Kathy Salvi Wins Republican U.S. Senate Nomination in Illinois

Chicago-area personal injury lawyer Kathy Salvi snagged the Republican nomination for the Illinois U.S. Senate race, the Associated Press projected. 

Salvi, who led six other Republican candidates during her campaign, will go on to challenge incumbent Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). The Associated Press and the New York Times called the race around 1 a.m. ET on Wednesday, showing Salvi with 30.3 percent of votes. Peggy Hubbard, a Belleville resident, Navy veteran, and former police officer, came in second at 24.7 percent.

Republicans selected nominees for both the governor and Senate races – which could become competitive in November in the current environment. Republicans have won statewide in Illinois in recent years, so a red wave in the state remains a possibility. 

Salvi, who is a former Lake County assistant public defender, ran for Congress in 2006, though she did not win. Her campaign strategy so far has been to link Duckworth to President Joe Biden’s floundering agenda. Her campaign website says her main priorities if she is elected are the border, economy, energy independence, parental rights in education, law and order, and international relations.

Duckworth, a veteran of the Iraq War, is an avid supporter of abortion, maintains “Big Oil” is causing high gas prices, and has promoted an “assault weapons” ban. Duckworth beat out moderate Republican Sen. Mark Kirk by ten points in 2016.