Underwood tops Oberweis

Congresswoman wins second term after state senator claimed victory

Lauren Underwood is returning to Congress for a second term. (One Illinois/Ted Cox)

By Ted Cox

Lauren Underwood is returning to Congress for a second term.

The Associated Press declared Thursday that the U.S. representative had won the 14th Illinois Congressional District. With all precincts reporting in the sprawling west-suburban district spanning seven counties — which slowed and complicated the vote tabulation — the Associated Press had the count at Underwood with 200,638 votes, or 50.6 percent, and state Sen. Jim Oberweis with 196,034, or 49.4 percent, making Underwood the winner by 4,604 votes.

Oberweis, a Sugar Grove resident and a frequent political candidate best known for his west-suburban dairy and ice-cream business, rashly declared victory election night, Nov. 3, but Underwood insisted she had the support to regain the seat when all the votes, including mail-in ballots, were counted. That proved to be the case.

Oberweis, however, refused to concede the election, in spite of AP’s report of a completed count. Oberweis campaign spokesman Travis Akin issued a statement saying, “There are still votes that have yet to be counted,” and that Oberweis would seek a recount.

The completed count was enough for Underwood, though, who reclaimed the seat in what had been considered a Republican district until she defeated U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren two years ago.

“We made history for a second time and won this election,” Underwood said in a video posted on her campaign’s Facebook page. Having campaigned originally as a nurse defending health care — a position she maintained this election cycle with TV ads emphasizing that she’d passed health-care legislation signed by President Trump — she again rode that platform to victory.

Having won, the Naperville resident remained above the political fray, telling constituents, “Whether you voted for me or not, my commitment is to represent everyone in our community. That’s my responsibility, and I take it seriously.”

Underwood’s victory left the Illinois congressional delegation unchanged by party affiliation, at 13-5 in favor of Democrats, as U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis again fended off a challenge by Betsy Dirksen Londrigan in the 13th District in central Illinois, U.S. Rep. Sean Casten defeated former Republican governor candidate Jeanne Ives in the 6th District, and Mary Miller replaced the retiring U.S. Rep. John Shimkus in the 15th District, defeating Erika Weaver.