North Shore Voters Return Democrats To Office In Springfield, Waukegan

WAUKEGAN, IL — Incumbent Democratic lawmakers on Chicago's North Shore kept their seats in Tuesday's general election, fending off Republican challenges in contested races for state representative, countywide offices and Lake County Board.

As of Wednesday, no seats have been flipped in Springfield nor in Waukegan, according to unofficial results from local election authorities and the Associated Press, which had called all but six races for the Illinois House's 118 seats.

Both parties in Illinois issued statements expressing satisfaction with the results.

“Our volunteers and organizers made nearly 2 million voter contacts across Illinois," representatives of the Democratic Party of Illinois said.

"We stood alongside Democratic candidates dedicated to our shared values, and engaged voters in targeted counties. The Party made direct investments in down-ballot races, targeting key county board seats, and prioritized voter turnout among Black and Latino communities," the statement continued. “While we continue to await final results in Illinois, we remain proud of the tremendous organizing and collaboration we’ve achieved across our state."

Illinois House Republican Leader Rep. Tony McCombie described the results as a win for the GOP considering the headwinds it faces in the Prairie State.

“Election night was a victory for House Republicans. Holding our caucus together is a testament to our grassroots operation — the heart of our team, undeterred by the most partisan gerrymandered map in the nation and exponential spending against us," McCombie said.

"Illinois voters are exhausted by decades of one-party control," according to the Carroll County Republican. "House Republicans remain committed to delivering economic growth, ending corruption and putting Illinois families first.”

In the 17th District, made up of all or part of Glenview, Northbrook, Skokie and Evanston, incumbent Democrat Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz held her seat with 67.5 percent of the vote against Republican Jim Geldermann, who captured 32.5 percent.

In the 18th District, Evanston Democrat and House Majority Leader Rep. Robyn Gabel scored the most decisive victory in the area, winning 78.5 percent of the vote compared to 21.5 percent for Wilmette Republican Charles Hutchinson in his second attempt at the seat, which spans Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and parts of Northfield.

Democratic Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl, who was appointed to 57th District seat, defeated her fellow Northbrook resident, Republican Daniel Behr, with 58.4 percent to 41.6 percent. The district also includes Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights.

In the 58th District, Deerfield Democrat Rep. Bob Morgan won reelection with 67.2 percent of the vote against Highland Park Republican Carl Lambrecht, who received 32.8 percent.

Rep. Daniel Didech, a Buffalo Grove Democrat, prevailed in the 59th District with 62.9 percent over Chris Henning, who took 37.1 percent of the vote. District 59 includes parts of Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire and Vernon Hills.

And in the state's northeastern corner, Gurnee Democrat Rep. Joyce Mason retained her 61st District seat with 58.0 percent of the vote, outpacing Republican James Creighton Mitchell, who earned 42.0 percent, to continue representing Zion, Gurnee and Beach Park.

So far, the closest races in the Illinois General Assembly include the 52nd District, where Barrington Hills Republican Rep. Martin McLaughlin holds a narrow 51 percent to 49 percent lead over Democrat Maria Peterson, and in the 47th District, where Republican Rep. Amy Grant holds a lead of less than 1 percent against Democrat and fellow Wheaton resident Jackie Williamson.

In addition to the state representative races, Democrats in Lake County held their ground in countywide offices and several contested board seats, maintaining a firm grip on local government across the North Shore and northern suburbs.

Incumbent Lake County Circuit Court Clerk Erin Cartwright Weinstein, a Gurnee Democrat, secured reelection with 55.8 percent of the vote against Lake Forest Republican Carla Wyckoff, who received 44.2 percent. Weinstein has overseen the court’s administrative operations since her first election, and her victory continues Democratic control over this role.

Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek, a Green Oaks Democrat, easily defended her seat, winning 57.6 percent to 42.4 percent over Highland Park Republican Mark Symonds. Banek, who has focused on modernizing the coroner’s office and expanding mental health resources, retains oversight of forensic investigations across the county.

In the race to become Lake County state’s attorney, incumbent Eric Rinehart, a Highland Park Democrat, won with 54.2 percent of the vote, overcoming Lake Bluff Republican Mary Cole, who captured 45.8 percent. Rinehart’s office, responsible for prosecuting criminal cases and representing Lake County in civil matters, remains under Democratic leadership, which he first took in 2020.

Contested county board races saw both Democratic and Republican incumbents appear to retain their seats, leaving the board’s balance of power unchanged.

Wauconda Republican Adam Schlick held a narrow lead of about 600 votes out of 19,000 cast in District 2, which also includes parts of Hawthorn Woods, Mundelein, Round Lake and Round Lake Park. As of Wednesday afternoon, he had 51.6 percent of the vote to 48.4 percent for Hawthorn Woods Democrat Hilary Winiarz.

District 5 was a decisive win for incumbent Fox Lake Republican J. Kevin Hunter, who defeated Michael Conway with 57.9 percent of the vote. Hunter’s district spans Fox Lake, Lake Villa, and areas in Antioch and Grant townships, reaffirming Republican strength in the area.

In District 12, Deerfield Democrat Paras Parekh defended his seat with a commanding 62.2 percent over Lake Forest Republican Andrew Dalkin, who earned 37.8 percent. Parekh’s district includes Bannockburn, Deerfield, as well as parts of Highland Park and Lake Forest.

Lake Bluff Democrat Sandy Hart, the board chair, retained her seat in District 13 with 58 percent of the vote, leading Ben Grum by a margin of nearly 4,900 votes. Hart represents Lake Bluff and portions of Gurnee, North Chicago and Waukegan.

And in District 18, Vernon Hills Democrat Sara Frederick Knizhnik won reelection with 54.3 percent against Alex Sofronas, who garnered 45.7 percent. Knizhnik’s district covers parts of Buffalo Grove, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Long Grove and Vernon Hills.

Unofficial vote totals from the Lake County Clerk's Office do yet not include late arriving mail-in ballots or provisional ballots.

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