He graduated from Yankton College in South Dakota (Bachelor of Arts, 1971) and United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio (Master of Divinity).

[5] Saying he had a good team and was pleased by the results, Sen. Koehler defeated his Republican opponent for a second four-year term in the Nov. 2012 general election, Peoria-area businessman and developer Pat Sullivan, by a margin of 39,149 to 31,684 — or a 55 percent to 45 percent margin, with Tazewell County unable to provide complete results late Tuesday.

His priorities are pension reform and tax code changes, civil unions, passing of concealed carry, and containing the budget and a backlog of unpaid bills.

B. Pritzker appointed Koehler to Powering Illinois’ Future transition committee, which is responsible for infrastructure and clean energy policies.

[14] He defeated Mary Burress in the 2020 general election, winning a fifth term in the Illinois State Senate.