Schmitz re-elected to House Dist. 49

Republican Timothy L. Schmitz, of Batavia, won re-election to his sixth straight term as a state representative in the 49th District, handily fending off a young Democratic challenger from West Dundee.

Schmitz received 37,091 votes, to Rachel Shattuck's 27,852.

Shattuck, a real estate transaction manager, favored the creation of a "progressive" income tax to shift the burden of school funding away from property taxes. Schmitz favored using existing revenues.

Schmitz, 43, is a part-time Batavia firefighter who owns a land development company. He was a Batavia alderman in the 1990s, and served on the city's plan commission for six years.

Shattuck, 24, worked on John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, volunteered with the political group MoveOn.org, and served in the Peace Corps.

She favored creating a universal health-care system, something Schmitz disagreed with.

Schmitz, a part-time Batavia firefighter who owns a land development company, was first elected state representative in 1998. He was a Batavia alderman for four years in the 1990s and previously served on the city's plan commission for six years.