How Much Is Your Congressman Worth?

Today, the Washington Post published a story revealing that the net worth of members of Congress has doubled in the last 25 years, while the net worth of the average American has actually declined.

“The growing disparity between the representatives and the represented means that there is a greater distance between the economic experience of Americans and those of lawmakers,” the Post reported.

Ward Room looked at the net worth of Illinois’s 19 representatives and two senators, using figures provided by the Center for Responsive Politics. Most are worth more than the average American, but none approach the wealth of the richest congressman, Darrell Issa of California, a car alarm manufacturer worth over $500 million. Only two are even in the top 100. This could be because Illinois is a state where politics is a business and a career, making it difficult for millionaire dilettantes to break in.

Here’s our list, from Judy Biggert, multi-millionaire, to Bobby Rush, zero-aire:

HOUSE (Name, Affiliation, Home City, Net Worth Range)

    55. Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale: $2,147,063 to $9,129,999
   87. Bob Dold, R-Kenilworth: $696,022 to $6,394,996
   125. Dan Lipinski, D-Western Springs: $1,043,059 to $3,047,000
   141. Luis Gutierrez, D-Chicago: $1,053,014 to $2,496,000
    149. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana: $942,030 to $2,330,000
    186. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton: $491,046 to $1,590,000
   188. Bobby Schilling, R-Colona:$487,008 to $1,489,998
   208. Don Manzullo, R-Leaf River: $466,008 to $1,190,999
   237. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville: $49,010 to $1,129,997
   275. Danny Davis, D-Chicago: $282,014 to $639,000
   298. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville: $195,005 to $500,000
    313. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Chicago: $111,015 to $442,000
   333. Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston: $12,025 to $433,999
   357. Adam Kinzinger, R-Manteno: $50,008 to $225,000
   368. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria:$-916,584 to $1,118,411
    387. Mike Quigley, D-Chicago: $-34,998 to $119,998
   393. Randy Hultgren, R-Winfield: $15,001 to $50,000
   398. Joe Walsh, R-McHenry: $3,004 to $46,000
   409. Bobby Rush, D-Chicago: $0