Profiles In Conservatism: Aaron Schock
Rory Cooper /
NAME: Aaron Schock
OCCUPATION: Member of Congress, 18th District of Illinois
HOMETOWN: Peoria, Illinois
Congressman Aaron Schock was elected in 2008 and is currently the youngest member of Congress. A title Schock is all too familiar with. In 2001, Schock was elected to the Peoria Public Schools District 150 school board at age 19, making him the youngest school board member in Illinois. Only three years later, he became the youngest member of the Illinois House of Representatives. Schock is a staunch conservative who has big shoes to fill, as he represents much of the same district President Abraham Lincoln served in the U.S. House.
Earlier this week, Congressman Schock spoke to a group of bloggers at the Heritage Foundation where he recounted a story from February when he was able to escort President Obama back to his home district for a speech on the Stimulus bill. During the speech, the President called on Schock and told the workers at the local Caterpillar plant to lobby the Congressman in suport of the legislation. Schock recounted: “The funny part was, I stuck around for 45 minutes while he was in there taking pictures…and [the Caterpillar employees] came up to me and said ‘Hey Aaron, stick to your guns. This is a bad bill’. The irony was..the local…UAW did not endorse the stimulus bill.” It turns out Caterpillar President and CEO Jim Owens had also been ambushed by the President, as he told Schock aboard Air Force One.
You can catch Congressman Schock on Fox News Sunday this weekend during the Power Players Segment, and also on his YouTube page.
HF: What does “Conservatism” mean to you?
AS: In the words of Abraham Lincoln: “Ensures government does for the people only what they cannot do in their individual capacity.”
What is at the top of your ‘I tunes’ play list right now?
Taylor Swift and 2Pac
Name three interesting guests (living) you would like to host for dinner.
Oprah Winfrey, Neil Armstrong and Nelson Mandela
Who was your influence in conservatism?
My Parents
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
The freedom to do whatever it is I want
What is your guilty pleasure?
Really good food
What is the first website you visit every morning? (Heritage.org excluded!)
Peoria Journal Star (my hometown paper) and AOL email
What is the last book you read, and do you recommend it?
Millionaire Next Door – Yes, absolutely
What do you worry about?
I worry about our current economic challenges, our federal debt and struggling families and small businesses.
Name your hidden talent.
I played the baritone growing up
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Hopefully it hasn’t happened yet.