Jason Bunting

Chris Balkema won a special election last year in the 53rd Senate District, a large, mostly rural district north of Bloomington-Normal. It stretches from the Peoria area to the Indiana border.

The Illinois House on Tuesday voted to ban carbon capture near the Mahomet Aquifer in a 91-19 vote. It's already passed the Senate and now goes to the governor.

McLean County's newest state lawmaker is from Livingston County. Republican party leaders have chosen Jason Bunting to fill the 106th Illinois House District seat.