Tryon re-elected in 64th District

Incumbent state Rep. Mike Tryon cruised to an easy victory over Democratic challenger Robert Kaempfe in the 64th District, according to unofficial results.

With all precincts reporting, Tryon had 68 percent of the vote, compared to 31 percent for Kaempfe. Those results do not include provisional, late absentee ballots and write-in votes.

Tryon said the results are a reflection of the work he has done during his three terms in Springfield.

“I've worked very hard,” Tryon said. “I've tried to work in a bipartisan manner. I think people recognize that.”

Tryon pledged to focus on job creation when he is sworn in again and to back reforms to keep the state from passing budgets that are not balanced.

Kaempfe said this year's Republican surge did not bode well for his campaign in conservative McHenry County.

The “combination of being a pretty Republican area and Democrats not being real popular right now pretty much says it, I guess,” Kaempfe said.

Still, he said it was important to give voters a choice - even if that means running a third time.

“They say third time's a charm, so I wouldn't rule it out by any means,” Kaempfe said.

The campaign was essentially a rerun of the 2008 race, when Tryon and Kaempfe faced off for the first time.

In that contest, Kaempfe garnered 39 percent of the vote despite little name recognition, an achievement that inspired him to make a second run for the seat.

The 64th District includes all or parts of Algonquin, Barrington Hills, Cary, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove, Huntley and Lake in the Hills.