This central Illinois district including Springfield and Decatur is a top priority for Senate Republicans, who see an opportunity to flip a seat currently in the Democratic fold. Democrat Doris Turner narrowly won in 2022 after being appointed in 2021 to replace Andy Manar, who now is a top Pritzker administration official.
Turner, 73, faces Republican Frank Lesko, 66, who has held several offices in Springfield and Sangamon County, most recently county recorder of deeds. Lesko ran for his current office on a platform of “hire me to fire me,” arguing the recorder’s office should be merged with the county clerk’s office in order to save taxpayers money. County voters opted to do just that; 57% of them in a referendum voted to combine the two.
Lesko positions himself as a moderate and, in a recent candidate forum, declined to endorse Darren Bailey, the Republican who is challenging Pritzker for a second consecutive time.
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Turner notably voted against the tax-heavy fiscal 2026 budget as well as the less controversial fiscal 2027 budget, perhaps a nod to the moderate bent in this district. We think if Democratic budgets are so unpopular in this district that the Democrat is opposing them, voters ought to opt for the reasonable Republican alternative. We endorse Frank Lesko.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
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