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WNIJ and NPR offer special coverage of Election 2016. WNIJ News field reporters and NPR editors nationwide update election news all night.Links to Race ResultsFollow the NPR Live Election BlogLocal County-By-County Election Results

It's Duckworth Versus Kirk In Senate Showdown

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth beat two challengers to win the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. That means Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran, will face incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in the November General Election.

Kirk, a moderate, beat conservative challenger James Marter in the GOP primary.

Duckworth out-raised and out-spent her opponents, former Cook County prosecutor Andrea Zopp and State Senator Napoleon Harris. Experts say the November battle between Duckworth and Kirk will be one of the most expensive races in the nation, but Kirk will depend on his own money for the race.

One expert watching this race closely is Matt Streb, chair of the political science department at Northern Illinois University. Streb cites a report in Politico referring to Kirk as the most endangered Republican in the country.

According to Streb, the math doesn't favor Senate Republicans, who are defending 24 seats while Democrats need to pick up just five to take control of the upper chamber. Three states -- Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire -- are battlegrounds.

"All three of those states have a vulnerable moderate senator," Streb recently told WNIJ. "And if you look at Illinois, it's almost certainly going to be a blue state." He says national Republicans have almost conceded Illinois since they're going to be far more concerned about protecting those other incumbents.

"That said," Streb cautions, "Kirk has a lot of money. This is going to be one of the most watched Senate races in the country."

During the Democratic campaign, Zopp criticized Duckworth for having little to show for two terms in Congress. Zopp and Harris, who are African American, also said they would do more to reduce gun violence, improve the criminal justice system and bring jobs to struggling neighborhoods.

Kirk and Duckworth both have compelling personal stories which became part of their campaign. Kirk suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2012, but returned to work in Washington a year later following intense rehabilitation. Duckworth, who grew up poor and attended college with help from federal grants, lost both legs after the helicopter she was co-piloting was shot down in Iraq.

Good morning, Early Riser! Since 1997 I've been waking WNIJ listeners with the latest news, weather, and program information with the goal of seamlessly weaving this content into NPR's Morning Edition.
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