Hatcher leads Bernard in 50th State House

With 42 percent of precincts reporting, Yorkville Republican Kay Hatcher looks to be on her way to a third term in the Illinois House of Representatives.

She is leading Democrat Andrew Bernard of Batavia 10,572 votes to 6,225 for the 50th District seat, according to unofficial vote totals Tuesday night.

At the time, however, less than half of the 29 precincts in Kane County had been counted.

During the campaign, she reiterated her displeasure with the state Legislature over its failure to enact substantial public pension reform, saying, “They don’t send us to Springfield to be weenies.” Hatcher, 66, has refused a Legislative pension.

She would like to see the state constitution amended to require a three-fifths vote on financial legislation, believing it would prevent things like the 66 percent temporary increase in the personal income tax. It would also make for more bipartisan compromise, she believes.

Bernard, 24, has not held political office. During his campaign, he called for the state to spend money in the 50th District on infrastructure such as roads, saying doing so would create jobs.