United States Senate election in Illinois, 2016

2016 U.S. Senate Election in Illinois

General Election Date November 8, 2016

Primary Date March 15, 2016

November 8 Election Winner: Tammy Duckworth

Incumbent prior to election: Mark Kirk

Race Ratings Cook Political Report: Lean D Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely D Rothenberg & Gonzales: Lean D

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2016 U.S. House Elections

Voters in Illinois elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 8, 2016.

The race for Illinois' U.S. Senate seat was one of nine competitive battleground races in 2016. U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D) defeated incumbent Mark Kirk (R)—who was seeking re-election to his second term—Kenton McMillen (L), and Scott Summers (G) in the general election on November 8, 2016.

In her victory speech, Duckworth said, “Tonight, we showed a campaign that respects voters and is focused on practical solutions rather than shopworn slogans can be successful. We showed that a relentless focus on rebuilding Illinois’ middle class and respecting hard worth rather than wealth can be successful, too.”

During his concession speech, Kirk said, "What unites us as Americans is much stronger than what divides us." Kirk also invited Duckworth to have a beer with him as a peace offering. He said, “This beer summit with [sic] show kids across Illinois that opponents can peacfully [sic] bury the hatchet.”

Numerous analysts labeled Kirk the most vulnerable GOP incumbent in 2016 due to Illinois' tendency to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats during presidential election cycles. Kirk faced significant opposition from national Democrats who targeted Illinois as an essential seat needed to regain the majority in the U.S. Senate. Democrats picked up two seats in Election Day, but they fell short of the five seats that they needed to take control of the Senate.

HISTORICAL FACTS

Incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk (R) held Illinois' Senate seat since 2011.

President Barack Obama was the last Democrat elected to the seat. Obama served from 2005 to 2008. Roland Burris was appointed to the seat after Obama won the presidency. Burris held the seat from 2009-2010.

The Senate seat had changed party control 12 times.

Candidate Filing Deadline	Primary Election	General Election
November 30, 2015	March 15, 2016	November 8, 2016

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Illinois uses an open primary system. Voters do not have to register with a party, but they do have to choose, publicly, which party's ballot they will vote on at the primary election.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Incumbent: The election filled the Class 3 Senate seat held by Mark Kirk (R). He was first elected in 2010.

Election results

General election

U.S. Senate, Illinois General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Tammy Duckworth	54.9%	3,012,940
	Republican	Mark Kirk Incumbent	39.8%	2,184,692
	Libertarian	Kenton McMillen	3.2%	175,988
	Green	Scott Summers	2.1%	117,619
	N/A	Write-in	0%	639
Total Votes				5,491,878
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections

Primary election

U.S. Senate, Illinois Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Mark Kirk Incumbent	70.6%	931,619
James Marter	29.4%	388,571
Total Votes		1,320,190
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections

U.S. Senate, Illinois Democratic Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Tammy Duckworth	64.4%	1,220,128
Andrea Zopp	24%	455,729
Napoleon Harris	11.6%	219,286
Total Votes		1,895,143
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections

Candidates

General election candidates:

Mark Kirk
Tammy Duckworth a
Kenton McMillen
Scott Summers
Chris Aguayo (Write-in)
Chad Koppie (Write-in)

Primary candidates:

Democratic

Tammy Duckworth - U.S. Rep. a
Andrea Zopp - Chicago Urban League President and CEO
Napoleon Harris - State Sen.

Republican

Mark Kirk - Incumbent a
James Marter

Third Party/Other

Chris Aguayo (Veterans Party of America)
Chad Koppie (Constitution Party)
Kenton McMillen (Libertarian) a
Scott Summers (Green) a

Disqualified:

Elizabeth Pahlke

Race background

Democratic coattails

Duckworth saw a coattails effect from Clinton on Election Day. In Illinois, Clinton won 55.4 percent of the vote, while Duckworth was a full point behind with 54.4 percent.

A full breakdown of the Democratic presidential and Senate races appears below.

*Ballotpedia identified the highlighted races as battleground races and races to watch. The vote percentages are from CNN and will be updated after the final results are released.

