Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, has won his bid for reelection in Illinois’ 12th Congressional District, according to unofficial election results from the Associated Press.
With 88% of precincts reporting as of 11:10 p.m., Bost had 62.5% of the vote compared to Democrat Raymond Lenzi’s 37.5%. Bost had 171,002 votes and Lenzi garnered 102,690.
“I could not be prouder of the campaign we ran,” Bost said, “a campaign focused on our record and our positive vision for Southern Illinois. Congratulations to Ray Lenzi and his team for a hard-fought campaign. Serving the people of Southern Illinois in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime, and I thank the people of this district for giving me the honor of representing them for another two years in Congress."
Bost faced Lenzi of Makanda in the congressman’s bid for a fourth term representing the southern Illinois district.
Lenzi, a retired Southern Illinois University professor, narrowly won the March 17 primary election over Joel Funk, a farmer and insurance broker from Mascoutah.
Vote-by-mail ballots will continue being counted until Nov. 17, and Illinois election officials will certify final results on Dec. 4.
This story was originally published in the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
