U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk easily won the Republican primary today for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Barack Obama:

With 75 percent of precincts reporting, Kirk had 57 percent of the vote, easily trouncing the field of five other little-knowns candidates.

Kirk will face an opponent who won a race much tougher to call. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias was ahead in the polls leading up to today’s vote, but he is being challenged by former city Inspector General David Hoffman and Urban League president Cheryle Jackson.

Both the Democrat and Republican gubernatorial primaries, in stark contrast, were nail-biters.

On the Democrat’s side, Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes, had entered the day in a virtual dead heat after a tough campaign. With 83 percent of the precincts reporting, Quinn was holding on to a narrow lead over Hynes, 51 percent to 49 percent.

In the GOP contest, State Sen. Bill Brady had 21 percent of the vote, closely followed by another State Senator, Kirk Dillard, and businessman Andy McKenna, who were tied at 20 percent. Former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan had 16 percent, and open government advocate Adam Andrzejewski 15 percent. Political commentator Dan Proft was further back at 8 percent and Bob Schillerstrom just 1 percent.

Update: Giannoulias.has won the Democrat primary.

- JP

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