Wikipedia

2020 United States Senate election in Illinois

For related races, see 2020 United States Senate elections.
Not to be confused with 2020 Illinois Senate election.

The 2020 United States Senate election in Illinois was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Illinois, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections and the Illinois Fair Tax. Incumbent Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who had been Senate Minority Whip since 2015, won reelection to a fifth term in office, defeating Republican nominee Mark Curran.

2020 United States Senate election in Illinois
← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
Turnout72.14%
 
Nominee Dick Durbin Mark Curran
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 3,278,930 2,319,870
Percentage 54.93% 38.87%
Durbin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Curran:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      40–50%      No data
U.S. senator before election

Dick Durbin
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Dick Durbin
Democratic

Durbin decisively won re-election with 54.9% of the vote. Key to Durbin's landslide victory was the heavily populated and very Democratic Cook County home of Chicago, which he won by around 560,000 votes. Durbin also did well in the suburban, often called collar counties of Chicago, winning all of them except McHenry County. Durbin did well in Champaign County, home of the University of Illinois, and St. Clair County, where his birth home of East St. Louis is located. Nevertheless, Curran did well in most rural areas of the state, including winning rural Alexander County where a Republican had not won since 1972. Durbin became the first senator from Illinois to be elected five consecutive times since senators began being elected by popular vote in 1913.[1]

Background

edit

The primaries and general elections coincide with those for federal (president and House) and those for state offices.

For the primaries, turnout was 28.36% with 2,279,439 votes cast.[2][3]

Democratic primary

edit

Candidates

edit

Nominee

edit

Withdrawn

edit

Declined

edit

Endorsements

edit
Dick Durbin

Organizations

Results

edit
Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dick Durbin (incumbent) 1,446,118 100.00%
Total votes 1,446,118 100.00%

Republican primary

edit

Candidates

edit

Nominee

edit

Eliminated in primary

edit

Withdrew

edit

Declined

edit

Endorsements

edit
Mark Curran

U.S. representatives

U.S. Lieutenant Governors

U.S. Attorneys General

  • Jim Ryan, former Attorney General of Illinois

Illinois legislators

Newspapers

Organizations

Individuals

[30]

Results

edit
 
Results by county
Curran
  •   Curran—60–70%
  •   Curran—50–60%
  •   Curran—40–50%
  •   Curran—30–40%
  •   Curran—<30%
Hubbard
  •   Hubbard—40–50%
  •   Hubbard—30–40%
  •   Hubbard—<30
Tarter
  •   Tarter—30–40%
  •   Tarter—<30
Republican primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Curran 205,747 41.55%
Republican Peggy Hubbard 113,189 22.86%
Republican Robert Marshall 75,561 15.26%
Republican Tom Tarter 73,009 14.74%
Republican Casey Chlebek 27,655 5.58%
Republican Richard Mayers (write-in) 7 0.00%
Total votes 495,168 100.00%

Other candidates

edit

A legal ruling, taking note of the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois, allowed the Libertarian and Green Parties to have their selected candidate on the ballot without the normal signature requirements, as they each ran a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016.[31]

Constitution Party

edit

Removed from Ballot

edit
  • Chad Koppie, perennial candidate and former member of the Kane County Regional Board Of School Trustees.[27][32]

Green Party

edit

Nominee

edit
  • David F. Black, Green Party nominee for Illinois Attorney General in 2010[33]

Independent American Party

edit

Withdrawn

edit

Libertarian Party

edit

Nominee

edit

Willie Wilson Party

edit

Declared

edit

Independents

edit

Declared

edit
  • Kevin Keely, substitute teacher and community activist (as a write-in candidate)[42][43]
  • Albert A. Schaal (as a write-in candidate)[44]
  • Lowell Martin Seida, perennial candidate (as a write-in candidate)[45]

Withdrawn

edit
  • Patrick Feges[46][32]
  • Julie Rushing[46]
  • Connor Vlakancic, affiliated with the Republican Party (switched from Republican candidacy)[27][32]

