Who won and lost in Tuesday’s Sauk Valley elections: Here are 7 key results

Sauk Valley voters produced Republicans majorities for county boards. They also chose between several new faces in Congressional races: candidates who had never before held public office and an incumbent introduced because of redistricting.

Here is a quick recap on how the mid-term elections went in the Sauk Valley:

1. U.S. House

In one of the most-watched Congressional races in the nation, Eric Sorensen, a Democrat and former TV meteorologist, won his race against Esther Joy King, a Republican and member of the Army Reserves, for the open 17th District U.S. House seat.

The 17th District includes Whiteside and Carroll counties. King, who ran unsuccessfully in 2020 against Cheri Bustos, carried the vote in both counties.

Sorensen’s support largely came from the district’s urban precincts: Rockford, Quad Cities, Peoria and Normal.

In a Twitter post on Thursday, Sorensen wrote: “To everyone who exercised their civic duty in this election: thank you for participating in our democracy. I will never subscribe to the politics of hate and division because I believe in serving EVERYONE. Now it’s time to get to work because YOU matter.”

With 99% of the vote tabulated, unofficial results showed Sorensen with a 119,450 to 111,378 vote lead, 51.8% to 48.3%.

In the reconfigured 16th District U.S. House race, which includes Lee and Ogle counties, U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood won the seat left vacant after Adam Kinzinger chose not to run.

“I look forward to the work ahead to represent our values in Washington, deliver results for our communities, and building a better economy for families,” LaHood wrote in a tweet posted Tuesday evening.

LaHood has served the 18th District since 2015, but the seat was eliminated after the 2020 U.S. Census.

LaHood defeated Democrat Elizabeth Haderlein. With 96% of the vote tabulated, unofficial results showed LaHood led 187,232 to 94,508, 66.5% to 33.5%.

2. Whiteside Sheriff

Incumbent Democrat John Booker won reelection to sheriff on Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Mike Lewis, the police chief of Tampico.

Booker called his re-election an honor, but that his success is a reflection of his department’s deputies and staff.  “The success that I have been fortunate enough to experience over these past four years, I owe to them,” he said.

In unofficial tallies, Booker had 11,668 votes and Lewis 8,157, a 58.85% to 41.15% margin.

3. Lee County Board

Republicans will hold a significant majority on the county board, winning 18 of the available 20 seats. The board reduced its membership by four seats after the census.

Deceased incumbent Doug Farster, who died Oct. 14 at age 64, nevertheless received 803 votes.

4. 1% Sales Tax

In Whiteside County, a ballot measure to use a 1% sales tax to pay for a consolidated 911 dispatch center was soundly defeated. The unofficial result was 76.15% opposed.

This was the second time such a referendum was defeated.

The county currently operates two dispatch centers and operations are in the red. Other municipalities might now be asked to pay more for the services.

5. Oregon proposition

A 56.39% majority of Oregon voters chose to adopt a city manager form of municipal government, unofficial results showed.

Mayor Ken Williams, a proponent of the measure, said: “It marks the way forward to greater things in the city.”

6. Whiteside County Board

The Whiteside County board shifted to a Republican majority after five Democratic incumbents were unseated, unofficial vote tallies indicated.

There will also be seven newcomers to the board: six Republicans and a Democrat.

7. Abortion as an issue

Illinois Democrats campaigned on the issue of abortion access after the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case. In the Sauk Valley, pro-abortion candidates did not register majorities.