5th Congressional District Results: Quigley Gets Another Term

Updated as of 7:25 a.m. Thursday.

ELMHURST, IL — U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago), a longtime incumbent with little worry about election challenges, showed why Tuesday night — he cruised to another landslide victory over Republican Tom Hanson and Green Party candidate Thomas Wilda, according to unofficial returns.

Quigley's 5th Congressional District includes Elmhurst, Hinsdale and La Grange Park. According to unofficial results, Quigley was ahead with 68.8 percent of the vote, followed by Hanson's 28.6 percent and Wilda's 2.5 percent. Quigley was the projected winner with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

According to Federal Election Commission reports, Quigley raised $1.1 million this election cycle. Hanson and Wilda have no electronic reports on file with the FEC, indicating they were below the $5,000 threshold for reporting.

As with many districts, the 5th's boundaries were drawn for a particular party in mind — Democrats. That is likely why Republicans do not invest in races in the district, especially given that it takes in a slice of Democrat-heavy Chicago.

Quigley's campaign couldn't be reached for immediate comment.

A deluge of mail-in votes cast this election amid the coronavirus pandemic — many of which will not be counted tonight — makes this election unlike any in the past. Officials have two weeks post-election to count all provisional votes.

• It Could Be Weeks Until Illinois Knows Election Results

Quigley has won well over 60 percent of the vote in past re-election bids. In 2018, he got more than three-quarters of the vote.

In September, Quigley and Hanson responded to a Patch questionnaire, but Hanson did not. Hanson was also the GOP candidate against Quigley in 2018, when Hanson took 23 percent.

Quigley, an attorney, was elected in a special election to the 5th District seat after Rahm Emanuel became President Barack Obama's first chief of staff in the White House.

In his questionnaire, Quigley spoke about President Donald Trump's "utter failure of leadership." Quigley said he wanted to expand health care and focus on climate change.

Closer to home, Quigley touted his ability to bring home dollars for local projects such as the Red Line Extension, 75th Street Corridor improvements and the McCook flood abatement reservoirs. He also said he brought in money to combat aircraft noise at O'Hare.

Check other key Illinois election results:

Election Results 2020: Illinois Races To Watch

Responding to the questionnaire, Wilda, a social worker, said he was for Medicare for All and $3,000 in Universal Basic Income for every American. He also pushed student debt forgiveness and the Green New Deal.

He said he will not take PAC or other corporate money and that he limits donations to less than $100.

In a Daily Herald questionnaire, Hanson, a commercial real estate broker, called Trump a "disruptor."

"Every industry faces a disruptor. It is necessary for growth, but can often be uncomfortable as it takes you out of the known and into uncharted territory. Politics isn't immune to change any more than industry is," Hanson said. "This country was back at work and bringing jobs home until COVID set in. That is one of his greatest accomplishments. I wish he could have a better Twitter filter."