The 116th district, located in part of the Metro East, includes all or parts of Baldwin, Cahokia, Chester, Columbia, Coulterville, Cutler, Darmstadt, Du Quoin, Dupo, East Carondelet, Ellis Grove, Evansville, Fayetteville, Floraville, Fults, Hecker, Kaskaskia, Lenzburg, Maeystown, Marissa, Millstadt, New Athens, Paderborn, Percy, Pinckneyville, Prairie du Rocher, Red Bud, Rockwood, Ruma, Sauget, Smithton, Sparta, St. Libory, Steeleville, Tilden, Valmeyer, Waterloo, and Willisville.

[2] Friess was elected to the district after defeating appointed Democratic incumbent Nathan Reitz.

Immediately after graduating, Friess joined the United States Air Force as an aircraft mechanic.

[3] After completing his active duty obligation, he joined the Air Force Reserves as a flight engineer and crew chief of the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter and stationed in Charleston, South Carolina.

His fellow primary opponents were David Holder, a CPA and governmental auditor, and Kevin Schmidt, a chiropractor.