Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau has earned the Republican nomination in Illinois’ 6th Congressional district and will face Rep. Sean Casten in the November general election, NBC News has projected.
Pekau, who earned an endorsement from Casten’s 2020 opponent Jeanne Ives, ran on a campaign focused on fighting against increases in crime in Illinois and in Chicago’s suburbs.
“American families shouldn’t have to live in fear,” he said on his website. “And yet, that’s what’s happening. Suburban drivers are forced to seek out busy and well-lit gas stations so their vehicle isn’t stolen while they’re pumping gas. Parents aren’t letting children ride bikes through the neighborhood. Crime has become part of our daily lives.”
Pekau is hoping to unseat Casten in the general election, and he will run in one of the most hotly-contested districts in the state. Casten is seeking his third term in office, having defeated Ives in a 53-45 contest in 2020.
Casten unseated Pete Roskam in the 2018 election. This year, he was forced to go up against fellow Rep. Marie Newman after the 6th District was redrawn to include her residence, but he was able to defeat her in the primary on Tuesday.
“Tonight, the people of the 6th District sent a resounding message,” he said in a statement. “We have been given a mandate to continue our fight against the climate crisis, to end gun violence, to lower costs for families, and to protect every woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.”
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