Foster claims victory over Lauf in 11th Congressional race

Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville claimed victory Tuesday in a contentious race for his 11th District seat.

With 83% of ballots counted, Foster was ahead of Republican challenger Catalina Lauf of Woodstock 135,693 votes to 103,848, unofficial results showed. That gave Foster about 57% of the total in a district that spans parts of eight counties.

Foster declared victory a little after 10 p.m.

"Voters in the 11th District have spoken: the Republican Party's agenda is far too extreme for Illinois," Foster said in a news release. "We need leaders who are focused on lowering costs for hardworking families, defending reproductive freedom and keeping our communities safe from gun violence - not who work to divide us."

Lauf called Foster to concede, a spokesman for the congressman said.

Foster and Lauf, an adviser for a children's nutrition company who worked at the U.S. Commerce Department under former President Donald Trump, are on opposite sides of nearly every issue, with both toeing their party lines on abortion, gun control and more.

Lauf drew national media attention last month when she insisted that some schools, including in Illinois, provide litter boxes for students who like pretending they're anthropomorphic animals - a claim repeatedly debunked as a right-wing hoax. When asked to share proof, Lauf offered none.

Foster, who's served the 11th District since 2013, ran a largely clean campaign. Most of his ads, mailers and public comments promoting his voting record and his professional experience as a business owner and a physicist.

But he did take some swings at Lauf, calling her "extremist" in one late mailer.

The 11th District encompasses parts of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, DeKalb and Boone counties.