Casten projected as winner in Democratic primary for 6th U.S. House seat

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten is the likely winner in the three-way Democratic primary for Illinois’ 6th Congressional District, The Associated Press projected Tuesday night.

With about 75% of ballots in the race counted, Casten, who’s seeking a fourth term, led with 53,504 votes, unofficial results showed. Rookie candidate and health care advocate Mahnoor Ahmad of Oakbrook Terrace was running second with 9,710 votes, while Chicagoan Charles Hughes was third with 6,171 votes.

Casten declared victory and thanked voters, volunteers and his family.

“More than anything else, thank you to all who participated in this election,” Casten said. “You are the reason the American experiment works.”

A former energy company entrepreneur, Casten has been a prominent advocate on Capitol Hill in the fight against global climate change. He also has been an outspoken champion of gun control, abortion rights, LGBTQ rights and other progressive-driven issues. But Ahmad came at Casten from the left, criticizing Israel’s actions during the ongoing war in Gaza as “genocidal” and calling for a single, government-run health care system, something Casten opposes.

Casten will face Republican Niki Conforti of Glen Ellyn in the Nov. 5 general election. She ran unopposed Tuesday.