2016 Democratic Presidential and Senate election results
State	Presidential candidate vote %	Senate candidate vote %	Vote % Difference
California	Hillary Clinton	Kamala Harris (D) or Loretta Sanchez (D)
Totals	61.4% a	Harris (D), 62.5% a/ Sanchez (D), 37.5% d	Both Senate candidates were Democrats
Colorado	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Michael Bennet
Totals	47.0% a	48.9% a	Bennet +1.9%
Connecticut	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Richard Blumenthal
Totals	54.0% a	62.5% a	Blumenthal +8.5%
Hawaii	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Brian Schatz
Totals	62.3% a	73.6% a	Schatz +11.3%
Illinois	Hillary Clinton	Tammy Duckworth
Totals	55.4% a	54.4% a	Clinton +1.0%
Maryland	Hillary Clinton	Chris Van Hollen
Totals	60.5% a	60.4% a	Clinton +0.1%
Nevada	Hillary Clinton	Catherine Cortez Masto
Totals	47.9% a	47.1% a	Clinton +0.8%
New Hampshire	Hillary Clinton	Maggie Hassan
Totals	47.6% a	48% a	-
New York	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Chuck Schumer
Totals	58.8% a	70.4% a	Schumer +11.6%
Oregon	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Ron Wyden
Totals	51.8% a	56.8% a	Wyden +5.0%
Vermont	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Patrick Leahy
Totals	61.1% a	61.3% a	Leahy +0.2%
Washington	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Patty Murray
Totals	56.3% a	60.8% a	Murray +4.5%
Alabama	Hillary Clinton	Ron Crumpton
Totals	34.6% d	35.8% d	Crumpton +1.2%
Alaska	Hillary Clinton	Ray Metcalfe
Totals	37.6% d	11.1% d	Clinton +26.5%
Arizona	Hillary Clinton	Ann Kirkpatrick
Totals	45.4% d	41.3% d	Clinton +4.1%
Arkansas	Hillary Clinton	Conner Eldridge
Totals	33.8% d	36.2% d	Eldridge +2.4%
Florida	Hillary Clinton	Patrick Murphy
Totals	47.4% d	44.3% d	Clinton +3.1%
Georgia	Hillary Clinton	Jim Barksdale
Totals	45.5% d	40.8% d	Clinton +4.7%
Idaho	Hillary Clinton	Jerry Sturgill
Totals	27.5% d	27.7% d	Sturgill +0.2%
Indiana	Hillary Clinton	Evan Bayh
Totals	37.9% d	42.4% d	Bayh +4.5%
Iowa	Hillary Clinton	Patty Judge
Totals	42.2% d	35.7% d	Clinton +6.5%
Kansas	Hillary Clinton	Patrick Wiesner
Totals	36.1% d	32.1% d	Clinton +4.0%
Kentucky	Hillary Clinton	Jim Gray
Totals	32.7% d	42.7% d	Gray +10%
Louisiana	Hillary Clinton	Multiple Democratic candidates
Totals	38.4% d	(Race not called)	-
Missouri	Hillary Clinton	Jason Kander
Totals	38% d	46.2% d	Kander +8.2%
North Carolina	Hillary Clinton	Deborah Ross
Totals	46.7% d	45.3% d	Clinton +1.4%
North Dakota	Hillary Clinton	Eliot Glassheim
Totals	27.8% d	17% d	Clinton +10.8%
Ohio	Hillary Clinton	Ted Strickland
Totals	43.5% d	36.9% d	Clinton +6.6%
Oklahoma	Hillary Clinton	Mike Workman
Totals	28.9% d	24.6% d	Clinton +4.3%
Pennsylvania	Hillary Clinton	Katie McGinty
Totals	47.6% d	47.2% d	Clinton +0.4%
South Carolina	Hillary Clinton	Thomas Dixon
Totals	39.9% d	36.3% d	Clinton +3.6%
South Dakota	Hillary Clinton	Jay Williams
Totals	31.7% d	28.2% d	Clinton +3.5%
Utah	Hillary Clinton	Misty Snow
Totals	28% d	27.5% d	Clinton +0.5%
Wisconsin	Hillary Clinton	Russ Feingold
Totals	46.9% d	46.8% d	Clinton +.01%
Totals	Clinton's average win: 50.5%	Democratic senators' average win: 54.2%	Democratic senators: +3.7%

Debate: October 27

During the debate on October 27, 2016, Kirk and Duckworth discussed a variety of issues, including the presidential candidates, Kirk’s health, a workplace retaliation lawsuit against Duckworth during her time as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, the use of ground troops in Iraq and Syria, allowing Syrian refugees to be resettled in the United States, criminal justice, and free college tuition, among other issues. The full debate can be viewed here.

• On Syrian refugees: Kirk accused Duckworth of wanting to bring Syrian refugees to the country without the proper resources to vet them. He said, "Congresswoman Duckworth is going to tell you some blabber about how the administration is on top of those guys. He added that there was "no database to check against the Syrian refugees." Duckworth countered by saying that FBI Director James Comey "says we can fully vet the refugees. … I'm not going to leave people to grow up in refugee camps who grow up to be the next generation of insurgents.” She also proposed allocating more funding for background checks.

• College tuition: Kirk criticized Duckworth for supporting a plan for free college tuition. Kirk said, "My opponent, her primary spending plan is to offer free stuff like free college." Kirk said that her plan would cost $60 billion to implement when it "only cost $25 billion to get to the moon." Duckworth stood by her support for free college and criticized Kirk for voting against a student-loan refinancing plan. She said, "I don't think it's a giveaway. I don't think it's a handout. I don't think it's an entitlement."

Kirk jokes about Duckworth’s heritage

During the debate, Duckworth said that her “family has served this nation in uniform going back to the Revolution.”

Kirk replied, “I’d forgotten your parents came all of the way from Thailand to serve George Washington.”

Duckworth replied, "There's been members of my family serving on my father's side since the American Revolution." She added that she was "proud of both my father's side and my mother's side as an immigrant."

Kirk apologizes for comments about Duckworth's heritage

After the debate, Kirk apologized for his comments in the following tweet: "Sincere apologies to an American hero, Tammy Duckworth, and gratitude for her family's service. #ilsen."

