a total population of about 747,200 residents, a median household income of about $63,100, and a median age of about 37, according to Geographies data for the district. About 32.3 percent of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher; the district's population is about 67.5 percent white, 19.2 percent Black, 5.1 percent Hispanic and 4.2 percent Asian, with an unemployment rate of about 5.8 percent and about 17.5 percent of residents living below the poverty line.

What's Next

Budzinski is set to take office on Jan. 3, 2027. Budzinski said she would focus on lowering costs for families and demand accountability from politicians, according to the Decatur Tribune, which reported her comments on Nov. 4, 2026.

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