The projected mid-term blue wave of the Democratic Party in the U.S. held mixed results, however, it touched Illinois. Democratic Party candidate Lauren Underwood, a first-time candidate, won in the 14th District congressional race over 10-year incumbent and 20-year political representative, Randy Hultgren, Tuesday, Nov. 6. She received 52.1% of the vote with 453 of 462 precincts reporting. Her total was 134,889 to Hultgren’s 47.9%, 124,154. She is the first black woman to win a congressional seat in Illinois. The 14th District runs a narrow path from Plano on the south to State line on the north and through the West Sides of Aurora and Elgin.
Democratic Party 11th District incumbent Bill Foster, won 64.0% of the votes to 36.0% for Nick Stella in parts of Aurora, Naperville, Bolingbrook, and Joliet.
In statewide elections, Democratic Party candidates won all five major races. J.B. Pritzker won over incumbent governor Bruce Rauner, 54.0% to 39.3% with 97% of the precincts reporting. Kwame Raoul won the open seat for attorney general, 54.0% to 43.4% over Republican Party candidate Erika Harold. Susana Mendoza won re-election as comptroller, 59.4% to 37.5% for Darlene Senger; Michael Frerichs won re-election for treasurer over Michael Leheney, 57% to 39.55%; Jesse White was re-elected secretary of state, 67.8% to 29.7%, over Jason Helland.
It was a near tie in the 21st State Senate, mainly in DuPage County. Incumbent Michael Connelly and Laura Ellman each secured 50% of the votes with Connelly in a 12-vote lead.
In the U.S. House District 6, incumbent Peter Roskam was defeated by Sean Casten, 52.7% of the vote to 47.3%, with 98% of the precincts reporting. District 6 covers north DuPage, northeast Kane, south McHenry, and northwest Cook Counties.
In State House races there were many uncontested elections.
In a contested State House race included in the 84th District, the corners of Naperville, Montgomery, Oswego, Democratic Party, incumbent Stephanie Kifowit won with 66% of the vote to 34% for Patty Smith of the Republican Party; Republican Party incumbent Mark Batinick in the 97th District was re-elected against Mica Freeman, 51% to 49%, in parts of Mongtomery, Oswego, Plainfield, and Shorewood; in the 82nd District, in southeast DuPage and north Will Counties, Republican Party incumbent Jim Durkin secured 62% of the vote to 38% for Tom Chlystek. All officially declared winners will be seated in January 2019.
The Connelly-Ellman race in the 21st State Senate likely will undergo a recount of ballots.