The Republican incumbent in a congressional rematch said Tuesday he’s fighting for the next generation.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, was again challenged by Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan. Davis beat Londrigan in 2018 by a few percentage points.
Davis declared victory late Tuesday after several media outlets declared him the winner.
“The media outlets believe this lead is insurmountable and I’m very frustrated by the fact that we have one county clerk who has yet to report still a good number of votes that have been cast,” Davis said late Tuesday. “That’s frustrating but it’s not a surprise because we saw in the primary issues with Champaign County Clerk Arron Ammons.”
Champagne County was delayed in reporting vote totals.
Davis said he’s focused on addressing student loan debt, infrastructure and defeating coronavirus.
In other congressional races, many incumbent Democrats secured another term. Incumbent Peoria Republican U.S. Rep. Darren LaHood declared victory. Republican Mary Miller, the wife of state Rep. Chris Miller and a grandmother is 17, is projected to secure the 15th Congressional District, replacing outgoing U.S. Rep. John Shimkus.
Other congressional races were too close to call. There are still several hundred thousand vote-by-mail ballots in transit to local elections officials.
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, is claiming victory in his bid for another term, and he says the issues the Congress will have to deal with are clear.
While election officials urged patience for official outcomes, that didn’t keep Durbin from declaring victory Tuesday night.
“Let me tell ya, this is the most unusual victory speech I’ve ever given, sitting in my home in Springfield staring into an iPad,” Durbin said. “I’ve never had a party this sedate in the past, but it reflects the reality of this election year and the reality of America today.”
He said the issues are clear.
“I think those two issues, healthcare, coronavirus and bringing this economy back, really are the priorities most people identify,” Durbin said.
Durbin was up against four other candidates. Republican Mark Curran trailed Durbin by nearly 400,000 votes late Tuesday. Independent Willie Willson trailed behind that with just over 4 percent of the vote. Libertarian candidate Danny Malouf and Green Party’s David Black got about 1 percent of the vote.