Five-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bost fended off a challenge from ultra-right farmer turned politician Darren Bailey in a turf war over the state’s most conservative congressional district.
With 81% of the votes counted, Bost led Bailey 53% to 47% in the downstate 12th Congressional District, according to AP estimates.
Bost declared victory at about 9:41 p.m., and Bailey conceded about 15 minutes later.
Bost thanked former President Donald Trump for his endorsement in his victory speech in downstate Murphysboro — and urged Republicans to "unite and work together."
"Because if we're going to turn this ship ... in the right direction, we have to take a larger majority of the House. We have to take the Senate. We need a president to guide us, from that Republican party."
Bailey told a sparse crowd of supporters that he hoped they'd sent a message to the GOP.
"Guys, we came up short tonight. ... I think we made a statement. I think hopefully the party will take notice that we're not going to take this sellout attitude," Bailey said in his brief remarks. "It was close."
And Democratic U.S. Reps. Sean Casten and Bill Foster held onto their suburban congressional seats after facing progressive challengers who tried to veer them further to the left on key issues such as the Israel-Hamas War.
After serving in the Illinois House and Senate, and losing the gubernatorial election to Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2022, Bailey was hoping for a comeback. A loss could signal the end of his political career. At least for now.
Although both Bost, 63, and Bailey, 58, are staunch Trump supporters, the race is viewed as a test of just how far right the district’s voters want to go, with Bailey banking on the support of U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Mary Miller, R-Ill.
Bailey’s election night party at the Christian academy he founded in downstate Louisville was a low-key, balloon-clad family affair — a far cry from a packed Effingham banquet hall where he celebrated a huge GOP gubernatorial primary win in 2022. Bost was holding court until the race was called in a back room at the Brews Brothers Tap Room in Murphsyboro.
Downstate donnybrook
Bailey had been seeking Trump’s endorsement, which he received in the waning days of his unsuccessful gubernatorial primary campaign. This time, his wooing included multiple visits to Mar-a-Lago and a fundraiser in Effingham featuring Donald Trump Jr.
But Trump in February endorsed Bost, amid a lobbying effort by House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans, dealing a huge blow to Bailey in a campaign that focused largely on loyalty to the former GOP president.
Bost, a lifelong Murphysboro resident, is the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and a self-described “constitutional conservative.” He was elected to Congress after serving as an Illinois state representative for 20 years. He campaigned heavily on his experience — and on Trump’s endorsement.
Bost told the Sun-Times he would still support the former president if he is convicted.
Casten cruises to victory in suburban 6th CD
Casten held a huge fundraising advantage over his two Democratic primary opponents as he sought his fourth term in Congress in the solidly blue 6th Congressional District. He will face Republican Niki Conforti in the Nov. 5 general election.
Casten, who did not hold an election night party, declared victory shortly after 8 p.m. The Downers Grove resident led with 77.1% of the vote — with 75% of votes counted, according to AP estimates. Digital strategist Mahnoor Ahmad was a distant second with 14%.
“As we turn to the general election, we must remind ourselves what is at stake,” Casten said in a statement.
“I’m running for re-election to defend women’s reproductive rights, protect American democracy, end gun violence, and combat the climate crisis. Those are values that are shared throughout the 6th District but opposed by the far-right efforts that want to take this seat. I’m confident that, as they have time and again, voters will side with decency, humanity, science, and democracy.”
Casten, 52, raised more than $1.58 million for his reelection campaign. Both Ahmad and Charles Hughes, the third primary challenger, raised $5,875. Hughes drew 8.9% with 75% of the votes counted, according to AP estimates.
Ahmad, 32, was born in Quetta, Pakistan, and lives in Oakbrook Terrace. Hughes, who also ran in 2018 and 2022, was born in Chicago and is an operations technician with Nicor Gas.
two years ago, Casten was forced to run against fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Newman — the product of redistricting by the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly. He beat Newman 68.1% to 28.8%.
Foster trounces challenger in 11th CD race
In the 11th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster defeated Naperville human rights attorney Qasim Rashid in the Democratic primary. With 87% of votes counted, according to AP estimates, Foster led Rashid 77% to 23.1%.
Foster, a former physicist at Fermilab, was first elected to Congress in 2008. The sprawling 11th District — considered solid Democratic turf — now encompasses most of McHenry and Kane counties and parts of Boone, DeKalb, DuPage, Cook, Lake and Will counties.
Rashid, who immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan when he was 5, made the Israel-Hamas war a focal point of his campaign, highlighting how he and Foster differed in their approach to the conflict.
At The Burger Life in Naperville, Rashid addressed over 25 supporters as he appeared to concede to Foster.
“Today the results obviously didn’t go the way we had hoped,” Rashid said. “We’re going to spend the time psychoanalyzing everything later on and figure out just what went wrong.”
Despite the loss, Rashid said he wouldn’t have run his campaign any differently.
“By focusing on the principles of humanity, by putting justice above all else, we were either going to win with justice or lose with dignity,” Rashid said.
Three Republicans are vying to face Foster. Jerry Evans led a three-way race in the GOP primary with 49.1% of the vote with 35% of the votes in.
Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mohammad Samra reported from Naperville and Clarendon Hills; WBEZ reporters Mawa Iqbal reported from downstate Louisville; and Alex Degman from Murphysboro
