Rock Island Today

Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms has won the GOP nomination to run for the state Senate District 36 seat. 

Thoms advances to the Nov. 8 general election where he will face state Sen. Michael Halpin (D-Rock Island).

“I would like to thank all of my family, friends, and everybody that voted and supported me in this primary," Thomas said in a video posted on Twitter. "It was a lot of hard work, but we're ready for the next phase and moving forward and winning in November.” 

Thoms won the GOP nod in commanding fashion with 67.8% of the vote and 7,805 votes to competitor — former Democrat Glen Evans Sr.’s 32.2% of the vote and 3,709 votes, Ballotpedia's records showed. 

Thoms is a fourth-generation Rock Island resident. He retired from Thoms-Proestler Co., his family-owned food services company, and was formerly president of Renaissance Rock Island, a nonprofit economic development organization. Thoms was endorsed in the race by the Chicago Tribune.

"[W]e see Thoms as having the more apt background to help Western Illinois," the Chicago Tribune said, according to his campaign. "Thoms wins our endorsement."

The new 36th Senate District reaches all or parts of Galesburg, East Galesburg, Knoxville, Monmouth, Bushnell, Macomb, East Moline, Coal Valley, and Colona. Thoms' biggest margin of victory was in Henry County where he received he received 76% of the vote, according to The Register-Mail. It was in Knox County where he received the smallest margin with only 59%.

Illinois' 36th District seat was left open after incumbent Rep. Neil Anderson (R-Moline) was drawn out in the remapping, Rock Island Today previously reported.