Sente narrowly leads in 59th

Heavy backing by state Democratic leaders helped put incumbent Carol Sente in the lead late Tuesday over Republican challenger Dan Sugrue in the 59th House District, with just three Cook County precincts uncounted.

According to unofficial vote totals, Sente was leading Sugrue by 1,628 votes late Tuesday, 15,833 to 14,205.

Sente, 49, who was appointed more than a year ago to fill the post when Kathy Ryg resigned to take another job, narrowly held on to the seat Democrats have controlled for more than a decade.

In Lake County, where the majority of the district lies, Sente beat Sugrue 13,855, or 51 percent, to 13,123, or 49 percent, with all 68 precincts reporting, according to unofficial totals. Her lead was larger in Cook County, where in 10 of 13 precincts reporting, she led Sugrue with 65 percent of the vote.

Throughout the campaign, Sente, a business owner from Vernon Hills, described herself as a moderate but independent Democrat.

She maintained Tuesday night that she would not be beholden to party leadership despite substantial cash and in-kind support.

“I am hopeful that our state is heading in a new direction,” Sente said in a statement issued late Tuesday by her campaign. “I will continue to be accessible to local residents to make sure they have a voice in state government.”

The campaign featured a barrage of mailers that described Sugrue, an attorney from Green Oaks, as a “radical extremist” who would cut essential services.

Sugrue and Republican leaders assailed Sente for the tone of the campaign, asserting she could not separate herself from the party that led Illinois into financial trouble. Democratic leaders acknowledged the party was defending its turf.

Sugrue, 46, said he tried to concentrate on the issues, although some of his campaign literature attempted to tie Sente to the party leadership and House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Sugrue had less party backing than Sente, but fared better in his second run at the seat.

“I am hopeful that our state is heading in a new direction,” Sente said in a statement issued by her campaign. “I will continue to be accessible to local residents to make sure they have a voice in state government.”

The 59th District includes portions of Buffalo Grove, Green Oaks, Gurnee, Indian Creek, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Long Grove, Mettawa, Mundelein, Northbrook, North Chicago, Park City, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills, Waukegan and Wheeling.