By Bob Seidenberg
With all but seven of 222 precincts reporting, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss appears on his way to victory in the Democratic primary for the 9th District Congressional seat.
Unofficial totals show Biss with 19,681 votes or 33.94 to 14,70 votes or 24.95% for State Sen. Laura Fine in the fifteen candidate field seeking to succeed longtime Democratic stalwart Jan Schakowksy as the next congressperson of the district.
Newcomer Kat Abughazaleh, a former journalist and researcher covering the far right, was the next closest, receiving 11,042 votes or 19.04%.
With the district trending nearly 70% Democratic in the past, Biss, a two-term state legislator before running for mayor, would appear a strong favorite in the Nov. 3 general election where he’ll face the Republican primary winner, John Elleson.
Biss, with the backing of Schakowksy, and Fine, winner of top legislator awards, had been perceived as favorites going into the election, with newcomer Kat Abughazaleh receiving some late play.
The nonprofit Evanston RoundTable released a poll a week before the election, reporting that Biss was maintaining his lead with Abughazaleh, gaining and Fine fading.
During the campaign, Biss had concentrated most of his attacks at Fine and made her support from AIPAC and its Superpac as a centerpiece of his candidacy.