Duckworth accepted the apology and tweeted in response: "Thanks, Sen. Kirk. Let's honor my family's service - and your own - by sticking to the issues for the final week."

Chicago Tribune endorsement forum: October 3

During the first debate on October 3, 2016, Kirk and Duckworth discussed preventing terrorists from obtaining firearms, the Iran nuclear deal, criminal justice reform, the future of the Supreme Court, national security issues, and Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, among other issues.

• On the war in Syria: Duckworth said she supported putting pressure on America’s allies to help remove the Syrian regime and working with Russia to enforce a no-fly zone. Kirk said “he supports creating of a safe haven in Jordan for Syrian refugees that would be enforced by a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier group or through anti-aircraft battery,” according to The Chicago Tribune.

Kirk’s health

On September 14, 2016, Kirk released a letter from his physician that stated that Kirk made a "full cognitive recovery" from his January 2012 stroke. Dr. Richard Fessler of Rush University Medical Center wrote that Kirk "has made a full cognitive recovery and has made rapid improvements in his physical recovery. … He is unlikely to regain further range of motion on his left side, but he continues to undergo regular exercise and physical therapy to maintain his strength. His speech is occasionally halting but has vastly improved. The stroke did not affect the left side of his brain, which controls cognitive and verbal functions."

Candidates' inaccurate accounts of 9/11 whereabouts

Kirk and Duckworth provided inaccurate accounts of where they were and who they were with during the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Kirk claimed that he was in a meeting with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld when the second plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Kirk said, "I started the day on Sept. 11, 2001, in the Pentagon having breakfast with Secretary Rumsfeld. The meeting broke up early when the secretary was notified that a second plane hit the World Trade Center." However, according to The Chicago Tribune, "[T]he 2004 report of the 9/11 Commission that studied national security failures that day includes information on Rumsfeld's precise whereabouts. The document states Rumsfeld had left the meeting Kirk was in before Rumsfeld was told of a second plane."

When asked about the discrepancy, Kirk's campaign manager Kevin Artl said, "His [Kirk's] recollection is that as the briefing was ending people knew the second plane had hit and that it was an act of terrorism." He did not address whether Rumsfeld was still in the meeting when the news of the second plane hitting was delivered.

Duckworth claimed that she was preparing to defend Chicago with her Black Hawk helicopter unit on 9/11, but she was in Scotland on vacation. Duckworth said, "I was in command of the Black Hawk unit at Midway on 9/11. I was in command of the only military aviation asset in the Chicagoland area. No one knows better than me the fear, the preparation and what we were willing to do to protect Chicago 'cause we were the only military aviation here. And I was there on that day, I've been there every single day since and I will be there well into the future."

When asked about the discrepancy, Duckworth said, "I was in Scotland. I was in command. I was on the phone trying to desperately get back on 9/11 itself when it happened. I was in command. I got the notice called in and immediately sat down and started alerting my unit. So I was desperately trying to get back to Illinois. ... 'We' as in 'we were here in a major city,' meaning the unit was here in a major city and we were on the phone trying to pull everybody together is what I meant, and I've always talked about it and maybe it's because it's more Army lingo when you think of the unit as you, and all I was saying is that here we were in Chicago." She added that she was "not trying to obfuscate" her whereabouts on 9/11.

Primary election

Kirk defeated James Marter in the Republican primary on March 15, 2016. In the Democratic primary, Rep. Tammy Duckworth defeated Andrea Zopp and State Sen. Napoleon Harris.

Issues

Kirk on Justice Scalia's replacement

See also: Supreme Court vacancy, 2016: An overview

Following Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's death, Kirk wrote that President Barack Obama should nominate a replacement for Scalia and that the Senate should hold hearings and vote on the nomination. Kirk wrote, "I recognize the right of the president, be it Republican or Democrat, to place before the Senate a nominee for the Supreme Court and I fully expect and look forward to President Barack Obama advancing a nominee for the Senate to consider. I also recognize my duty as a senator to either vote in support or opposition to that nominee following a fair and thorough hearing along with a complete and transparent release of all requested information. The Senate’s role in providing advice and consent is as important and significant as the president’s role in proposing a nominee."

His position on the process to replace Scalia broke with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's stance that the Senate should not hold confirmation hearings on any nominee put forth by Obama. McConnell said, "Presidents have a right to nominate just as the Senate has its constitutional right to provide or withhold consent. In this case, the Senate will withhold it."

Kirk was the first Republican to meet with Merrick Garland, Obama's Supreme Court nominee. After a meeting on March 29, 2016, Kirk said, “We need rational, adult, open-minded consideration of the constitutional process. He’s been duly nominated by the elected president of the United States to fill a vacancy which we know exists on the court. ... I think when you just say, ‘I’m not going to meet with him,’ that’s too close-minded.” Kirk added that Garland is “one of the most eminent judges in the country.”

Iran nuclear deal

See also: Iran nuclear agreement: An overview

Kirk was an outspoken critic of the nuclear deal with Iran, an agreement that placed limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. He cast multiple votes against allowing President Barack Obama to complete the deal. Kirk criticized Duckworth for supporting the deal. She cast multiple votes in support of the deal.

