Senger takes 96th House seat

Republican Darlene Senger of Naperville defeated Democrat Dianne McGuire for the state's 96th House District seat vacated by retiring Joe Dunn.

With all 79 precincts reporting, unofficial tallies show Senger defeated McGuire, also of Naperville, with 49 percent of the vote, a difference of 643 votes. Jennifer Witt, a Green Party candidate, garnered 3.5 percent of the vote.

Despite being outspent by more than $234,000 since July 1, Senger relied on her background as a two-term Naperville City Council member to carry her to victory.

"This was a tough fight but we ran a solid, suburban grass-roots campaign and the people reacted to it," Senger said Tuesday night from her victory celebration in Naperville. "But this victory also showed us that my opponent's negative campaigning won't fly here in Naperville and Aurora."

Throughout the campaign, Senger frequently accused McGuire of "dirty" and "Chicago-style" politics for her series of negative campaign ads.

Senger has promised to bring more accountability into state government and push for state residents to be able to log online and find a complete accounting record for the state.

She has also vowed to continue fighting the proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern rail line by the Canadian National Railway Company and fight for a capitol bill that would fund the widening of Route 59 through much of Aurora and Naperville.