Sens. LaHood, Barickman Working To Get Reagan Statue At Illinois Capitol

A Republican state senator is spearheading an effort to get a statue of Ronald Reagan built at the Illinois Capitol.

Sen. Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap) along with three other area senators, including Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), sent a letter to the Architect of the Capitol requesting a review to erect a Reagan memorial. The legislators also introduced a resolution in the Senate on the issue.

LaHood said the request coincides with the 10th Anniversary of President Reagan’s death on June 5.

“Ronald Reagan is the only President that was born in Illinois, raised in Illinois, got his education at Eureka College, but we have nothing in the state Capitol to recognize him," he said. "And so we came up with this effort on what we can do to recognize Ronald Reagan.”

LaHood said the state Capitol already features statues for Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant who also lived in Illinois. He said he and his colleagues are working with the Ronald Reagan Society at Eureka College as well as Dixon, Illinois where Reagan was born to raise about $200,000 for the effort. LaHood said no taxpayer dollars will be used for the statue.

Anyone wishing to donate for the Reagan statue should contact LaHood’s Springfield office.