In July 2015, after the U.S., Iran, and world powers completed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action regarding Iran's nuclear program, Kirk released the following statement:

“	I am gravely concerned that the nuclear agreement will condemn the next generation to living with an Iranian nuclear power in the Persian Gulf and ultimately endanger the security of the United States, Israel, and other regional allies over the long term. This agreement will enrich and empower Iran, the world’s foremost sponsor of terrorism, because it will dismantle the international sanctions regime against Iran, give Iran back over $100 billion in frozen assets, and lift a U.N. arms embargo that has banned Iran from buying and selling conventional weapons and ballistic missiles. Worse, this agreement will pave Iran’s path to nuclear weapons because it requires Iran to take temporary and reversible steps that keep it at the threshold of acquiring nuclear weapons, and will allow Iran to obstruct and veto inspections at suspect nuclear facilities instead of imposing zero-notice nuclear inspections anytime and at any place in Iran, including military sites.	”
—Sen. Mark Kirk

On September 9, 2015, Duckworth explained her decision to vote for the nuclear deal in the following statement:

“	I have no illusions about the authoritarian Iranian regime. Iran is our enemy, it is Israel’s enemy and it is the enemy of all nations that seek peace and stability. But Iran’s destabilizing role in the region would be much greater if it could obtain nuclear weapons. Therefore preventing a nuclear armed Iran must be our primary goal. ... While not perfect, I believe the nuclear agreement provides the United States and our allies with the most realistic and effective course of action currently available to stop Iran’s nuclear weapons program. If implemented, the reduction of Iran’s nuclear stockpile and their enrichment capabilities will effectively shut down Iran’s nuclear program for 10 to 15 years. This will lengthen Iran’s breakout time from several months to a full year, removing its status as a nuclear threshold state.	”
—Rep. Tammy Duckworth

Kirk's comments on the Obama administration using money as "leverage" for hostage release

See also: Iran nuclear agreement: U.S. withheld cash until hostages were released

After The Wall Street Journal reported that the Obama administration used a $400 million cash payment as "leverage" to ensure that Iran released four Americans who were being held there as prisoners, some Republicans, including Kirk, accused the administration of giving money to terrorists and paying ransom—something the administration denied. Kirk said, "We can't have the president of the United States acting like the drug dealer in chief. Giving clean packs of money to a ... state sponsor of terror. Those 500-euro notes will pop up across the Middle East. .... We're going to see problems in multiple (countries) because of that money given to them."

Duckworth calls Kirk "unhinged"

After Kirk called Obama the "drug dealer in chief," Duckworth called Kirk "unhinged." According to The Chicago Tribune, Duckworth “assigned to Kirk a term defined as ‘mentally deranged.’” When reporters asked Duckworth "if voters should take into consideration any possible aftereffects of her opponent's stroke," Duckworth said, "That is the furthest thing that people should look at. People should look at the fact that he's been ineffective as a senator." She added that his comments were "beyond the pale," "inflammatory," and "totally unhelpful for the cause of a more stable and secure world."

During a speech, she said, "And if it was just the first time, I would chalk it up to momentary lapse of judgment. But with him it's a pattern both of irresponsible, offensive rhetoric as well as of personal insults directed at this president. Sen. Kirk has just joined the rogues gallery with the president's fiercest and most unhinged critics and for that he should be ashamed. What he said is beneath the dignity of the office he now holds and Sen. Kirk should apologize immediately to the president of the United States as well as the people of Illinois."

After the speech, Duckworth continued criticizing Kirk, saying, "If you look at all of the things he's said, I think he lacks the ability to control what he's saying, and you can look at the numerous gaffes that he's had over the years. I do think he's unhinged. To call the commander in chief, basically compare him to a drug dealer, I think that is a significant thing for a United States senator to say.”

Kirk’s response

Kirk responded to Duckworth's criticism, saying, "She is so desperate to run for office she would denigrate any stroke victim in America and make fun of them and that's awful. You shouldn't do that. For people who have strokes, they can make tremendous comebacks mentally and physically." Kirk also said that he would not apologize to Obama.

When asked "if he had a problem filtering his statements as a result of his stroke," Kirk replied, "Not at all, not at all. I would say I have a problem definitely sending $400 million in 500-euro notes directly [to Iran]. I would say it's unhinged to send $400 million in cash to terrorists."

Kirk's campaign manager Kevin Artl also responded to Duckworth's criticism, saying, "Sen. Kirk was referring to the administration's decision to send pallets of cash, not even US dollars, but euros and Swiss francs, in a clear ransom payment to Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. The decision sets an awful and dangerous international standard that should be investigated and the lack of transparency from the administration clearly indicated they knew their actions were not above board."

Syrian refugees

During a roundtable event on August 24, 2016, Duckworth and Kirk discussed their plans to deal with Syrian refugees. Since the armed conflict in Syria began in 2011, the United Nations estimated that more than 12 million people (including more than 5 million children) have been displaced. At least four million Syrians left their country to seek refuge in the Middle East and Europe. It has been described as one of the largest forced migrations, and one of the worst humanitarian crises, since World War II.

