Crespo easy winner in 44th House District

Hoffman Estates Democrat Fred Crespo will take on a fourth term representing the 44th District of the Illinois House of Representatives after scoring an easy victory over his Republican challenger.

With 53 of 55 precincts reporting, unofficial totals showed Crespo with 18,700 votes, compared to 10,672 for Ramiro Juarez of Streamwood. Crespo was received nearly 64 percent of the votes, while Juarez, a schoolteacher, received 36 percent.

Juarez’s campaign manager Mark Kramer said Juarez was unavailable to talk about 11 p.m. because he was “dead tired” and fell asleep. Kramer said he was surprised with the margin by which Juarez lost.

“I think Democrats won nationwide and it reflected in the results of Illinois,” he said.

Crespo said he is glad the election is over, and that he ready to work together with other politicians.

“I’m looking forward to going back to Springfield and to keep working for the district,” he said.

He has held the position since 2006. Previously, he was a trustee on the Hoffman Estates Village Board.

Crespo says his top priorities are property tax relief, curtailing spending, spending wisely and job creation. He has supported legislation to eliminate free, taxpayer-funded health care benefits for retired state legislators and judges, and voted in favor of eliminating pensions for future lawmakers.

Crespo has said numerous times that if the state’s pension problem isn’t addressed by January 2013 at the latest “there’s no tomorrow.”

The 44th District includes parts of Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Streamwood.