Conforti, Casten, Set For Rematch In IL06: How The IL Primary Played

Democrat Sean Casten and Republican Niki Conforti are set for a rematch in the Nov. 3 midterm after both easily won their respective party’s nomination for the 6th Congressional District.

Conforti, an energy consultant from Glen Ellyn, tallied 26,202 votes overall in DuPage, Cook and Chicago, to Skylar Duensing’s 5,611.

>>> Casten Gets Democratic Nod, Conforti Wins GOP Primary In 6th District: AP

The incumbent Casten, of Downers Grove, who is seeking his fifth term as the 6th Congressional District congressman, fended off challenger Joseph “Joey” Ruzevich, with 66,369 (76%) votes; Ruzevich accrued 20,984 votes (24%).

Meanwhile, DuPage, suburban Cook and Chicago election authorities will continue counting mail-in ballots properly postmarked by March 31.

All results are unofficial until DuPage, Cook and Chicago election authorities certify the returns on April 7.

Conforti is looking to flip the IL-06 seat back to Republican, a seat held by Republican Peter Roskam from 2007 to 2019 following his defeat to Casten, under the district’s former configuration before the 2020 decennial census remap.

“Now we look to November and to a win in the general election. The people of the 6th District have been frustrated for too long by the lack of proper representation …,” Conforti said in a statement. “The race to November starts now. The people of the 6th Congressional District deserve better. And I will do my best to provide the voice in Congress they have been lacking."

Over the last year, Casten said too many Americans have felt pain caused by the White House, citing skyrocketing grocery and utility costs go up due to tariffs and “unnecessary, unconstitutional wars.”

“Donald Trump is an out-of-control warmonger who is focused on enriching himself and his friends at the expense of the American people,” Casten added. “In the next election, Americans will have an opportunity to put a check on his recklessness. Those are the stakes in November.”

As is typical of primaries, voter turnout was low across the 6th Congressional District. Turnout in DuPage County was 24%, with 156,414 votes cast overall out of 636,822 registered voters.

In suburban Cook County, turnout was 21.44%, with 370,395 ballots being cast out of 1,727,843 registered voters.

The Chicago Board of Elections placed turnout at 25.48%, with 396,028 casting votes in the primary out of 1,554,337.

Here’s how the IL06 candidates fared by geographic location:

DuPage (Democrat)

Sean Casten - 32,540

Joey Ruzevich - 8,535

Cook (Democrat)

Sean Casten - 33,829 (73.1%)

Joey Ruzevich - 20,984 (24%)

* Note: Includes suburban Cook and Chicago, which count their votes separately.

Source: AP

Chicago (Democrat)

Sean Casten - 7,573 (71.46%)

Joey Ruzevich - 20,984 (24%)

Source: Chicago Board of Elections

DuPage (Republican)

Niki Conforti - 16,771

Skylar Duensing - 2,698

Cook (Republican)

Niki Conforti - 12,229 (80.6%)

Sylar Duensing - 2,913 (19.4%)

* Note: Includes suburban Cook and Chicago, which count their votes separately.

Source: AP

Chicago (Republican)

Niki Conforti - 1,960 (82.74%)

Skylar Duensing - 409 (17.26%)

Source: Chicago Board of Elections

The Illinois 6th Congressional District includes all or sections of the suburban Cook County communities of Alsip, Chicago Ridge, Palos Heights, Worth, Crestwood, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Orland Hills, Palos Hills, Palos Heights, Hickory Hills, Justice, and extends into the Chicago neighborhoods of Clearing, Beverly and Mount Greenwood; and in DuPage, Downers Grove, Oak Brook, Oak Brook Terrace, Lisle, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Elmhurst Darien, Hinsdale and Willow Springs.