Duckworth proposed accepting 100,000 refugees from Syria, while Kirk proposed putting the process for accepting Syrian refugees on hold until a better vetting process could be put in place.

Duckworth said, “If we leave kids to grow up in those refugee camps and we turn our back and we create a religious litmus test for who can come to this country, we are feeding ISIS propaganda. We are growing the next generation of kids who will grow up to be people who shoot down American helicopters like the kid who shot me down.”

Kirk criticized Duckworth's proposal, saying, "She tried to tell you that the Syrians who are coming into the United States are somehow different. She’s asking you to suspend your common sense. They’re all from Syria. We cannot make the same mistake that Europe did, letting all of these people in." He added that, under Duckworth's proposal, the number of Syrian refugees would “outnumber the number of FBI agents right here in Illinois. I think it’s better to pause the program and leave those people out of the United States. Let’s pick safety first."

The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: An overview

Duckworth opposed and Kirk supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership) (TPP), which is a trade deal between the United States and 11 Asia-Pacific countries. The deal seeks to promote trade and strengthen the relationships between the 12 nations by reducing and eliminating tariffs, fostering competition, and creating greater opportunities for businesses. The countries involved have also agreed to promote environmental protection practices and enforce laws protecting workers. Congress has not voted on the final agreement.

On May 7, 2015, Duckworth explained her opposition to giving President Barack Obama trade promotion authority (TPA) to negotiate the TPP. She wrote in a statement, “The TPA fails to set adequate, meaningful negotiating standards on currency manipulation, rules of origin and labor and environmental standards. This particularly worries me, since the Administration is in the final stages of negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that includes countries with troubling track records in these areas. The TPA under the Hatch-Wyden-Ryan deal fails to ensure these standards are met and leaves Congress with a weakened voice on crucial decisions facing American workers.”

Kirk supported the TPP and voted to give Obama TPA. In an op-ed published on May 24, 2015, Kirk explained that he supported TPP because it will help farmers in Illinois increase their exports of corn, soybeans, and grains to TPP countries. He wrote,

“

[The TPP] will expand market access for Illinois farmers. The partnership economies represent more than 50 percent of Illinois corn volume and 18 percent of soybean exports. In total, less than half of all our agriculture exports went to TPP countries, which include some of the most robust economies and represent nearly 40 percent of the world's Gross Domestic Product. TPP will level the playing field on tariffs and non-tariff barriers that make our products less competitive. This is a ripe market opportunity we would be foolish to squander. Unfortunately, some politicians are opposed to opening up these markets and seem to be stuck in the past by promoting isolationist policies that reduce U.S. opportunities abroad. To me, it's pretty simple. The global economy has never been more intertwined and competitive than it stands today. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, every $1 billion of U.S. agricultural exports requires the support of about 6,600 workers throughout the economy. This means 52,000 jobs are generated by Illinois' agriculture export activity. Global demand will not change, so it's just a matter of who will provide the supply. If we don't ship American farm commodities overseas, we're going to be shipping American jobs. We must do everything we can to help American farmers sell more of their products in foreign markets, especially in these Trans-Pacific Partnership countries.

”

Presidential preference

Mark Kirk

See also: Republicans and their declared positions on Donald Trump and Republican reactions to 2005 Trump tape

• On October 8, 2016, Kirk called for Trump to withdraw from the race after The Washington Post released a 2005 video of Trump making comments about women that were described as "extremely lewd."

• .@realDonaldTrump should drop out. @GOP should engage rules for emergency replacement.

  — Mark Kirk (@SenatorKirk) October 8, 2016

• On June 7, 2016, Kirk withdrew his support for Trump in the following statement:

“	I have spent my life building bridges and tearing down barriers–not building walls. That’s why I find Donald Trump’s belief that an American-born judge of Mexican descent is incapable of fairly presiding over his case is not only dead wrong, it is un-American. As the Presidential campaign progressed, I was hoping the rhetoric would tone down and reflect a campaign that was inclusive, thoughtful and principled. While I oppose the Democratic nominee, Donald Trump’s latest statements, in context with past attacks on Hispanics, women and the disabled like me, make it certain that I cannot and will not support my party’s nominee for President regardless of the political impact on my candidacy or the Republican Party. It is absolutely essential that we are guided by a commander-in-chief with a responsible and proper temperament, discretion and judgment. Our President must be fit to command the most powerful military the world has ever seen, including an arsenal of thousands of nuclear weapons. After much consideration, I have concluded that Donald Trump has not demonstrated the temperament necessary to assume the greatest office in the world.	”
—Sen. Mark Kirk

• In March 2016, Kirk offered his support for Donald Trump, but he did not endorse Trump. Kirk said he "certainly would" support Trump as the party’s nominee.

Kirk's anti-Trump ad

"Even More," Mark Kirk for Senate, Illinois, June 23, 2016

Kirk was the first Republican to air an ad criticizing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. In the ad, Kirk said that Trump "is not fit to be commander in chief." He also tried to portray himself as a moderate Republican who supports a vote on Merrick Garland—President Obama's Supreme Court nominee—something GOP leadership opposed.

