- First-term Rep. Lauren Underwood has defeated Republican challenger Jim Oberweis to maintain control of Illinois’ 14th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ.
- The district is one of 30 in the country which voted for President Donald Trump in 2016 but is currently represented by a Democrat.
- Underwood, a registered nurse who worked on healthcare policy under the Obama administration, is the youngest Black woman to serve in Congress.
- Polls began closing in the district at 7 p.m. local time.
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First-term Democratic Rep. Lauren Underwood has successfully defended her seat against Republican Jim Oberweis in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ.
The candidates
Underwood, a registered nurse, was a policy coordinator and senior advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services. She defeated four-term incumbent Randy Hultgren in 2018 to become the youngest Black woman to serve in Congress.
Underwood was endorsed by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden prior to the 2018 election.
Oberweis, chairman of Oberweis Dairy, currently represents the 25th District in the Illinois State Senate. He previously attempted to run against President Barack Obama for a seat in the US Senate in 2004, but lost in the Republican primary.
The district
Illinois’ 14th Congressional District is located in the northeastern region of the state, and contains some of the Chicago suburbs and exurbs. The district is home to the northern and western areas of Chicago and parts of Will, Kendall, Dupage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties.
The district is one of 30 congressional districts in the United States which voted for President Donald Trump in 2016 but is currently represented by a Democrat. Trump carried the 14th District by four percentage points in 2016, according to the Daily Kos.
The money race
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Underwood raised over $7 million, spent $5.2 million, and has $1.8 million in cash on hand.
Meanwhile, Oberweis raised $2.5 million, spent $1.8 million, and has a little under $700,000 in cash on hand.
What experts say
The race between Underwood and Oberweis was rated as "safe Democratic" by Inside Elections and "likely Democratic" by The Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.