Illinois state Senate District 40 election results

Far southwest suburban state Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, fended off Republican challenger Phil Nagel on Tuesday to earn a third term — and wipe out the Illinois GOP’s main target for picking up a Senate seat.

The Associated Press called the race for Joyce, who led with 59% of the vote compared to 41% for Nagel and about 82% of expected votes counted.

It marked the second straight matchup between Joyce and Nagel in the 40th Senate District, which stretches from Chicago Heights out to Kankakee.

Speaking from his election night party at Copeland’s Bar and Grill in Manteno, Nagel conceded, saying “turnout was not what we expected in a presidential cycle.”

“To Sen. Joyce, I hope he does right by the district. I think being challenged this way, maybe he’ll look at realigning with the interests of more people in the district," he said.

Nagel didn’t rule out a third run in the district in 2028.

“We’ve still gotta see what tomorrow looks like, and what the appetite is for change here,” he said.

Joyce couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

The incumbent was appointed in 2019, elected to a two-year term in 2020 and then beat Nagel by almost 11 percentage points for his previous reelection in 2022.

Nagel, 42, served in the U.S. Air Force maintaining F-16 fighter jets. The Braidwood resident works for a polymer manufacturing firm.

Illinois GOP leaders viewed it as a rare opportunity to pick up a seat in the super-majority Democratic chamber, pumping more than $460,000 into Nagel’s campaign.

But Illinois Senate President Don Harmon dug even deeper to avoid losing a caucus member, directing almost $2 million in campaign funds to Joyce’s ultimately victorious campaign. Several major labor unions also backed Joyce.