Kirk told CNN that his decision to disavow Trump helped his campaign. He said, "It's helped because I'm a very independent voice for Illinois. ... [The strategy] make[s] sure that people know that I always put Illinois first." According to an official from Kirk's campaign, donors and volunteers have shown more interest in helping Kirk since he distanced himself from Trump.

Kirk will write in Powell for president

On August 11, 2016, Kirk said that he would vote for former Secretary of State Colin Powell for president. Previously, he had considered writing in former CIA Director David Petraeus, although neither Petraeus nor Powell were running for the office. During an interview, Kirk said, "It's just kind of a protest vote for me, and I think that Donald Trump is too bigoted and too racist for the land of Lincoln."

Tammy Duckworth

See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

Rep Tammy Duckworth - Democratic National Convention, July 28, 2016

Duckworth was one of Hillary Clinton's earliest supporters on Capitol Hill. On November 11, 2013, Duckworth became "the second House lawmaker to back the group working to draft Hillary Clinton to run for president," according to The Hill.

DNC speech

During her speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Duckworth said that Trump was "not fit to be Commander-in-Chief." She then spoke about the historic nature of Clinton's potential presidency. Duckworth, who piloted a Black Hawk helicopter during the Iraq War, said, "Ten years after my helicopter was shot down—almost to the day—I got my most important job: I became a mom. We named our little girl after Abigail Adams, who urged her husband to 'remember the ladies' as he and his colleagues first declared our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—just a few miles from this very spot. My Abigail already knows women can fly helicopters in combat. And in 102 days, when we elect Hillary, my daughter’s first memories of a President will be of a woman."

Endorsements

Mark Kirk

• The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - "Whether it was becoming the first Republican Senator to co-sponsor the Equality Act, co-sponsoring a bill to help schools combat anti-LGBT bullying or supporting marriage equality, Senator Kirk has demonstrated time and again that he believes in full federal equality. Senator Kirk’s leadership on the Equality Act sends a strong message that fairness and equality are bipartisan values. Senator Kirk has fought for us, and we are proud to support him in his re-election campaign."

• The Human Rights Campaign withdrew its endorsement of Kirk for questioning Duckworth's American heritage during a debate. HRC president Chad Griffin wrote in a letter, "On Thursday night, Senator Kirk’s comments about his opponent’s heritage were deeply offensive and racist. His attempt to use Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth’s race as a means to undermine her family’s American heritage and patriotism is beyond reprehensible. The diversity of our movement is our greatest strength, and Senator Kirk’s remarks were an affront to our most fundamental values. We have therefore voted to endorse Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, who has been a strong LGBTQ ally in the House of Representatives, and HRC will contribute the maximum amount to her campaign."

• Americans for Responsible Solutions - In an op-ed, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Captain Mark Kelly, co-founders of the gun violence prevention organization Americans for Responsible Solutions, wrote, "In the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook, Republican Sens. Pat Toomey and Mark Kirk broke from the gun lobby and supported a bill to help prevent felons, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill from obtaining firearms at gun shows and online. This week, they are earning our organization's endorsement."

Tammy Duckworth

• The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - After initially endorsing Kirk, the HRC withdrew its endorsement of the senator for questioning Duckworth's American heritage during a debate. HRC president Chad Griffin wrote in a letter, "On Thursday night, Senator Kirk’s comments about his opponent’s heritage were deeply offensive and racist. His attempt to use Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth’s race as a means to undermine her family’s American heritage and patriotism is beyond reprehensible. The diversity of our movement is our greatest strength, and Senator Kirk’s remarks were an affront to our most fundamental values. We have therefore voted to endorse Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, who has been a strong LGBTQ ally in the House of Representatives, and HRC will contribute the maximum amount to her campaign."

• EMILY's List - "Tammy is a champion for Illinois’ middle class, women, and members of the military with an unwavering commitment to promoting workplace policies that give all working families a fair shot. The EMILY’s List community is thrilled to endorse Tammy Duckworth’s campaign for Senate and will stand with her every step of the way."

• Sen. Dick Durbin - "From the beginning, Tammy impressed me with her determination to overcome adversity and her commitment to her brothers and sisters in uniform. It wasn’t long after I met her that she was calling me about problems facing other wounded soldiers and combat veterans at Walter Reed. So eventually, I encouraged her to run for Congress so that she could better advocate for veterans and for working families."

• The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - "Tammy Duckworth has spent her life serving this nation and the state of Illinois, and she has a proven record of advocating for veterans, women and working families. Tammy’s incredible story reflects her persistence and tenacity, even when the odds are stacked against her, and she brings that same determination to her work on behalf of her constituents every single day. We are excited to support Tammy and we are confident that she will be an outstanding Senator for the State of Illinois."

• Hillary Clinton - Duckworth "should be the next senator from Illinois."

• The Illinois AFL-CIO - "Congresswoman Duckworth has a 97 percent voting record on issues affecting working families. She has a track record supporting the middle class. Her race will be one of the most important in the nation. It is critical that union members are educated and mobilized for that race."

• The Illinois SEIU - Duckworth "is not only a war hero but has a proven record of supporting issues crucial to working families, such as ensuring equal pay for women, expanding access to maternity leave and child care, raising the minimum wage, and passing comprehensive immigration reform."