General election

edit

Predictions

edit
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[47] Safe D October 29, 2020
Inside Elections[48] Safe D October 28, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[49] Safe D November 2, 2020
Daily Kos[50] Safe D October 30, 2020
Politico[51] Safe D November 2, 2020
RCP[52] Safe D October 23, 2020
DDHQ[53] Safe D November 3, 2020
538[54] Safe D November 2, 2020
Economist[55] Safe D November 2, 2020

Endorsements

edit
Dick Durbin (D)

U.S. presidents

Newspapers

Organizations

Unions

Mark Curran (R)

Newspapers

Organizations

Willie Wilson (WW)

Alderman

Organizations

  • Chicago Police Union[81]

Polling

edit
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Dick
Durbin (D) 		Mark
Curran (R) 		Willie
Wilson (I) 		Other Undecided
Research Co.[82] October 31 – November 1, 2020 450 (LV) ± 4.6% 52% 30% – 4%[b] 14%
Victory Research[83] October 26 – November 1, 2020 1,208 (LV) ± 2.8% 51% 26% 15% 5%[c] 4%
Hypothetical polling

with Dick Durbin, generic Republican and Willie Wilson

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Dick
Durbin (D) 		Generic Republican (R) Willie
Wilson (I) 		Undecided
Ogden & Fry/Citizens for Willie Wilson[84][A] September 4, 2019 449 (LV) ± 4.31% 44% 34% 4% 18%

with Dick Durbin and Willie Wilson

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Dick
Durbin (D) 		Willie
Wilson (I) 		Undecided
Ogden & Fry/Citizens for Willie Wilson[84][A] September 4, 2019 420 (LV) ± 4.31% 44% 25% 31%

Results

edit

Durbin also kept his landslide winning streak by winning with at least a ten-point margin. Durbin was sworn in on January 3, 2021, for his fifth term, which expires on January 3, 2027.

United States Senate election in Illinois, 2020[85]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dick Durbin (incumbent) 3,278,930 54.93% +1.38%
Republican Mark Curran 2,319,870 38.87% −3.82%
Willie Wilson Party Willie Wilson 237,699 3.98% N/A
Libertarian Danny Malouf 75,673 1.27% −2.49%
Green David Black 56,711 0.95% N/A
Write-in 18 0.00% N/A
Total votes 5,968,901 100.0%
Democratic hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

edit

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

edit

By congressional district

edit

Durbin won 12 of the 18 congressional districts, with the remaining 6 going to Curran. Curran won one district held by a Democrat.[86]

District Durbin Curran Representative
1st 64% 22% Bobby Rush
2nd 68% 18% Robin Kelly
3rd 55% 37% Dan Lipinski
Marie Newman
4th 78% 14% Chuy García
5th 69% 25% Mike Quigley
6th 51% 44% Sean Casten
7th 75% 12% Danny Davis
8th 58% 37% Raja Krishnamoorthi
9th 68% 27% Jan Schakowsky
10th 60% 36% Brad Schneider
11th 59% 35% Bill Foster
12th 44% 53% Mike Bost
13th 47.7% 48.3% Rodney Davis
14th 47% 48% Lauren Underwood
15th 29% 68% Mary Miller
16th 41% 55% Adam Kinzinger
17th 49% 48% Cheri Bustos
18th 37% 60% Darin LaHood

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b c Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. ^ "Someone else" with 4%
  3. ^ Malouf (L) with 3%; Black (G) with 2%

