GOP-Backed Candidates Win Mayoral Races in Naperville, Joliet, and Springfield
Joliet Mayor-Elect Terry D’Arcy celebrates with supporters Tuesday evening. (Photo: Shaw Media)
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Joliet isn’t a Republican town. Naperville was once the center of the GOP dominance in DuPage County, but has turned blue in recent years. Springfield, with numerous state employees and union presence has had more Democratic than Republican mayors in recent years.
All three elected GOP-backed mayors Tuesday.
While mayors in Illinois are officially non-partisan, it’s often not a secret which party they belong to.
In Joliet, auto dealer Terry D’Arcy blew out incumbent Mayor Bob O’Dekirk by a more than two-to-one margin. With 100% of precincts reporting, D’Arcy had around 8,600 votes to O’Dekirk’s around 4,100 for a 61%-29% victory over the two-term incumbent.
“It’s a pretty exciting thing I’ll tell you,” D’Arcy told Shaw Media. “I’m looking forward to being able to lead our city.”
In Naperville, businessman Scott Wehrli appears to have defeated Naperville City Council member Benny White. After midnight this morning, Wehrli led White 15,915 to 13,436, a difference of just under 2,500 votes. It isn’t clear how many late arriving mail-in ballots are left and how they would would impact the race.
“We worked so hard to represent every voice in this community,” he told supporters, according to the Naperville Sun.
Springfield City Treasurer Mindy Buscher votes Tuesday. She won the race for Springfield Mayor defeating incumbent Jim Langfelder. (Photo: State Journal-Register)
Springfield elected its second woman ever to serve as Mayor Tuesday. GOP-backed City Treasurer Misty Buscher defeated incumbent Jim Langfelder by 772 votes of over 26,000 cast. Langfelder conceded the election Tuesday night.
“I’m running to beat make big changes in the city of Springfield,” Buscher told WCIA after voting Tuesday. “So I want the voters to know that there would be changes with me as your mayor.”
Buscher’s victory is a trend for downstate mayors. Once she is sworn in, Springfield, Decatur, Champaign, Urbana, and Peoria will all have female mayors. Champaign Mayor Deb Frank Feinen was overwhelmingly re-elected Tuesday and Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe was unopposed.
