Higgins defeats Forte-Scott in 56th House GOP race

Political newcomer Ryan Higgins' party support appeared to help him defeat rival Anita Forte-Scott for the 56th District state House Republican nomination Tuesday night, despite her greater name recognition.

With all 78 precincts reporting, Higgins led 4,285 to 1,811, winning 70.3 percent of the total vote.

"I'm really honored that Republicans and independents in the district spoke so strongly for something new," Ryan said.

In November's general election, Higgins will face another newcomer, Democrat Michelle Mussman, who was unopposed in the primary. Democratic incumbent Paul Froehlich announced last year that he would not seek re-election.

Ryan said his message then as now will be fiscal responsibility and job creation.

Forte-Scott said Tuesday night her run was aimed at bringing reform to the Republican party, but that she was open to learning more about Higgins' positions before November. While she did not promise to personally support him, she said she remains truly Republican and would continue to help those Republican candidates she knows well, like 28th District state Sen. John Millner.

Higgins, 28, is a health care attorney and Fremd High School graduate who moved to Schaumburg in September 2008.

Forte-Scott, 40, is a preschool and day care administrator as well as a second-term trustee of the Schaumburg Township District Library board.

After being defeated by Democratic incumbent Paul Froehlich in the 2008 state House race, Forte-Scott lost the endorsement of Republican party leaders in the 2010 primary.

Higgins, who once worked as a staffer for former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, campaigned on behalf of Forte-Scott in 2008. But within a year after her defeat, he had risen through the ranks as the designated best hope for Republican leaders to reclaim the 56th District seat, which had been held by the Republicans until Froelich switched parties about three years ago.

Based on his professional background, Higgins gave a series of speeches in 2008 unfavorably comparing then Sen. Barack Obama's health care plan to Sen. John McCain's. Higgins said his professional insight led him to present himself as the "health care candidate" in the race, but thought it indicative of his more general philosophy that problems aren't solved by growing government.