Partisan clients

  1. ^ a b Poll sponsored by Willie Wilson's campaign

References

edit
  1. ^ "Illinois U.S. Senate Election Results". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "Voter Turnout". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Election Results 2020 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 17, 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Greenwood, Max (January 3, 2019). "Dick Durbin: I'm running for reelection in 2020". The Hill. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  5. ^ @chooselove2020 (December 3, 2019). "While our campaign to unseat Dick Durbin has come to an end, the work of our grassroots movement of economic, political, racial & environmental justice is never over. I will doing everything I can to help Bernie win & my fellow down ballot progressives in IL. Not me, us!" (Tweet). Retrieved December 18, 2019 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Pearson, Rick (July 16, 2019). "With just $9.72 in the bank, Democratic lawmaker from Naperville officially ends long-shot primary challenge to Sen. Dick Durbin". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  7. ^ Gonzales, Nathan (November 7, 2018). "It's Not Too Early to Start Looking at the 2020 Senate Map". Roll Call. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  8. ^ Hayden, Sarah (September 18, 2019). "Bustos has three challengers; McCombie running again". Quad-City Times. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  9. ^ Korecki, Natasha (September 15, 2017). "Madigan stuns Illinois by announcing she won't seek reelection". Politico. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Sullivan, Liam. "BRADY EXPANDS ENDORSEMENTS TO 8 GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION CHAMPIONS FOR U.S. SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES". Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  11. ^ "MARCH 2020 PRIMARY ELECTION ENDORSED CANDIDATES" (PDF). Chicago Federation of Labor. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 13, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "End Citizens United Endorses 39 Candidates 10 Years After Citizens United Decision". End Citizens United. January 21, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  13. ^ "Illinois AFL-CIO 2020 Primary Election Endorsements" (PDF). Illinois AFL-CIO. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Sen. Dick Durbin (D, IL)". J Street PAC. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  15. ^ a b "2020 FEDERAL ENDORSEMENTS". National Organization for Women PAC. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  16. ^ a b c d "Election 2020 Endorsed Candidates". Planned Parenthood Illinois Action. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "VOTE FOR SIERRA CLUB'S CLIMATE CHAMPIONS 2020 ENDORSEMENTS". Sierra Club Independent Action. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  18. ^ "Report: Former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran to run for U.S. Senate". Daily Herald. August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  19. ^ Bustos, Joseph (September 5, 2019). "These candidates have announced they are running for office in the 2020 election". Belleville News-Democrat. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  20. ^ Cox, Benjamin (August 8, 2019). "Crowded Race for Illinois U.S. Senate Seat Shaping Up for 2020". WLDS AM. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  21. ^ Schwaller, Kevin (July 9, 2019). "Former candidate for governor Robert Marshall challenging Durbin for U.S. Senator". WMBD-TV. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  22. ^ Sfondeles, Tina (August 11, 2017). "Pritzker wins key Dem nod for gov, vows victory 'up and down' ticket". Chicago Sun Times. Chicago, Illinois. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  23. ^ "LIST OF PERSONS WHO FILED A DECLARATION OF INTENT TO BE A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE" (PDF). Kane County Clerk. January 16, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  24. ^ "'I snookered them': Illinois Nazi candidate creates GOP dumpster fire". Politico.com. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  25. ^ Schoenburg, Bernard (August 12, 2019). "Tarter, of Springfield, enters U.S. Senate race". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  26. ^ a b c "IL US Senate – R Primary". Our Campaigns. April 17, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  27. ^ a b c "ILLINOIS". Politics1. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  28. ^ a b "2020 Senate At-A-Glance" (PDF). Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  29. ^ Vlahos, Nick (August 14, 2019). "U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood says he's running for re-election in 2020". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  30. ^ "Over 60 endorsements for Mark Curran for US Senate – Mark Curran". Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  31. ^ "COVID-19 updates: Filing deadline changed". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  32. ^ a b c "Illinois 2020 Senate Candidate List". Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  33. ^ "Candidates". Illinois Green Party. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  34. ^ "The Green Papers: Illinois 2019 General Election". The Green Papers. May 14, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  35. ^ "The Green Papers: Illinois 2020 General Election". The Green Papers. July 3, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  36. ^ "Current Candidates – Libertarian Party of Illinois". www.lpillinois.org. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  37. ^ Leonard, Jake (January 23, 2020). "Malouf set to seek Libertarian nomination for U.S. Senate at annual convention in East Peoria". Heartland Newsfeed. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  38. ^ "Danny Malouf". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  39. ^ Ortiz, Alex (March 4, 2019). "Crystal Lake Republican aims to challenge Underwood in 2020". www.nwherald.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  40. ^ Hegarty, Erin (February 26, 2019). "Woodstock-based Republican says he'll run for Underwood's Congressional seat in 2020". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  41. ^ Donovan, Lisa. "Chicago businessman Willie Wilson says he'll run as an independent to challenge U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in 2020". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  42. ^ "News". Kevin Kelly for U.S. Senate. September 10, 2020. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  43. ^ "ILLINOIS". PoliticsOne. September 30, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  44. ^ "Schaal, Albert A." Our Campaigns. October 3, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  45. ^ Kosho, Rick (September 4, 2020). "Write-in candidate filing ends". WCMY 1430 AM. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  46. ^ a b "Illinois Senate 2020 Race". Open Secrets. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  47. ^ "2020 Senate Race Ratings for October 29, 2020". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  48. ^ "2020 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  49. ^ "2020 Senate race ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  50. ^ "2020 Senate Race Ratings". Daily Kos Elections. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  51. ^ "2020 Election Forecast". Politico. November 19, 2019.
  52. ^ "Battle for the Senate 2020". RCP. October 23, 2020.
  53. ^ "2020 Senate Elections Model". Decision Desk HQ. September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  54. ^ Silver, Nate (September 18, 2020). "Forecasting the race for the Senate". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  55. ^ "Forecasting the US elections". The Economist. November 2, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  56. ^ I am honored to have President @BarackObama’s support in my re-election campaign (Online video). Senator Dick Durbin. October 22, 2020.
  57. ^ "NDORSEMENT: Dick Durbin for the U.S. Senate and a new Democratic majority". Chicago Sun-Times. September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  58. ^ "Endorsement: U.S. Senate: Dick Durbin". Daily Chronicle. September 28, 2020. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  59. ^ "Endorsement: Dick Durbin for U.S. senate". Daily Herald. September 27, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  60. ^ "Endorsement: Dick Durbin for U.S. Senate – Illinois". The Dispatch /The Rock Island Argus. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  61. ^ The Editorial Board. "Editorial | Our choices for Congress". The News-Gazette.
  62. ^ "Senate Candidates – Council for a Livable World". Council for a Livable World.
  63. ^ "Everytown For Gun Safety Action Fund Endorses Dick Durbin for U.S. Senate In Illinois". Everytown. June 9, 2020.
  64. ^ "Giffords Endorses Slate of Senators Running to Bring a Gun Safety Majority to the US Senate". Giffords. May 8, 2020.
  65. ^ "Human Rights Campaign Endorses 40 House, 5 Senate Pro-Equality Leaders". Human Rights Campaign. May 18, 2020.
  66. ^ Society, Humane. "2020 Endorsements". Humane Society Legislative Fund.
  67. ^ "Meet the 2020 Candidates". Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs.[permanent dead link‍]
  68. ^ "Endorsements". League of Conservation Voters.
  69. ^ "Candidates We Endorse and Support". NCPSSM.
  70. ^ "U.S. Senate – Education Votes". educationvotes.nea.org.
  71. ^ "NRDC Action Fund Endorses 11 House, Senate Candidates". nrdcactionfund.org. June 15, 2020.
  72. ^ "Illinois AFL-CIO 2020 General Election Endorsements" (PDF). Illinois AFL-CIO. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  73. ^ "IFPTE Releases Its 2020 Congressional Endorsements". ifpte.org. International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers. July 6, 2020. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  74. ^ "2020 Illinois Election Center". seiuhcilin.org. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  75. ^ "Illinois – Official UAW Endorsements". uawendorsements.org. United Automobile Workers.
  76. ^ "Editorial: Republican Mark Curran Jr. for U.S. Senate". Chicago Tribune. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  77. ^ "Letter To The Editor: Log Cabin Republicans Endorse Mark Curran For U.S. Senate". RiverBender. AdVantage News. September 24, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  78. ^ "Mark Curran for US Senate". Northfield GOP. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  79. ^ "Endorsements". Tazewell County Republican Party. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  80. ^ a b c "Alderman Sposato, Napolitano, Taliaferro endorse Willie Wilson for U.S. Senate". October 2, 2020. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  81. ^ Dudek, Mitch (September 16, 2020). "Willie Wilson embraces endorsement of police union that's clashed with Black Lives Matter". Chicago Sun-Times.
  82. ^ Research Co.
  83. ^ Victory Research
  84. ^ a b Ogden & Fry/Citizens for Willie Wilson
  85. ^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. December 4, 2020. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  86. ^ "DRA 2020". Daves Redistricting. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
edit

Official campaign websites

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2020_United_States_Senate_election_in_Illinois&oldid=1251783961"