Democratic state Sen. Dave Koehler of Peoria is headed to a sixth term in Springfield after defeating Republican challenger Sally Owens, according to unofficial results late Tuesday.
Koehler was leading with 57.5% of the vote after 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to tallies from WGLT and WCBU. Koehler was leading Owens by more than 13,000 votes with all precincts reporting across the district.
During the campaign, Koehler, the Senate assistant majority leader, touted his experience; he's been serving in the Illinois Senate since 2006.
Koehler said he spent a lot of time over the last two years getting to know Bloomington-Normal that was added to the 46th Senate District when lawmakers approved new legislative maps in 2022.
“There’s a lot of similarities between Peoria and Bloomington-Normal, but there’s also a lot of differences,” Koehler said. “I firsthand have come to really appreciate the uniqueness of both places.”
Koehler said he feels Kamala Harris’ late entry into the presidential race pumped new life into the Democratic Party heading into the election.
“That has translated into local politics as well because people feel a renewed sense of energy, a new sense of hope,” Koehler said. “That’s kind of contagious.”
Owens, a small business owner, called for term limits to address potential corruption during her campaign. A self-described moderate Republican, she also supported spending reductions and more resources for public safety.
She was not available for comment late Tuesday.
Koehler said Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Democrats provided financial stability after several years of budget chaos under former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The 46th District includes parts of McLean, Peoria, Woodford and Tazewell counties, stretching from Bloomington-Normal to west of Peoria.
