Gryder, Lauf, Pekau to face Suburban Democratic Members of Congress in November
Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder won the 14th District GOP primary Tuesday night to challenge Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) in November.
Suburban Democratic members of Congress have their Republican challengers for the fall.
In the new 14th District, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, who may be the most at-risk Democrat in the fall, will face Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder of Oswego in November. Gryder, 46, defeated Kendall County GOP Chairman Jim Marter and former radio host Mike Koolidge in a field of five.
With 98% of the expected vote in Friday, Gryder had 31%, Marter had 24%, and Koolidge had 20%.
In a statement Wednesday, Gryder took aim at Underwood and President Joe Biden.
“Lauren Underwood is in trouble because we are in the grips of the worst economy in over 40 years,” Gryder said. With gas, groceries, medicine, rent, and everything else skyrocketing in price, the results of this primary show people are concerned and focused on the rising cost of everyday necessities. We need to change course, away from the failing policies and leadership Joe Biden and his allies in Congress like Lauren Underwood.”
President Biden won the new 14th District by around 11 points. Governor Pritzker won the new district by around 9 points in 2018.
Trump-aligned firebrand Catalina Lauf of Woodstock won the GOP nomination to face Congressman Bill Foster (D-Naperville).
Lauf, 29, worked in the Commerce Department during the Trump administration and finished 3rd in a congressional primary in 2020. She also worked on former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign for a time in 2018.
She defeated five other Republican challengers Tuesday, collecting around 32% of the vote.
President Biden won the new 11th by around 15 points, but Governor Pritzker won the district by just 2.5% in 2018.
Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau won the 6th Congressional District primary, defeating five other GOP candidates. With about 98% of the expected vote counted, Pekau leads Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso around 39% to 27%.
“Far-left politicians have put special interest, party politics, and their extreme far-left agendas ahead of doing what’s best for the people they’re supposed to represent, and it’s led to rising crime, the highest inflation since 1980, and a declining economy,” Pekau said in a statement Wednesday. “6th District residents are struggling to keep up.”
He faces Congressman Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove), who defeated fellow incumbent Congresswoman Marie Newman (D-LaGrange) Tuesday.
President Biden won the new district by around 11 points in 2020, Governor Pritzker won the district by about 5 points in 2018.