Updated at 11:05 p.m.
State Sen. (R-Hinsdale) grabbed more than 60 percent of the vote and beat Rep. (R-Lombard) for the Republican nomination in Illinois' 24th Senate District in Tuesday's General Primary.
The incumbent has served the 24th District since 1993.
"I take this as a nice referendum on my leadership style," Dillard said over the phone after the win became official. "It shows that people understand results and want state legislators to work in collaboration without ever giving up their principles."
With 100 percent of precincts reporting in both DuPage and Cook counties, Dillard had 19,145 total votes (62 percent) to Nybo's 11,928 (32 percent).
Nybo, who has represented the state's 41st House District since 2011, said he had a grass-roots campaign that did the best it could against an opponent in Dillard who had establishment support.
"I’m proud of the way we ran the race," Nybo said. "I'm proud of the volunteers that helped out."
He credited Democratic redistricting with forcing him into a race against Dillard.
"The Democrats got exactly what they wanted," said Nybo, who described himself as someone who fights for pension reform and stands up against insider deals. "They have one less person down there like me to contend with beginning in 2013."
Nybo said he has no immediate plans to run for office again in the future and is looking forward to spending time with his family.
Dillard, who once was chief of staff for Gov. Jim Edgar, said he respected Nybo for being a "tenacious campaigner."
Dillard will face in the November General Election after Ghani ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination Tuesday.
In answering a Patch questionnaire, Dillard said his prioirities if re-elected in November would be to make Illinois a "destination economy" for job-creators and to protect taxpayers from further "raids" on their pocketbooks by state agencies.
Dillard is 56 years old and lives in Hinsdale, where he was raised, with his wife and two daughters.
FINAL RESULTS:
Republican
Kirk Dillard is nominated for the General Election ballot and will face Democrat A. Ghani, whose nomination bid was unopposed.
Cook DuPage Precincts Reporting: 6 of 6 216 of 216 Votes Votes Total 767 18,378 19,145 (62%)251 11,677 11,928 (38%)
So by your logic, ANYONE that has served more than one or two terms should not be supported? That would mean we should not vote for ANY of the presidential candidates because they too have had long political careers. Kirk Dillard gets results and is trying take his experience to the Governor's mansion. It's not as though he wants to stay in the senate seat forever. Someone with experience and able to garner huge support (Dillard) needs to run against a Democratic candidate for governor. By your twisted, Nybo logic republicans should put up a high school grad. I hope all of the bitter, sick supporters of the Fitzpatrick/Nybo world crawl back into their holes. We are tired of your spin logic.
He already made a run for Governor and lost by less than one percent of the vote. And you are going to blame the entire Illinois mess on one candidate? Nybo has been in Springfield for the last 3.5 years. Are you going to paint him with the same brush?
Dillard is doing a decent job, but I don't like him, or anyone else spending decades (or 43 years and counting) in office - I strongly believe they start losing touch.
Just like American Idol, you can only have one winner yet so much talent at the top. Kind of a shame.
in DuPage. He is a backer, supporter and friend and helper of Cellini. Dillard was aware of the Chicago dens and mob associates put on the payroll by Janis and did nothing. He cannot be trusted and he's way too much in debt so he will do pay for play.