Mathias leads the race for 53rd House seat

Vote totals remained sketchy in Cook County Tuesday evening, but Republican Sid Mathias said he was cautiously optimistic about keeping his lead in the 53rd District state House race.

"It's looking good, but it's far from over," the incumbent from Buffalo Grove said.

With 74 of 96 precincts reporting, Mathias held 53.1 percent of the vote, Democrat Carol Javens of Wheeling held 44.3 percent, and Green Party candidate Rob Sherman of Buffalo Grove held 2.6 percent for the 2-year term.

The district covers Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights.

Mathias said a poll taken before the election showed a similar outcome, but that calculation did not take Sherman into consideration.

Sherman said he feels many voters who would have chosen him instead voted for Mathias because of their desire not to give Javens the seat.

Javens could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Much of the race was focused on campaign mailings that Javens sent out. She stood by those fliers, saying they were all based on votes Mathias took in his five terms as state representative, but Mathias said they were half-truths.