Mike Thoms defeats Evans to win in GOP primary in new 36th State Senate district

With 95% of the vote counted, Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms has defeated Glen Evans Sr. to become the Republican nominee for State Senate District 36 in November. He will face Mike Halpin, Rock Island, who was unopposed Tuesday.

Thoms won each of six counties and took 68% of the vote across the new district. In total he received 7,805 votes to Evans' 3,709 votes.

Thoms largest margin of victory was in Henry County, where he received 76% of the vote and had the smallest margin in Knox County with 59%.

County by county voting in 36th District

Thoms is Rock Island mayor and Evans is a minister and former candidate for state representative. Republican Neil Anderson, Andalusia, currently represents the 36th District, but was drawn out of the district in remapping. He ran in the 47th District Tuesday.

The new 36th Senate District reaches north into the southern portion of East Moline and includes Coal Valley and Colona. The district runs south, picking up Galesburg, East Galesburg, Knoxville and Monmouth, before stretching down to include Bushnell and Macomb. Currently, Galesburg is represented by two state senate districts. Republican Win Stoller, District 37, represents the northern part of the city and Republican Jill Tracy, District 47, represents the southern part of Galesburg. The new 36th includes all of Galesburg.

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Mike Thoms wins GOP primary in new 36th State Senate district