ILLINOIS, USA — Four-term U.S. Rep. Mike Bost declared victory against challenger Darren Bailey in Tuesday night's GOP primary race for Illinois' 12th District, all but guaranteeing he'll represent the heavily red district for another two years.
The Associated Press called the race for Bost on Wednesday morning.
Though Bost will still have to face off against a Democratic candidate in the Nov. 5 general election, the GOP primary was widely expected to be the deciding race for the district.
In a move that initially surprised both campaigns, former President Donald Trump endorsed Bost over Bailey last month. Political reporters at CNN and Politico later detailed how House Speaker Mike Johnson lobbied Trump to give Bost a boost.
Up until that point in the race, both campaigns described a close contest. Ever since, Bost appeared to be operating with a bit more breathing room, though he said on Monday night he planned to still run scared of losing.
A Marine Corps veteran, the 63-year-old Bost is chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and has seats on the Agriculture and Transportation and Infrastructure committees. He made the case that seniority, know-how and relationships he’s developed allow him to provide better constituent service and move legislation helpful to the district more readily than a newcomer who needs “on-the-job training.”
Bost wrote in a statement that his victory Tuesday night "was only possible because of the backing of countless friends and supporters from every corner of the district, along with a vitally important endorsement from Donald J. Trump, our next president of the United States.
“While primaries are never easy, I’m proud that we remained focused on the issues voters care about and ran a positive, results-oriented campaign. I’m hopeful we can work to reunify our party in advance of a critical general election.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Track up-to-the-minute results at ksdk.com/elections.
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