2022 Illinois primary election: Tipsword emerges as leader of 105th House race

Dennis Tipsword emerged as the top vote-getter June 28 in the newly drawn 105th District Illinois House of Representatives race.

Tipsword, of Metamora, tallied 5,497 votes to 3,100 for both Kyle Ham, of Bloomington, and Mike Kirkton, of Gridley. Donald Rients tallied the fourth-most votes with 2,082. All tallies are unofficial.

Tipsword garnered his largest victory in his home county of Woodford, receiving 2,383 of his votes there. The chief deputy of the Woodford County Sheriff’s Office won every county in the district, with the exception of McLean and Livingston counties.

The new district includes parts of La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Woodford, McLean, Tazewell, Livingston, Marshall and Peoria counties.

The seat was held by Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, since 2001. The restructured district no longer includes Brady’s home. Brady announced he would not run for reelection, but will instead seek the Secretary of State post.

Tipsword has been a police officer for nearly three decades. Ham is a senior vice president of ELM Companies. Kirkton, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and a member of the Livingston County Board, is a farmer. Rients is an infrastructure analyst at State Farm Insurance after working at the Pontiac Correctional Center.