State Senator Robert Martwick will be unopposed in the general election, as late-filing period ends with no Republican challenger
by BRIAN NADIG
State Senator Robert Martwick (D-10) will be running unopposed in the general election on Nov. 8 ballot, as the Republican Party did not slate a challenger by the late-filing deadline.
“I’m in a plus-17 (Democratic) district,” Martwick said, adding that Democrats have an approximate 58 to 41 percent advantage based on factors such as previous election results and voter registration. “Statistically overcoming that margin would be highly, highly, highly unlikely … almost a fool’s errand.”
In 2020 Martwick received about 53.5 percent of the vote in the general election, defeating Republican Anthony Beckman, but the district has since become more Democratic under the recent remap.
No Republican candidates filed for the 10th District seat in the 2022 primary election, clearing the way for the Republication Party to later appoint a candidate in the race, but no one was slated. Late filing candidates must still collect the required number of signatures on nominating petitions, and their petitions can be challenged.
Jeff Fiedler, executive director of the Chicago Republican Party Northside and Northwest Side GOP clubs, said that a potential challenger was circulating petitions this summer to run against Martwick but ultimately decided against it. The Chicago and Cook County Republican Party organizations recently slated more than 30 candidates in state and county races.
In the 2022 Democratic primary, Martwick received about 67 percent of the vote, defeating Chicago police detective Erin Jones, who was backed by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7. Martwick has been a state senator since 2019 and prior to that the 19th House District representative.
The 10th Senate District consists of the 19th House District, where Democrats are considered to have more than a 30-point advantage, and the 20th House District, where Republicans have a narrow advantage.
State Representative Brad Stephens, a Republican, is running unopposed in the 20th District. A potential Democratic challenger reportedly decided at the last second not to file petitions during the late-filing period, which ended July 25.
In the 19th District, Lindsey LaPointe, a Democrat, is facing a challenge from Republican Michael Harn, a Portage Park resident. It is not known if any challenges to Harn’s nominating petitions, which were submitted to the state elections board this month, will be filed by the Aug. 1 deadline.
In the 2022 primary LaPointe received about 76 percent of the vote, defeating real estate broker Tina Wallace. LaPointe has served in the House since 2019.
Also on the Far Northwest Side, state Representative Mike Kelly, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Republican Mark Albers. In the primary, Kelly received about 52 percent of the vote, defeating Edgebrook resident Michael Rabbitt.
State Senator Ram Villivalam, a Democratic, is unopposed for the 8th District seat in the general election. The 8th Senate District and 15th House District now take in north Gladstone Park.
