Metro East Sun

State Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) will continue to serve in the Illinois House after being re-elected in the 111th House District. 

She defeated Democratic challenger Joe Silkwood. 

“Thank you to voters in the 111th district for your faith in me," Elik said on Facebook. "I will continue to work hard to lower our overall tax burden while increasing opportunity for metro east families. I love giving a voice to our region and am so proud to represent you for another term.“ 

As of the last count, Elik, who was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, had 56.6 % of the vote with 19,823 votes to Silkwood’s 43.4% and 15,173 votes, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report.

"As Madigan awaits trial in his corruption case, his state pension has ballooned to $149,000 a year. That’s more than $12,400 a month, and it’s the kind of confounding situation that GOP incumbent Amy Elik of downstate Alton wants to stop," the Tribune stated in its final installment of the Editorial Board's endorsement. "She has introduced legislation that would suspend the pension benefits of lawmakers charged with crimes associated with their service while they await the outcome of their trials. That’s smart, ethical lawmaking. Elik has been a certified public accountant for more than two decades, and that expertise serves her well as she deals with the challenges posed by Springfield’s moribund fiscal picture. We enthusiastically endorse her over Democrat Joe Silkwood of East Alton."

Early this year, Elik called for the elimination of pension benefits from corrupt politicians and has filed legislation to suspend a lawmaker’s pension if they are convicted or charged with corruption by federal investigators. She renewed her call following Madigan's trial being delayed to next year.

The Democrats maintained their two-thirds majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly in this year's general election. While Republicans had high hopes for the election, only 78 of 118 House seats and 25 of 59 Senate seats were contested. While the Republicans did improve their numbers in the State Senate, the results were nevertheless disappointing for Republicans because the Democrats still hold a supermajority in Springfield.

In the 2020 election, Elik was one of four Republicans to flip seats after defeating Democrat Monica Bristow, who was then the incumbent. Representing "the forgotten voices of people looking for more favorable policies toward the middle class” was what she hoped for at the time. Elik also pledged to serve "as an effective, conservative representative for the people of the 111th district as we work to fix the fiscal and ethics issues plaguing our great state.”