Evans replacement contest won by a Hare

Won by a Hare, but by a better than two to one margin. And on 06/06/06, no less.

Early in the Tuesday afternoon counting of ballots in the race to replace Lane Evans as 17th District congressman, longtime Evans aide Phil Hare had almost a 3-to-1 margin over Sen. John Sullivan, a Democratic legislator from the western Illinois town of Rushville. With only a few votes left to count, Democrats were declaring Hare the winner by about 16,000 votes to Sullivan's 7,000 votes.

In addition to Sullivan and Hare, the candidates are: Rock Island Mayor Mark Schwiebert, Quincy educator Rob Mellon and Rep. Mike Boland of East Moline.

By the numbers: Vote totals


Rock Island Mayor Mark Schwiebert: 1,370

Quincy educator Rob Mellon: 98

Ill. Rep. Mike Boland, East Moline: 612

Ill. Sen. John Sullivan, Rushville: 7,530

Phil Hare, Lane Evans aide: 17,011

Total votes: 26,621

Source: Rock Island County Clerk

Phil Hare, aide to Rep. Lane Evans, won today's vote to replace Mr. Evans on the Democratic ballot this fall.
...
Rock Island and Macoupin counties came through with a large majority for Mr. Hare.

Mr. Hare made a brief acceptance speech shortly before 2 p.m., in which he called himself "humbled and honored" by his election. "If I am half as good as Lane Evans, I will be a great congressman," he said to applause.

And as usual, John Beydler provides an excellent recap and observations to the story here.