Eric Sorensen

Eric Sorensen, the Moline Democrat representing Illinois’ 17th Congressional District, appears to be heading back to Washington.

With 47% of the votes counted, The Associated Press called the race for Sorensen at 8:48 p.m. Tuesday.

Sorensen had 75,536 votes to the 49,912 for his opponent, Dillan Vancil, a Henderson County Republican.

Sorensen has represented the 17th District since 2023 and serves on the House Agriculture and Armed Services committees. He was a TV meteorologist in central and northwestern Illinois for more than two decades.

Sorensen says he is focused on lowering costs for working families, creating jobs in central and northwestern Illinois and supporting family farms and rural communities, according to his congressional website.

Vancil founded Dame Fine Coffee and has served on the West Central School District 235 school board since 2021.

Vancil said his first priority would have been to “unleash American energy,” including burning coal again, expanding natural gas, and investing in nuclear power, he said during the primary.

He also would have pushed to eliminate federal income taxes on the first $25,000 of income for individuals and $50,000 for married couples, he said, and would have backed eliminating federal income taxes for first responders while they are on call.

“I don’t agree with President Trump that Illinois is a lost cause,” Vancil said during the primary.

Illinois’ 17th Congressional District spans central and northwestern Illinois. The district encompasses all of Carroll, Rock Island, Whiteside, and Knox counties, and parts of Mercer, Stephenson, Tazewell, McLean, Fulton, Peoria, Henry, Warren, and McDonough counties.

The district is anchored by Rockford to the north and Bloomington-Normal to the south and includes Peoria and the Illinois side of the Quad-City region, which includes Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline.

Charlene Bielema is an award-winning journalist and the editor of Sauk Valley Media.