Illinois 6th Congressional District election results

In Illinois’ 6th Congressional District, Democrat incumbent Sean Casten has defeated energy consultant Niki Conforti, whose 2022 effort to become the Republican nominee in the west suburban district fell short.

Casten won 53.5% of the vote to Conforti’s 46.5%, with 88.7% of expected votes counted by the Associated Press.

A climate scientist from Downers Grove, Casten, 52, has represented the district straddling Cook and DuPage counties since 2018, when he defeated a six-term Republican. But in 2020, he slightly underperformed President Joe Biden.

Illinois’ 6th District covers middle-ring western suburbs like Lombard, Downers Grove and Burr Ridge, and the south suburbs of Orland Park and Tinley Park.

Since securing her place on the ballot, Conforti’s fundraising lagged precipitously behind Casten, who outraised her more than 20 to 1. As of Oct. 16, Casten reported pulling in $2.9 million in this election cycle, with about $1 million still on hand — but also debts totaling $75,000, according to the Federal Election Commission. Conforti in that same time period raised just $139,000, including $8,000 she reported loaning herself. About $22,000 remains.

This race was not expected to change the composition of Illinois’ 17-member delegation, 14 of whom are Democrats. That’s largely because state Dems, long holding a super majority in the General Assembly, have drawn district lines to favor their own party. Only the 17th District race between incumbent Democrat Eric Sorensen and Republican challenger Joe McGraw is considered to be a significant battle.

For Casten, the climate crisis was a top issue along with making health care affordable and lowering inflation, according to his campaign website. On a Chicago Sun-Times candidate questionnaire, he touted his participation in what became the Inflation Reduction Act, “the biggest climate bill ever passed anywhere,” he wrote.

An energy consultant from Glen Ellyn, Conforti did not respond to a Chicago Sun-Times candidate questionnaire. On her campaign website, she championed a stronger economy, railing against the Affordable Care Act as a disaster for Illinois residents. A defender of former President Donald Trump, she also pledges to push for requiring three forms of ID to register to vote and proof of ID to cast a ballot and said she will “protect parental rights.”

The 61-year-old was unopposed in this year’s Republican primary after finishing third in the party’s six-candidate primary in 2022.