Coattail effect is nominal in Metro East

While the victory of Republican candidate for Illinois Supreme Court Lloyd Karmeier was impressive, the coattail effect was moderate at best in St. Clair and Madison County.

In the 56th Senate District, Democrat incumbent William Haine defeated Republican challenger David Sherrill 59,497 to 30,068 (66-34 percemt). In the 112th House District, winning with 87 percent of the vote, Democrat incumbent Jay Hoffman beat Independent write-in candidate Carol Kugler, 38790 to 5,763.

In Madison County, Republicans picked up three county board seats, bringing the total Republican representation on the board to 11 of 29 members, what some would call a working minority.

Chris Wangard defeated incumbent Don Sonnenberg 2,432 to 2,043 in District 2.

In District 5, Michelle Ruppert defeated Fred Stutz 1,905 to 1,796.

In District 6, Stephen Adler won over John Hill 2,367 to 2,273.

The race for county board chairman was won handily by incumbent Democrat Alan Dunstan, 56 percent to Republican Gene Frizzo's 44 percent. Dunstan had 65,417 votes to Frizzo's 50,487.

The most closely watched race in St. Clair County--one of eight counties that swung for Karmeier's opponent Gordon Maag--Democrat Mark Kern beat Republican Steve Reeb for county chairman.

Results outside of East St. Louis favored Reeb by a comfortable 3 percent margin; overall Reeb was defeated by 3,979 votes, or 51.8 percent to Reeb's 48.2 percent. Kern received 56,708 votes to Reeb's 52,729 votes.

The only Republican victory in St. Clair County was in County Board District 12, where incumbent Robert Gentsch held off a challenge from William Keeley 2,288 to 1,698.