• LPAC - Beth Shipp, executive director of LPAC, a lesbian political action committee, said, "This year, as reproductive rights face attack at all levels, and when so much LGBT progress hangs in the balance — from defending marriage equality to passing comprehensive non-discrimination — not only do we need champions in the U.S. Senate like Tammy Duckworth, we need a progressive majority that will protect our rights, and confirm progressive judicial nominees. Tammy Duckworth has proven, through her actions in Congress, that she will work hard for women's equality, LGBT rights and social justice — the core tenets upon which LPAC was founded. Her support for our values is real, actionable, and comprehensive; Tammy the candidate who will be a forceful advocate for LGBTQ women and our allies in the U.S. Senate. This year, it's more about actions than words when it comes to supporting candidates. We need leaders like Tammy who will stand with us after the election when the real work begins."

• Democracy for America - Jim Dean, Democracy for America's chairman, said in a statement, “We’re excited to support Tammy Duckworth and Deborah Ross because we know their victories will help ensure the U.S. Senate can start clearing the backlog of critical populist progressive priorities we need to help us combat growing income inequality, money’s outsized role in our political process, and structural racism."

• The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund - Alex Taurel, deputy legislative director for the League, said, “The people of Illinois deserve two senators who will consistently support climate action and defend public health, and we are thrilled to endorse Rep. Tammy Duckworth to join Senator Durbin as the next senator from Illinois to do just that."

• The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund - Henry Henderson, a senior adviser at NRDC Action Fund, said, “Building the ranks of pro-environment senators is an important goal for the NRDC Action Fund this year, which is why we're proud to endorse Rep. Tammy Duckworth."

• The Sierra Club - Kady McFadden, Illinois political director for the Sierra Club, said Duckworth “will continue to champion the policies we need to combat the climate crisis and seize the clean energy future.”

Defeated candidate

Andrea Zopp

• State Sen. Kwame Raoul - "Intellectually, and experience-wise, Andi Zopp is the best candidate quite frankly that we've seen in potentially history."

• U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis - "I have nothing but admiration and respect for Tammy Duckworth. But I think Andrea Zopp has been more engaged in many of the issues that affect people in my district, particularly her work with the Chicago Urban League with job promotion and development."

• Rev. Jesse Jackson - "I’ve known Andrea Zopp for 30 years. I support her unequivocally. She has worked on curbing easy access to guns, and supports a call for urban reconstruction. She knows first-hand we don’t just need better policing; we need better police accountability."

Media

Mark Kirk

Support

Incumbent Mark Kirk released his first television ad on May 14, 2015. He released a second ad on December 1, 2015, attacking Duckworth for her decision to support allowing Syrian refugees into the country. Kirk released another ad attacking Duckworth for her stance on Syrian refugees on February 24, 2016.

"Courage" Mark Kirk for Senate

"Big Differences" Mark Kirk for Senate

"Security" Mark Kirk for Senate

"Court" Mark Kirk for Senate

"Even More" - Kirk ad touting his record of breaking with the Republican Party

"No Wonder" - Kirk ad opposing Duckworth, released September 2016

"Shameful" - Kirk campaign ad, released October 2016

Opposition

"Like Donald Trump, he's wrong." J Street ad opposing Kirk and Trump, released October 2016

Tammy Duckworth

Duckworth released her first TV ad on February 23, 2016. VoteVets then spent $600,000 on airing an ad supporting Duckworth over incumbent Mark Kirk (R).

Support

"Driven" - Duckworth's first campaign ad, released February 2016

"Blackhawk" VoteVets campaign ad supporting Duckworth

"Repeatedly" Duckworth campaign ad, released May 2016

"Flat out" - Duckworth campaign ad, released July 2016

"Uniform" - Duckworth campaign ad, released July 2016

"Adversity" - Duckworth campaign ad, released August 2016

"Granite City" - Duckworth campaign ad, released August 2016

"Disgraceful" - Duckworth campaign ad, released September 2016

"Hit" - Duckworth campaign ad, released September 2016

Opposition

"200K" - Independent Voice for Illinois PAC ad attacking Duckworth, released July 2016

"Secret Documents" - Independent Voice for Illinois PAC ad attacking Duckworth on Iran

"Three Strikes" - Independent Voice for Illinois PAC ad attacking Duckworth

"Secret Documents" - Independent Voice for Illinois PAC ad attacking Duckworth

"Priorities" - Kirk campaign ad opposing Duckworth, released September 2016

"Whistleblower" - Independent Voice for Illinois PAC ad opposing Duckworth

Defeated candidate

Andrea Zopp

Zopp aired three ads during the first Democratic presidential debate on October 13, 2015.

"Andrea Zopp for US Senate Bold HD"

"Andrea Zopp for US Senate Injustice HD"

"Andrea Zopp for US Senate Debate HD"

"Changes" - Andrea Zopp for Senate

Polls

Illinois voters view presidential and Senate candidates unfavorably

An Emerson College poll conducted September 19-20, 2016, found that Illinois voters were dissatisfied with their choices for president and senator. In the race for president, 43 percent of those polled viewed Clinton favorably, while 34 percent viewed Trump favorably. Only 26 percent of respondents viewed Kirk favorably, while 37 percent viewed Duckworth favorably.

