News Local/State

Harold, Raoul Win Primary Elections For Attorney General

By Lee V. Gaines
 
Erika Harold, a Republican candidate for Illinois attorney general, in September 2017 in Chicago. Harold won the GOP primary for the seat.

Erika Harold, a Republican candidate for Illinois attorney general, in September 2017 in Chicago. Sophia Tareen/AP

Erika Harold won the Republican primary for Attorney General, while State Sen. Kwame Raoul edged out former governor Pat Quinn in a tight race for the Democratic nomination, according to Associated Press election results.

The primary race featured a crowded field of Democrats vying for the position held by Lisa Madigan, who is not seeking re-election. On the Republican side, Harold, a Harvard Law School graduate and former Miss America winner, beat out DuPage County Board member Gary Grasso for the GOP nomination. 

Raoul, who holds Obama's former state senate seat, led Quinn by a small margin, according to AP results. Quinn conceded lated Tuesday night. 

Raoul has occupied his state senate seat since 2004 when he was appointed to the office after Obama was elected a U.S. senator. Speaking on The 21st Show, Raoul said, if elected, he plans to use his position as attorney general to lobby the general assembly to pass criminal justice reforms. He said he's also in favor of a more "victim centered" approach to law and order. 

Harold received campaign contributions from incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner, who also won his party's nomination Tuesday night, and she has the support of the GOP establishment, according to an AP report. She said she wants to tackle criminal justice reform and other issues from a bipartisan approach, the AP report reports, and views herself as a "reform-minded, political outsider."