Democrat Tammy Duckworth defeats GOP Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois
Democrats have just won their first official Senate pickup of the night, with Rep. Tammy Duckworth easily defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois.
The race was called by various media outlets as soon as the polls closed, based on the preliminary exit poll suggesting that Duckworth could potentially take 58 percent of the vote.
Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran, who lost both of her legs when the helicopter she was piloting was shot down by an insurgent rocket.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Kirk, who is considered to be a socially moderate Republican, was narrowly elected in the 2010 midterm Republican wave, picking up the Senate seat formerly held by President Obama. He was widely viewed as the underdog this year, with this race seen as the single most obvious potential gain for Democrats.
Kirk made headlines in the final weeks of the campaign, however, when he lobbed a racially-charged attack at Duckworth during a debate. Duckworth, who was born in Thailand to an ethnic Chinese mother and a white American father, stated that she was a "Daughter of the American Revolution," with her family having served in the U.S. military for wars throughout history. Kirk then responded: "I had forgotten your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington."
Duckworth then responded: "There's been members of my family serving on my father's side since the American Revolution… I'm proud of both my father's side and my mother, who's an immigrant."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom ban
Speed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published