Giannoulias Wins Illinois Democratic Senate Primary; Faces Rep. Mark Kirk

CHICAGO -- Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias won the Democratic nomination in Tuesday's Illinois Senate primary to fill the seat formerly held by President Obama. Giannoulias will face Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-Ill.), who won the GOP nomination, in what will be a nine-month march to November.

Giannoulias beat a strong last-minute bid by political newcomer David Hoffman, an attorney who was Chicago City Hall inspector general. Running third was Cheryle Jackson, the former Chicago Urban League Chief.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement, "Each of the Democrats waged spirited, aggressive campaigns -- the same approach it will take to keep this seat blue. I look forward to doing whatever I can to help the State Treasurer transition into the general election and of course win in November."

"Voters in Illinois will face a stark choice in this election: moving forward with a candidate who has a record of saving Illinois jobs, or moving backwards with a Washington insider who wants to return to the failed policies that created the economic mess we now face."

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement, "I congratulate Mark Kirk for his victory in the Illinois Republican Senate primary election. With Congressman Kirk as our nominee, the Republican Party has a real opportunity to pick up the President's former Senate seat in the blue state of Illinois."