Jerry F. Costello

Jerry Francis Costello (born September 25, 1949) is an American politician and former U.S. Representative from Illinois who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1988 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Illinois’s 21st congressional district and, following redistricting, the 12th congressional district. Over the course of 13 consecutive terms in office, he became the dean of Illinois’s 21-member congressional delegation and played a sustained role in the legislative process during a significant period in modern American history.

Costello was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and attended local Catholic schools, graduating from Assumption High School. He pursued higher education at Maryville College of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis, Missouri, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. His early life and education in the Metro East region of the St. Louis area rooted him in the communities he would later represent in public office, shaping his familiarity with the economic, social, and transportation issues of southwestern Illinois.

Before entering national politics, Costello worked extensively in law enforcement and county government in St. Clair County, Illinois. He served as a court bailiff and deputy sheriff, gaining firsthand experience with the criminal justice system. He later became director of court services and probation for the county, and subsequently served as chief investigator for the Illinois State’s Attorney’s office. In 1980, Costello was elected chair of the St. Clair County Board, effectively serving as the county’s chief executive. He held this position until his election to Congress, building a regional reputation for administrative and governmental experience.

Costello entered Congress in 1988 after the death of Representative Melvin Price. He won a special election with 51 percent of the vote and took office in August 1988 to fill the remainder of Price’s term. In November 1988, he was elected to a full term with 53 percent of the vote. Thereafter, he consistently secured reelection by comfortable margins, receiving at least 60 percent of the vote in all subsequent campaigns until his retirement. During his tenure, he represented first the 21st congressional district and, after redistricting, the 12th district, advocating for the interests of his constituents in areas such as transportation, infrastructure, and regional economic development.

During his years in the House of Representatives, Costello served on several key committees. He was a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where he served on the Subcommittee on Aviation as ranking member, and also sat on the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials and the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. In addition, he served on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, including its Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. Through these assignments, he participated in shaping federal policy on aviation safety, surface transportation, water resources, environmental issues, and scientific and technological development. His long service made him the most senior member of Illinois’s House delegation during his final term in office.

Costello’s congressional career intersected with several notable national political developments. He served on the National Leadership Committee of then-Senator Barack Obama’s National Catholic Advisory Council during Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, reflecting his role in outreach to Catholic voters. After Obama’s election as President of the United States, Costello was mentioned as a possible candidate for Secretary of Transportation, though the position ultimately went to fellow Illinois Representative Ray LaHood. In 2011, Costello co-sponsored H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which sought to strictly limit the circumstances under which public funds could be used to pay for abortion, underscoring his alignment with socially conservative positions on that issue within the Democratic Party.

Costello’s career was also touched by controversy. In 1996, federal prosecutors alleged that he was an unindicted co-conspirator in a plan to build a riverboat casino. A longtime friend of his was later sentenced to six years in prison for obstruction of justice following an investigation and trial. Costello testified before a grand jury in connection with the matter but was neither indicted nor charged and denied any involvement. In 1997, the Congressional Accountability Project filed an ethics complaint requesting a House investigation of Costello; the complaint resulted in no action by the House.

On October 4, 2011, Costello announced that he would not seek reelection in 2012, bringing to a close nearly a quarter-century in Congress. He completed his final term in January 2013 and was succeeded in representing Illinois’s 12th congressional district by Democrat William Enyart, who was elected on November 6, 2012. After leaving office, Costello remained engaged in public affairs and political life. He became associated with the Reformers Caucus of Issue One, a bipartisan group of former elected officials focused on political and campaign finance reform. In 2016, he served as a presidential elector from Illinois in the Electoral College. He was originally slated to serve again as an elector in the 2020 presidential election, but in the official vote he was replaced by Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch.