Democrats, Republicans split Ill. 115th, 118th House seats

Southeast Missourian

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- Two Illinois state representatives, one a Republican and the other a Democrat, appeared to be headed for victory Tuesday night in their re-election bids.

State Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, Ill., was winning by more than a 6,500-vote margin with results in from five of 11 counties in the 118th House District late Tuesday night.

Phelps had 15,131 votes to 8,600 for Republican challenger Rhonda Belford of Rosiclare, Ill.

Phelps said it appeared he would win re-election by "a pretty good margin."

He credited his re-election partly to his efforts to bring jobs to Southern Illinois.

State Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican from Murphysboro, also was running well ahead of his opponent late Tuesday night.

Bost was opposed by Green Party candidate Charlie Howe of Carbondale, Ill.

Bost, a fixture in the legislature since first being elected in 1994, said he was getting about 85 percent of the vote in his district late Tuesday night.

Bost said he expected that margin to hold up throughout the night.

The district includes Jackson and Washington counties, half of Union and Perry counties and part of Clinton County.