Hatcher wins second term in 50th District

50th District State Rep. Kay Hatcher sees her Tuesday victory as validation of a collaborative approach to politics.

“I'm big on getting things done,” the Yorkville Republican said, noting the frustration she heard from thousands of voters who voiced displeasure with partisan politics in Springfield. “I want to break that barrier.”

With all precincts reporting late early Wednesday morning, Hatcher had received 38,357 votes, or about 68 percent of the total, easily topping Democrat Linda Healy of Aurora and cruising to a second term in the state legislature.

Hatcher said she was proud of the way both candidates conducted themselves in a campaign that exposed few differences between them.

“I'm just grateful it was a good campaign, where in our case we talked about the issues. Not a single handful of mud was thrown,” she said.

Both Hatcher, the former chairman of the Kendall County Forest Preserve Commission, and Healy said they supported abortion rights and deplored the condition of the state's finances.

Each suggested state workers' pensions needed to be reformed to cut costs. Both said they opposed an increase in the state income tax, but Healy said she would rather do that before borrowing any more money.

Healy retired in 2009 as the executive director of the Mutual Ground shelter for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault. During the state budget crisis of 2009, Healy shut the overnight portion of the shelter for 10 days, saying the state's failure to pay its bills on time prevented it from operating.

The 50th District spans from Interstate 80 to the south to St. Charles to the north, and includes portions of western Kane County.