WASHINGTON – Freshman Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., is coming close to building a lead GOP challenger Jim Oberweis cannot beat, her campaign told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday.
With more provisional and mail ballots being counted in the hard fought race for the 14th Congressional District seat, Underwood was ahead of Oberweis by 4,288 votes.
“We have a lead that is virtually impossible for our opponent to overtake,” Underwood campaign spokeswoman Andra Belknap said.
A source told the Sun-Times some 5,000 votes remain to be counted. Underwood’s numbers increased mainly from Will County votes. Oberweis would have to get an overwhelming abundance of those outstanding ballots to prevail.
The latest numbers, according to the Associated Press, gives Underwood 50.5% to Oberweis with 49%.
In raw numbers, that’s 200,037 votes for Underwood to 195,749 for Oberweis. The AP has not called the race.
Underwood, 34, is a Naperville resident; Jim Oberweis, 74, a state senator, lives in Sugar Grove. Oberweis has been raising money for a recount.
The 14th Congressional District includes parts of Lake, McHenry, Kane, DeKalb, Kendall, DuPage and Will Counties.
Illinois gives local election authorities until Nov. 17 to count all the mail and provisional ballots.
