The son of former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is the newest House member - replacing a disgraced former congressman in a reliably Republican district in central Illinois.
Republican Darin LaHood was sworn in Thursday, and Republicans now hold 247 of the 435 House seats - the most since 1931.
The 47-year-old LaHood served in the Illinois Senate and was a state and federal prosecutor before winning a special election last week to succeed Republican Aaron Shock.
Schock resigned in March amid a spending scandal that included redecorating his congressional office in the style of TV drama "Downton Abbey."
LaHood says he's proud to represent Peoria and notes that President Abraham Lincoln once held the House seat.
Ray LaHood represented the district before becoming President Barack Obama's first transportation secretary.
