Voters headed to the polls in better than expected numbers on Election Day; both locally and nationally. There were no local contested races in Lawrence County; but there were many state races to be decided. Democrat J.B. Pritzker toppled first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in the Illinois governor race with 54 percent of the vote. Rauner did take Lawrence County with 60 percent of the vote. Incumbent Republican John Shimkus defeated Democrat Kevin Gaither in the race for the 15th Congressional District seat both statewide and in Lawrence County. Republican Chris Miller defeated Democrat Shirley A. Bell to be the state representative in the 110th District; while Republican Darren Bailey defeated Democrat Cynthia Given to be state representative in the 109th District.
There was one courthouse upset in Knox County as nearly 53% of voters turned out in the county’s 32 precincts. Democrat Incumbent County Clerk Terri Allen was defeated by Republican challenger David Shelton. Shelton won with over 52%.Knox County Commissioner’s President Kellie Streeter won re-election for the Republicans with over 67%. In the County Council Districts 1 and 2 and 4 the incumbents easily won. Randy Crismore had nearly 60% and Bob Lechner with nearly 65% and James Beery with almost 62% respectively. In County Council District 3 the Republican Jay Yochum will take Nicole Like’s seat. She did not run for re-election. Yochum won over Democrat Ray McCormick with 64%. The Knox County Sheriff’s position will stay with the Republicans. Deputy Doug Vantlin won over Democrat Brian Hagen 71 to 29%. There was only one school board race in Knox County and that was District D at North Knox where challenger Jared Saucerman unseated incumbent Jame Franklin, 67 to 33%.
On a night Democrats nationwide rode a blue wave of opposition to President Donald Trump to pick up governorships and flip dozens of House seats, their momentum stalled in the red state of Indiana. Instead, Republican Mike Braun’s victory against Indiana’s lone remaining Democrat elected statewide, helped turn it an even darker shade of crimson. The multimillionaire auto parts magnate ousted Sen. Joe Donnelly. The vote margin was around 53% for Braun over Donnelly’s 43%. Libertarian Lucy Brenton picked up the rest of the votes.
