Primary focus: Reporters, photographers look back on last week’s election (Sun-Times Media)

Here’s the part this reporter contributed:

Not long after Karen McConnaughay gave her acceptance speech, her arms wrapped around her three-year-old granddaughter Abigail, Tuesday night at Emmett’s in West Dundee, the congratulatory calls started coming in.

One the Kane County Board chairwoman, now senator-elect for the newly-formed 33rd Illinois Senate District, received was from U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, still recovering from a January stroke.

McConnaughay didn’t reveal what the senator told her. But to receive a call from him on Election Night was “awesome,” she said, her voice choked with emotion.

“It was the most meaningful call of the evening,” she said.

For the rest of the story, read Primary focus: Reporters, photographers look back on last week’s election (Sun-Times Media).

Photo credit: Brian Powers for Sun-Times Media.

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Noland, McConnaughay win Senate seats; Oberweis, Pierog likely to face off in fall (Sun-Times Media)

WEST DUNDEE – A cheer went up from the table as the first numbers from Kane County began popping up at about 9 p.m. on back-to-back computer screens set up on a table upstairs at Emmett’s in West Dundee.

“Obviously, supporters are always great to reach a conclusion early in the evening,” said Kane County Board Chairwoman Karen McConnaughay.

But with about 80 percent of precincts in Kane and McHenry counties reporting and about 60 percent of the vote about half an hour later, McConnaughay said, “I guess this means we actually did it.”

The St. Charles resident has been a member of the Kane County Board since 1992 and was elected chaiman in both 2004 and 2008.

The 3rd District includes 17 municipalities and spans much of northern Kane County, from Batavia northwest to Huntley. No Democrats ran this year for a seat in the district.

Her opponent, Cliff Surges of Gilberts, is an insurance agent and former Gilberts Village Board trustee.

Although the two candidates appeared to agree on most issues during debates, theirs was been a contentious race, during which Surges accused the chairwoman of “pay to play” politics. Meantime, McConnaughay revealed public records that show her opponent has been late paying property taxes on both his Kane County home and Chicago insurance office on 25 separate occasions since 2002.

“This was a rough campaign. I think we all know politics has become a much harder business than it used to be,” McConnaughay said.

“I really believe we will turn a corner in Illinois and put things back on the right track and make Illinois a place we can be proud to live in.”

For the rest of the story, read Noland, McConnaughay win Senate seats; Oberweis, Pierog likely to face off in fall (Sun-Times Media).

Photo credit: Michael Smart for Sun-Times Media.

Perhaps my proudest Election Night moment

I now can say I closed a bar with a state senator. And I’m done. #cnvote12 (@ Emmett’s Tavern & Brewing Co.) 4sq.com/GCQIxH

— Emily Miller (@mcemilywrites) March 21, 2012