Michele Clark, an Algonquin Democrat, was on track to flip Illinois' 33rd Senate District from red to blue on election night, holding a commanding lead over Republican Danielle Penman of St. Charles in unofficial returns. With an estimated 59 percent of the vote counted, Clark had pulled in 31,663 votes, or 63.6 percent, compared with Penman's 18,106 votes, or 36.4 percent.
Those figures come from Patch, which stressed that the results remained unofficial until certified by election authorities. A separate tally cited by Shaw Local put Clark's lead at 62 percent to 38 percent based on available results at the time of that report, a discrepancy that reflects the two outlets' separate snapshots of a still-developing count rather than a settled final margin.
Whichever number holds up, Clark appeared positioned to claim a seat that has been in Republican hands since 2018, when Don DeWitte was appointed to replace Karen McConnaughay after she resigned. DeWitte went on to win reelection in 2019 and again in 2023, but he announced in June 2025 that he would not seek another term, leaving the seat open for the first time in years.
Two Very Different Resumes on the Ballot
Clark brings a background in small business and nonprofit work to her campaign. She previously owned an early childhood learning center, served as chief operating officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township during the COVID-19 pandemic, and currently works as director of development for the Community Unit School District 300 Food Pantry, according to Patch's reporting.
Penman, meanwhile, has never held public office. She has spent more than 26 years in health care and currently works as a labor-and-delivery nurse with Advocate Health Care, per the same Patch account. On the campaign trail, she argued that Springfield should stop handing local governments and school districts new responsibilities without funding them to match.
Affordability, Property Taxes Dominated the Campaign
Clark made her pitch directly to voters at a League of Women Voters of Central Kane County candidate forum held Sept. 22 at Batavia City Hall, as reported by Shaw Local. “Affordability is on everybody's mind. And I've lived it, because I have balanced budgets, and I have made payroll,” Clark told the crowd that evening, pointing to her small-business experience as proof she understood the pressures facing working families.
Clark also framed property taxes as a top priority, telling the Batavia forum, “it is our responsibility to make sure that we stop the increasing cost of property taxes.” On the policy front, Patch reported that Clark favored increasing state funding for public schools, exploring alternative revenue sources to ease reliance on property taxes, and expanding eligibility for senior property-tax freezes.
Penman staked out a different path on the same issue, advocating for larger homeowner property-tax exemptions, reduced government spending, and a reconsideration of unfunded state mandates, according to Patch. Both candidates found common ground on at least one hot-button question: neither supported using taxpayer money to directly finance construction of a new Chicago Bears stadium.
Energy Costs and Data Centers Also Drew Scrutiny
Rising energy costs and a wave of proposed data-center developments also featured prominently in the race, per Patch's reporting. Penman emphasized the need for reliable electricity, while Clark raised concerns about environmental impacts, water use, and utility costs tied to new data-center projects.
District 33 covers parts of McHenry County along with small portions of DuPage and Cook counties, an area that leaned narrowly Democratic in the 2024 presidential race. District voters supported Kamala Harris by a 2.4 percentage-point margin that year, according to Chronicle Illinois, a modest tilt that helps explain why the open seat drew heavy spending and attention from both parties this cycle.
