The high-priced 10th Congressional District race, which featured equal doses of below-the-belt campaign charges and top-notch television commercials, ended Tuesday with voters picking Mark Steven Kirk as the Republican nominee for the north suburban seat.

Down the lakefront on Chicago's South Side, 1st Congressional District incumbent Bobby Rush won re-election, fighting off a strong challenge in the Democratic primary from state Sen. Barack Obama. Unofficial results showed Rush, who did as well in the district's suburbs as he did in his city base, beating Obama by a 2-1 ratio.

In the 10th District race, Kirk defeated his closest competitor, Shawn Margaret Donnelley, by a 2-1 ratio. Northbrook Mayor Mark Damisch and Highland Park real-estate developer Andrew Hochberg finished third and fourth in the 10-candidate field, according to unofficial election results.

Kirk was endorsed by outgoing U.S. Rep. John Porter, the 21-year incumbent who said Kirk's previous work as his chief of staff and as a congressional aide the past 18 years made him uniquely qualified for the job.

The endorsement by Porter, whose fiscally conservative and socially moderate views helped him win re-election numerous times, helped Kirk vault past the competition, which included six millionaires who spent nearly $4 million of their own money on the contest.

"We were up against hired guns and mercenaries," Kirk, 40, a former Kenilworth resident who moved back into the district last fall to run for Porter's seat, said during a victory celebration in Lake Forest. "Sometimes I think it made us more determined."

The top-spender was Donnelley, heiress to the R.R. Donnelley & Sons printing company in Chicago. Donnelley, 30, a former Washington lobbyist for the family firm who also moved into the district to get in the race, spent an estimated $2 million.

"You might have heard we spent a little money in this campaign, but we spent it to talk about the issues," Donnelley said during her concession speech at her campaign party in Lincolnshire.

The other big spenders were Hochberg, who spent about $1 million; Glenview businessman and attorney John Cox and Glencoe advertising executive Terry Gladman, who each popped $500,000; former businessman James Goulka of Kenilworth, who put in about $200,000; and Damisch, who invested $100,000.

The other GOP candidates were former state lawmaker Thomas Lachner of Lake Bluff; abstinence educator Scott Phelps of Mt. Prospect; and retired financial consultant John Guy of Deerfield.

Kirk will meet Democratic state Rep. Lauren Beth Gash of Highland Park in the November general election. Gash, who had no primary opposition, could have plenty of rhetorical ammunition for the fall contest thanks to the nasty campaign tactics of many of the Republicans.

Kirk and Donnelley were pounded especially hard in an 11th-hour TV ad from the Cox campaign that referred to them as "carpetbaggers." Donnelley also was attacked, along with Hochberg, for trying to "buy" the GOP nomination.

Fourteen of the state's 20 representatives ran unopposed, including Republican Phil Crane, who on Election Day announced he had checked himself into a 30-day alcohol treatment program.

Compared to other races, the 1st Congressional District contest was tame. But it was tough in its own way: The four-term Rush faced his toughest fight against Obama, 38, a well-regarded state senator, in a glimpse of the future of Chicago's black political leadership.

In his victory speech, Rush effusively praised Obama and state Sen. Donne Trotter for running a campaign with "little to no smut, little to no dirty tricks."

Keeping Obama's concession call on hold while he finished up a friendly chat with Trotter, Rush then got a high-five from Rev. Jesse Jackson. Supporters erupted in cheers.

"My two opponents in this race, they are diamonds indeed," Rush said. "It feels good to have this victory. I'm going to savor the moment, then I'm going to get back to work."

The congressman also spoke of the trauma his family had endured over the past year--"the death of my son and my father," he said. "This campaign was made even tougher because I had to carry that pain forward."

Conceding defeat, Obama said, "We just had such support with such a diverse base of folks that we can walk away from this feeling proud. What it tells us is people are hungry for a new kind of politics."

Trotter finished a distant third and retired police officer George C. Roby was fourth, unofficial figures showed.

Rush, 53, had the backing of powerful 19th Ward Democratic Committeeman Tom Hynes and Cook County Board President John Stroger.

Rush's victory effectively secured his congressional seat; the district's lone Republican hopeful for the November election is Ray Wardingley, a professional clown and frequent unsuccessful candidate.

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who like Rush was a Chicago alderman before being elected to Congress in 1992, trounced his only challenger in the 4th Congressional District Democratic primary: Joseph L. Pagan, 34, a Chicago police officer and former minor league baseball pitcher.

U.S. Rep. William Lipinski easily defeated his only opponent for the Democratic nomination in the 3rd Congressional District, white supremacist R. Benedict Mayers, 27.

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