Arellano concedes to Demmer in 90th House race

DIXON – A Dixon man has won the Republican primary for the state’s 90th House District.

Tom Demmer, 25, of Dixon received the most votes in the race, besting three other candidates with about 34 percent of the vote.

With 99 percent of the 190 precincts in the district reporting, Demmer had 5,066 votes, according to The Associated Press. The 90th House District includes parts of DeKalb, La Salle, Lee and Ogle counties.

Another Dixon native, Liandro Arellano Jr., came in second with 4,714 votes. Rochelle Mayor Chet Olson had 3,859 of the votes and DeKalb political consultant Dan Sidmore had 1,142 votes.

Arellano did not concede the race Tuesday night.

“Given the long night, and the close results, we are calling it a night,” Arellano said in a news release issued late Tuesday night. “Tomorrow we will look at the official results and the outstanding absentee ballots, and go from there.”

But he did concede Wednesday morning. In an email to the Daily Chronicle, Arellano said he called Demmer Wednesday morning to congratulate him.

"I will be fully supporting him through this election season," he wrote.

Sidmore did not extend his support to Demmer.

“I’m just praying that the Democrats put a good challenger to Tom Demmer,” he said.

When asked why, Sidmore said: “That’s personal, and his campaign was unethical. That’s all I’m going to say. It’s not about me winning or losing. It’s about his ethics as a Catholic.”

The general election is Nov. 6, and while there is no Democratic challenger awaiting Demmer, political parties have until June 4 to caucus in candidates.

That might happen, Lee County Democratic Chairman Jerry Sheridan said.

“As of right now, [the party chairmen] have discussed supporting a young man,” Sheridan said. “He hasn’t made his mind up yet.”

Regardless, Demmer plans to move ahead with his campaign.

“There’s a lot of interest in changing Springfield, and this is how this area can do it,” Demmer said.

Olson did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday night.

If Demmer does win the 90th House District in November, he said he plans to make job creation his No. 1 priority. He wants to do that by getting the state’s finances under control, bringing back a positive business climate and restoring trust in government.

He doesn’t see his age as an issue.

“It’s a unique perspective,” Demmer said. “There aren’t many people down there that bring this generation’s perspective.”