A breakdown of election results from Tuesday shows the challenger in the McDonough County sheriff’s primary won with strong support in the county’s rural areas.
Joe Moon knocked off Sheriff Nick Petitgout in the Republican primary, winning 55% of the vote.
Petitgout, who’s in his second term, won five of the eight precincts in Macomb.
But Moon dominated in precincts outside of Macomb, winning 17 of those 19 precincts. He won six of them by at least a two-to-one margin:
- Colchester: 227 to 106
- Eldorado: 18 to 9
- Hire: 42 to 20
- Lamoine: 39 to 16
- New Salem: 51 to 25
- Prairie City: 75 to 27
Moon also won Macomb Precinct 5 by a two-to-one margin, 56 to 28, and nearly won the Tennessee Precinct by a two-to-one margin, 49 to 25.
Moon is a retired Illinois State Police trooper.
Unless an independent candidate files for the seat, Moon will run unopposed in the general election on Nov. 3.
Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from our readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.
