Chris Aguayo
Christopher Michael Aguayo was a 2016 Veterans Party of America write-in candidate who sought election to the U.S. Senate from Illinois.[1]
Biography
Aguayo received his bachelor's degree in political science from Illinois State University in 2015 and began pursuing a criminal justice degree from Parkland College later that year. He works as a security officer and was on active duty with the US Army from 2005-2013. Aguayo is the state chair of the Illinois Veterans Party of America.[2]
Elections
2016
The race for Illinois' U.S. Senate seat was one of nine competitive battleground races in 2016. U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D) defeated incumbent Mark Kirk (R)—who was seeking re-election to his second term—Kenton McMillen (L), and Scott Summers (G) in the general election on November 8, 2016.
In her victory speech, Duckworth said, “Tonight, we showed a campaign that respects voters and is focused on practical solutions rather than shopworn slogans can be successful. We showed that a relentless focus on rebuilding Illinois’ middle class and respecting hard worth rather than wealth can be successful, too.”[3]
During his concession speech, Kirk said, "What unites us as Americans is much stronger than what divides us." Kirk also invited Duckworth to have a beer with him as a peace offering. He said, “This beer summit with [sic] show kids across Illinois that opponents can peacfully [sic] bury the hatchet.”[3][4]
Numerous analysts labeled Kirk the most vulnerable GOP incumbent in 2016 due to Illinois' tendency to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats during presidential election cycles. Kirk faced significant opposition from national Democrats who targeted Illinois as an essential seat needed to regain the majority in the U.S. Senate. Democrats picked up two seats in Election Day, but they fell short of the five seats that they needed to take control of the Senate.[5]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Tammy Duckworth |
54.9% | 3,012,940 | |
| Republican | Mark Kirk Incumbent | 39.8% | 2,184,692 | |
| Libertarian | Kenton McMillen | 3.2% | 175,988 | |
| Green | Scott Summers | 2.1% | 117,619 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0% | 639 | |
| Total Votes | 5,491,878 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mark Kirk Incumbent |
70.6% | 931,619 | ||
| James Marter | 29.4% | 388,571 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,320,190 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections |
||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tammy Duckworth |
64.4% | 1,220,128 | ||
| Andrea Zopp | 24% | 455,729 | ||
| Napoleon Harris | 11.6% | 219,286 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,895,143 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections |
||||
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Veterans Party of America, "Candidates," accessed December 30, 2015
- ↑ Information submitted through Ballotpedia's biographical submission form on November 28, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 WTTW.com, "Duckworth Defeats Kirk in Heated US Senate Race," accessed November 15, 2016
- ↑ CBS Chicago, "Tammy Duckworth Defeats Mark Kirk In U.S. Senate Race," accessed November 15, 2016
- ↑ Roll Call, "Democrats Could Face Primary Mess in Illinois Senate Race," January 23, 2015
