SAUGANASH — State Rep. John D'Amico defeated community activist Jac Charlier in his bid to keep his seat representing the 15th District in the Illinois House, according to unofficial election returns Tuesday night.
D'Amico won 55 percent of the vote in what was a nasty contest that featured personal attacks as well as accusations of intimidation and wrongdoing, with 96 percent of precincts reporting, according to elections officials.
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D'Amico, an assistant superintendent in the city of Chicago water department, has been in the General Assembly since 1994. He was backed by his aunt, Ald. Margaret Laurino (39th).
Charlier, one of the leaders of the group that formed to protest the racket made by planes using new east-west runways at O'Hare Airport, tried to convince voters that D'Amico was a machine politician responsible for the state's unprecedented budget crisis that threatens the state's poorest residents.
However, D'Amico used tens of thousands of dollars of campaign contributions from the state Democratic Party and House Speaker Michael Madigan to tell voters that Charlier, who campaigned as an independent Democrat, was actually a member of the Tea Party who would support Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner if elected.
Jonathan Edelman was unopposed for the Republican nomination. He will face D'Amico in November's general election.
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