U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis has moved out to a lead over Doug Truax in a battle for the Republican nomination that is closer than expected, according to early, unofficial returns tonight.
Oberweis had 56 percent of the vote to Truax's 44 percent, with 40 percent of the state's precincts reporting.
'Hopefully, the numbers get good as the night goes on,' Oberweis said at his election night event.
The Republican winner will face incumbent Sen. Dick Durbin, who ran unopposed on the Democratic side.
Truax, a first-time candidate, was running more strongly than some predicted, considering that he trailed Oberweis 52 percent to 18 percent in a Tribune/WGN-TV poll taken March 1-5.
During the week before the primary, Oberweis celebrated his wife's birthday in Florida while Chicago got belted by another snowstorm. Truax gained public attention by criticizing his opponent as an out-of-touch 'snowbird.'
During the primary campaign, Oberweis, 67, a state senator from Sugar Grove, followed a strategy of ignoring Truax, 43, from Downers Grove. Citing the press of legislative business, Oberweis agreed to only one debate, a position that drew criticism from Truax.
Twitter: @KatherineSkiba
Posted by Unknown on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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