A number of contested races in St. Clair County were still up in the air as of press time last Tuesday, which was election night.

Now, the winners of those races appear to be known.

For St. Clair County sheriff, incumbent Democrat Rick Watson survived a tough challenge from Republican Justin Biggs of Millstadt, who works for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. 

The sheriff’s race was neck-and-neck as of late last Tuesday night before the East St. Louis Board of Elections – which operates separately from St. Clair County’s election board – posted the results from its 25 precincts.

Those precincts typically vote 90 percent Democrat and that was the case again this time, giving Watson 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Biggs.

Republican Kevin Schmidt of Millstadt upset three-term incumbent Democrat LaToya Greenwood of East St. Louis for state representative of the newly drawn 114th District. 

Schmidt, a board certified chiropractor, has said he will push to enact spending reforms based on what taxpayers can afford and regulatory reforms to bring manufacturing back to Illinois, also pledging a fight to “end the war on fossil fuels.”

St. Clair County Board District 7 serving the areas of Dupo and Cahokia Heights also saw two newcomers: Republican Jessica McClelland and Democrat Courtney Moore. 

Republican Dave Langford, the current board member for a large part of that area under the county board old map of District 16, ran Nov. 8 election for county clerk against Democratic incumbent Tom Holbrook. 

Holbrook was re-elected county clerk with 56 percent of the vote to Langford’s 44 percent.