Incumbent Crespo defeats Roth in 44th House race
Streamwood Village President Billie Roth said Tuesday night she was feeling fine though she had conceded defeat in her campaign to unseat two-term incumbent 44th District State Rep. Fred Crespo.
“We ran a good race, and I don't feel I would do anything differently,” Roth said. “I appreciate all the help and support from Streamwood and all the other communities. I wish Fred the best.”
With 65 of 68 precincts, or 96 percent of the vote reporting in Cook County, Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat, had 10,265 votes or 54 percent in unofficial results. Roth, a Streamwood Republican, had 8,845 votes or 46 percent.
The race had turned ugly in recent weeks.
“I've been a state rep for 3½ years; I've gotten to know the district and I'm honored to represent them,” Crespo said. “I'm happy they looked beyond these mail pieces and rhetoric.”
Crespo, 52, said his focus his next term will be on helping the three school district he represents: Elgin Area Unit School District 46, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 and Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54.
A former Hoffman Estates village trustee, he left the Republican Party and ran as a Democrat in 2006, defeating GOP incumbent Terry Parke. Voters elected him to his second term in 2008.
The Puerto Rican native wrote legislation against pay raises for Springfield lawmakers which passed, and he worked on bills aimed to preserve special education services. While in Hoffman Estates, he was the only trustee who voted against the Sears Centre Arena project. He holds a real estate license.
Roth, 59, said on Tuesday she's committed to her remaining two years as village president. She has served 22 years as Streamwood's village president, where she's also been the village clerk and a trustee. She works in a floral shop in Carpentersville.
She was re-elected as village president in 2009, when she defeated Streamwood Trustee Jason Speer. It was her first contested election in 16 years.
Roth in 2006 ran unsuccessfully against Democrat Michael Noland for 22nd District State Senate seat.
The 44th District seat includes all or parts of Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Streamwood, Hanover Park, Bartlett and Elgin.