Election 2022: Helland bests Cantlin for La Salle County judgeship

If Tuesday’s lead holds, La Salle County will have a new circuit judge – and Grundy County will need a new state’s attorney.

Grundy County State’s Attorney Jason A. Helland, a Republican, was poised to take the La Salle County judgeship from Christina M. Cantlin, a Democratic appointee installed last year.

With all precincts counted in La Salle, Bureau and Grundy counties, Helland held a preliminary lead of 38,496 to 31,422 over Cantlin. The results aren’t final, but Cantlin acknowledged in a brief statement that Helland’s lead appeared insurmountable.

Ahead of the vote tabulation, Helland had advised Shaw Media he would not issue a statement Tuesday night.

Helland rode a red wave across the three-county circuit with help from gubernatorial challenger Darren Bailey. Though the Republican hopeful for governor was crushed statewide – the race was called for incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker minutes after the polls closed – but Bailey carried three-fifths of the vote in La Salle, Bureau and Grundy counties and lifted several down-ballot Republicans to victory.

The new judge is a 1994 graduate of Seneca High School who earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Francis in 1999 and his law degree from John Marshall Law School in 2003, both with honors. He has been a prosecutor for nearly 20 years.

Cantlin did not return a phone call late Tuesday seeking comment.