The Illinois State Capitol is pictured on Oct. 15, 2024. (Nick Blumberg / WTTW News)
As a Republican wave swept across the country, Illinois Democrats are set to maintain their veto-proof majorities in the state legislature, even with a handful of races still too close to call as of Wednesday morning.
Among the House races without a winner declared by the Associated Press:
47th District: With 99% of votes counted, Republican incumbent state Rep. Amy Grant holds a 50.4% edge to Democratic challenger Jackie Williamson’s 49.6%.
76th District: Democrat Amy Briel has a narrow 50.8 % to Republican Liz Bishop’s 49.2%, with 89% of votes in. State Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa did not run for reelection
91st District: Freshman Democrat state Rep. Sharon Chung has a narrow 50.1% lead over Desi Anderson’s 49.9%, with 71% of the vote counted.
104th District: Republican state Rep. Brandun Schweizer holds a 50.8% lead to Jarrett Clem’s 49.2%, with 91.6% of votes in.
114th District: In a repeat matchup, incumbent Republican state Rep. Kevin Schmidt has 60% to LaToya Greenwood’s 40% of the vote, with 66% of votes counted.
Other competitive races called by the AP include the open 45th District suburban seat, which Democrat Martha Deuter won with 53.5% to former GOP state Rep. Dennis Reboletti’s 46.5%, with 99% of votes counted. The 52nd District saw Republican Rep. Marty McLaughlin winning 50.8% to Democrat Maria Peterson’s 49.2%, with 98% of votes counted. In the 49th District, Democratic incumbent state Rep. Maura Hischauer’s 54% bested Republican Hannah Billingsley’s 46%, with 98% of votes tabulated.
There were fewer competitive Senate races, and early numbers show the partisan split staying steady.
Democrats fought hardest to help freshman state Sen. Patrick Joyce keep his 40th District seat, which covers parts of Will and Kankakee counties, in a repeat race against Philip Nagel. With 87% of the vote in, Joyce held off Nagel, 58.6% to 41.6%.
But the AP has not declared a winner in the 46th District in central Illinois, including parts of Peoria. Democrat Dave Koehler holds a 58.8% lead over Republican Sally Owens with 75.8% of votes counted.
Democrats hold a two-to-one advantage in Springfield now, holding 40 seats in the Senate to the GOP’s 19 and have an apparent 78 seats in the House to Republicans’ 40.
Those numbers give Democrats cushion, even when needing the supermajority 36 votes in the Senate and 71 House votes to override a veto, take on debt and pass immediate legislation after the General Assembly’s typical end-of-May adjournment.
Democrats’ strength in the legislature also helps their fundraising efforts, which in the 2024 cycle enabled the party to easily outspend the GOP.
Contact Amanda Vinicky: @AmandaVinicky | [email protected]
