Illinois voters have finalized who they want to face off to represent the state in the US Senate.
Kirk, who has a reputation as a moderate, easily eclipsed Oswego businessman James Marter in the GOP primary.
Republican Senator Mark Kirk and Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth didn't win their party's nominations until last night. But they'd been pouncing on one another politically for months, and they kept it up in their respective victory speeches.
"I'm fighting to protect our country from terrorists who are determined to attack and kill Americans while Tammy Duckworth wants to accept 200,000 unvetted Syrian refugees," Kirk said.
"We are going to lead through strength and not fear; unfortunately that's a message that's lost on Mark Kirk," Duckworth said.
Democrats are pinning their hopes on Duckworth to help them take back the control of the Senate, while Republicans are counting on Kirk to help them keep their majority. It's expected to be one of the nation's most competitive races.