Illinois Senate - Mark Kirk vs. Tammy Duckworth
Poll	Mark Kirk	Tammy Duckworth	Margin of Error	Sample Size
The Simon Poll/SIU September 27-October 2, 2016	34%	48%	+/-3.3	865
Emerson College September 19-21, 2016	39%	41%	+/-3.6	700
Loras College September 13-16, 2016	36%	41%	+/-4.0	600
Normington Petts August 1-4, 2016	37%	44%	+/-3.5	800
Public Policy Polling July 20-21, 2016	36%	42%	+/-3.2	921
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected]

Campaign contributions

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

Mark Kirk

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

Tammy Duckworth

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

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The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may not represent all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer, and campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Presidential impact

Presidential elections have a significant impact on congressional elections, the most obvious of which is increased voter interest and participation. In the last two decades, presidential elections have led to roughly 15 to 20 percent higher turnout rates than in the corresponding midterm elections. The following chart shows the disparity between voter turnout in presidential elections and midterms.

In the past decade, presidential elections have benefited the Democratic Party, while midterms have helped Republicans. The Democratic Party gained an average of five Senate seats in the last two presidential elections, and the Republican Party picked up an average of seven and a half seats in the last two midterms. The fact that 2016 was a presidential election cycle was a cause of increased Republican vulnerability in the Senate.

Election history

2014

See also: United States Senate elections in Illinois, 2014

On November 4, 2014, incumbent Richard Durbin (D) defeated challengers Jim Oberweis (R) and Sharon Hansen (L) in the general election.

U.S. Senate, Illinois General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Richard Durbin Incumbent	53.5%	1,929,637
	Republican	Jim Oberweis	42.7%	1,538,522
	Libertarian	Sharon Hansen	3.8%	135,316
Total Votes				3,603,475
Source: Illinois Secretary of State Official Results

2010

On November 2, 2010, Kirk won election to the United States Senate. He defeated Alexander "Alexi" Giannoulias (D), LeAlan M. Jones (G), Mike Labno (L), Robert L. "Bob" Zadek (I), Will Boyd (I), Corey Dabney (I), Susanne Atanus (I), Shon-Tiyon "Santiago" Horton (I), Avner Nager (I), Stan Jagla (I), Darren Raichart (I), and Lowell M. Seida (I) in the general election.

U.S. Senate, Illinois General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mark Steve Kirk	48%	1,778,698
	Democratic	Alexander "Alexi" Giannoulias	46.4%	1,719,478
	Green	LeAlan M. Jones	3.2%	117,914
	Libertarian	Mike Labno	2.4%	87,247
	Independent	Robert L. "Bob" Zadek	0%	561
	Independent	Will Boyd	0%	468
	Independent	Corey Dabney	0%	33
	Independent	Susanne Atanus	0%	19
	Independent	Shon-Tiyon "Santiago" Horton	0%	16
	Independent	Avner Nager	0%	15
	Independent	Stan Jagla	0%	12
	Independent	Darren Raichart	0%	9
	Independent	Lowell M. Seida	0%	3
Total Votes				3,704,473

Important dates and deadlines

See also: Illinois elections, 2016

The calendar below lists important dates for political candidates in Illinois in 2016.

Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016
Deadline	Event type	Event description
November 30, 2015	Ballot access	Filing deadline for established party candidates
January 14, 2016	Ballot access	Filing deadline for write-in candidates for the primary election
January 15, 2016	Campaign finance	December quarterly report due
March 15, 2016	Election date	Primary election
April 15, 2016	Campaign finance	March quarterly report due
June 27, 2016	Ballot access	Filing deadline for new political party candidates and independent candidates
July 15, 2016	Campaign finance	June quarterly report due
September 8, 2016	Ballot access	Filing deadline for write-in candidates for the general election
October 17, 2016	Campaign finance	September quarterly report due
November 8, 2016	Election date	General election
January 17, 2017	Campaign finance	December quarterly report due
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election and Campaign Finance Calendar 2016," accessed August 7, 2015

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois, 2016
• United States Senate elections, 2016
• Mark Kirk

Footnotes

For information about public policy issues in the 2016 elections, see: Public policy in the 2016 elections!

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Illinois' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tammy Duckworth (D)

Dick Durbin (D)

Representatives

District 1

Jonathan Jackson (D)

District 2

Robin Kelly (D)

District 3

Delia Ramirez (D)

District 4

Jesus Garcia (D)

District 5

Mike Quigley (D)

District 6

Sean Casten (D)

District 7

Danny Davis (D)

District 8

Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

District 9

Jan Schakowsky (D)

District 10

Brad Schneider (D)

District 11

Bill Foster (D)

District 12

Mike Bost (R)

District 13

Nikki Budzinski (D)

District 14

Lauren Underwood (D)

District 15

Mary Miller (R)

District 16

Darin LaHood (R)

District 17

Eric Sorensen (D)

Democratic Party (16)

Republican Party (3)