Illinois State Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, will face Democratic challenger and Atkinson Mayor August "Gus" Junior in the November general election in the new 74th legislative district.
The district includes all or parts of Knox, Henry, Mercer, Bureau and Lee counties. Neither Rep. Moffitt, who has served in the legislature since 1992, nor Mr. Junior had opposition in Tuesday's primary.
The 74th House District is a part of the 37th Senate District, in which incumbent Republican Daren LaHood who won the nomination without opposition.
Sen. LaHood, of Dunlap, has no Democrat opponent at the moment. A spokesperson for Sen. LaHood said they won't know until June if he has a Democratic challenger.
The 37th District takes in all or parts of Mercer, Henry, Bureau, Knox, Stark, Peoria, Marshall and Woodford counties. Sen. LaHood was appointed in March 2011 to replace State Sen. Dale Risinger, who announced his retirement.
Sen. LaHood is the son of Ray LaHood, the U.S. Secretary of Transporation and former U.S. representative.
A LaHood staffer said Wednesday, if elected in November, Mercer County then becomes part of his new district in 2013. She said the senator's territory would shrink in Knox and Peoria counties while taking in much of Mercer County.
Today is Sunday, May 19, the 139th day of 2013. There are 226 days left in the year. 1863 -- 150 years ago: The Rt. Rev. Harry I. Witherspoon, D.D. Bishop of Illinois, willpreach in Trinity (Episcopal) Church, in this city this evening. 1888 -- 125 years ago: At 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon the Mississippi River flooded itsbanks at Rock Island, destroying the warehouse of the Rock Island Lumber companyand damaging the Lumber Company and arsenal power plant. Total loss isestimated at $100.000. 1913 -- 100 years ago: Residents of South Rock Island township are circulating a petitionfavoring the annexation of that area to the city of Rock Island. 1938 -- 75 years ago: Mrs. Thomas Ackles, of Rock Island, has been elected president ofthe Playcrafters for the next season. She succeeds Warren Leonard. 1963 -- 50 years ago: Some 8,000 people filed through the gates of Rock Island Arsenal on Saturday to view a display of a part of the nation's armed strength. The occasion was theannual observance of Armed Forces Day. 1988 -- 25 years ago: Willis Kuschmann, of Moline, who already has won his laurels as oneof the most artistic men in the Quad-Cities area, has a new hobby. He is deeply involvedin miniature railroading. At the age of 88, when many other seniors are dozing in theirchairs or sitting before the television, Mr. Kuschmann is planning and working on hiscollection.