PEORIA, Ill. — Vote tallies have suggested there was never any doubt who was likely to win two key central Illinois Congressional Republican primary races.
Incumbent GOP Congressman Darin LaHood overwhelmed all challengers with more than 25,000 votes separating him from his nearest competitor, Walt Peters.
At the same time, Republican Esther Joy King can call herself the GOP nominee after notching her own convincing victory. King defeated fellow Republican Charles Helmick by roughly 10,000 votes by the time the Associated Press declared her the winner in the race.
Both King and LaHood likely benefited from a late campaign season visit from former Vice President Mike Pence during last week’s Peoria-Tazewell County Lincoln Day Dinner fundraising event.
