By Max Greenwood

Kim Foxx snagged a decisive win in Tuesday’s Illinois primary, winning the Democratic nomination for Cook County State’s Attorney, effectively ousting incumbent Anita Alvarez.

Foxx crushed Alvarez by a nearly 30-point margin. Donna More, the former top attorney for the Illinois Gaming Board who was also running for state’s attorney, finished in a distant third place with only 13 percent of the vote.

Alvarez, who was first elected in 2008, has come under fire in recent months for her handling of the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in October 2014. A video released last November shows Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times. Critics have said that Alvarez was too slow to prosecute Van Dyke, and have also accused her of a cozy relationship with the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police.

Foxx, the former chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, emerged as Alvarez’s strongest competitor in recent months. She will face off with Republican Christopher Pfannkuche in November.

And Juliana Stratton defeated Rep. Ken Dunkin by a nearly 40-point margin in the Democratic race for Illinois’ 5th House District. Dunkin has been at the forefront of an ongoing battle between Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and State House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Democrat.

Dunkin has sided with Rauner in high-profile political matchups between the governor and State House Democrats. And although Rauner hasn’t directly contributed to Dunkin’s reelection bid, supporters of governor have.

In the presidential race, Hillary Clinton snagged a series of victories across the South and Midwest Tuesday, strengthening her delegate lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump effectively ended Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential bid after defeating him in his home state.

But Ohio Gov. John Kasich scored a commanding win in his home state, picking up 66 delegates, and delivering a blow to Trump’s campaign.

“I want you to know the campaign goes on. I also want you to know that it’s been my intention to make you proud,” Kasich said Tuesday night, later adding, “I want to remind you again tonight that I won’t take the low road to the highest office in the land.”

Still, Trump’s win in Florida granted him a whopping 99 delegates, and winnowed down the Republican field once again, leaving only Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Kasich in the race.

On the Democratic front, Clinton’s wins Tuesday brought her closer to securing her party’s nomination. So far this year, the former secretary of state has won 15 primary contests, compared to Sanders’ nine victories, most of them in smaller states.

Earlier on Tuesday, former President Bill Clinton campaigned for his wife in Chicago. Patrick Martin reports:
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