Emanuel "Chris" Welch
Illinois State Representative, District 7 since 2012. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 14 yrs
- Since 2012
- Bills became law
- 4
- 909 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.8%
- Chamber median 3.8%
- With party
- 100%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +55.4
- Won 2022
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Legislation
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Welch sits in the Illinois House of Representatives
Welch is closer to the center than 20% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Sonya Harper, Robyn Gabel, Barbara Hernandez
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:49 PM ET
With Welch’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats100%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills5%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Illinois House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Welch’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Welch | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2026 | SB 3222: VIDEO STREAMING AD VOLUME | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 77–31 |
| May 29, 2026 | SB 2762: INS-SEIZURE DETECTION DEVICE | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 82–25 |
| May 27, 2026 | SB 3020: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-HARASSMENT | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 91–23 |
| May 21, 2026 | SB 2770: LOC FIRST RESPONDER INSURANCE | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 89–21 |
| Apr 17, 2026 | HB 4379: ADULT CHANGING STATIONS | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 72–18 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Welch was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Illinois Representative District 7 | Won | — | D+53.7 | — |
| 2024 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2022 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | D+55.4 | — | — |
| 2020 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2018 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2016 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2014 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2014 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 (primary) | Won | — | — | — |
| 2012 | Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 | Won | — | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $20.9M
- Spent
- $15.4M
- Cash
- $9.6M
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings through Sep 30, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 9:15 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| People for Emanuel Chris Welch State | Active |
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings through Sep 30, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 9:15 AM ET
Seats Welch has held
- Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 · since 2012
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Welch has run against
- Eddie L. Kornegay Jr. (R) · 2022 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Welch
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/00cc6415-b2a7-45ab-8f69-be5c3ca6752a
- Wikidata Q16886495
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET