The Candidate: Aaron Jon Schock
The Race: Republican Party Candidate for the 18th Congressional District
The Competition: Steve Waterworth
The Buzz: At 19, Schock became the youngest person to serve on an Illinois School board and then went on to become one of Illinois' youngest legislators on record. He was then elected to the U.S. House in 2008.
Due to this age and personality, Schock is considered a rising star among the Republican Party. In the midst of the scandal involving former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Schock introduced legislation that would require Senate seats to be filled by special election.
Schock found himself in the midst of controversy when it was revealed he was using campaign funds to pay for his trip to Greece and a stay in a luxury Miami resort. It was quickly noted that the funds for the Greece trip had been repaid by Schock.
He was also deemed a hypocrite by political commentator Rachel Maddow for publicly supporting a program that he had initially voted against.
