Des Plaines mayor wins 55th House seat

Democratic Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan was poised to win the 55th House District seat Tuesday, beating Park Ridge Republican Susan Sweeney by more than 2,000 votes.

With 70 of 73 precincts counted, unofficial totals show Moylan has 19,438 votes to Sweeney’s 17,161 votes.

Moylan said Sweeney called to concede the race and congratulated him on his victory, asking him to continue his “tradition of being a fiscal conservative.”

“The volunteers and workers made this happen. This was a total team effort,” said Moylan, celebrating with campaign volunteers at The Bar across from his Oakton Street campaign office.

“We’ve got to work on some important issues,” he added. “Jobs, taxes, pensions were high on the residents’ minds when we were going door-to-door, and also women’s rights.”

Moylan, 61, said he will step down as mayor of Des Plaines in January. He served two years as a Des Plaines alderman before being elected mayor in 2009.

Moylan also retired earlier this year from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134.

Sweeney and Moylan sparred on a number of issues, including gun control where Moylan opposes concealed carry laws.

On gambling expansion, while neither candidate supports legislation calling for additional casinos, Moylan opposes allowing slot machines at Illinois horse racing tracks.

Sweeney, 56, a Park Ridge businesswoman and community activist, could not be reached Tuesday night.

The House seat currently is held by 20-year Republican state Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, who didn’t collect enough signatures to run in the March primary but later endorsed Moylan.