Low turnout as primary voters head to polls for Schock seat

That included redecorating his congressional office in the style of the TV show “Downton Abbey” and worldwide travels documented on Instagram.

Illinois state Sen. Darin LaHood easily won the Republican primary to replace ex- GOP Rep. Aaron Schock on Tuesday, making him the strong favorite to win the special election in the heavily Republican district. A late endorsement on Monday from Ted Cruz, the Texas senator and GOP presidential candidate, and a spate of favorable Breitbart stories on the race were not enough for Flynn, who’d cast himself as more independent of the GOP establishment than LaHood. However, any Democrat will have a tough road in the sprawling GOP district that touches or includes 19 Illinois counties.

“I admired his father very much, and I’m hoping the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”, Swartz said.

County clerks estimated turnout Tuesday afternoon was as low as 2 percent in some regions and almost 10 percent in others.

Republican Donald Rients, who works for State Farm, is also running, along with two candidates in the Democratic race: Springfield school board member Adam Lopez and high school teacher Robert Mellon. Darin LaHood facing conservative writer Michael Flynn, who’s received tea party support.

The special general election is September 10.

“I don’t want another Republican in Congress”, she said. Schock resigned as the 18th District Representative in March amid growing concerns of his use of taxpayer money and campaign funds.