Elburn Village President Jeff Walter, 65, a retired IT consultant who served on as a village trustee prior to becoming mayor, was leading the four-way race to be the Republican candidate for the 11th District.

In early, unofficial results with less than 30% of precincts counted – and none in McHenry County – Walter was leading with 44% of the vote.

The next highest tally in early results was Michael Pierce, of Naperville, with 38%. Pierce is a retired U.S. Armey Lieutenant Colonel, having served from 1992 to 2012, according to his campaign website.

Rounding out the candidates are Charlie Kim, of Aurora, with 13% of votes, and Tedora Brown, Palos Park, with 6%. The numbers may not total 100% due to rounding.

The winner of Tuesday’s Republican contest will face Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, a former Fermilab physicist who has served the 11th District since 2013 and had a two-year prior stint in Congress.

The district includes parts of McHenry, Kane, DuPage, DeKalb, Will, Lake and Boone counties.

Walter told Shaw Media in a lengthy candidate questionnaire response, that affordability is a top concern for his campaign, adding that he wanted to advance tax relief for middle-class voters, fight regulations he believes increases taxes, utility bills and housing costs, and support policies to lower energy and healthcare costs.

“As a mayor, I see firsthand how Washington policies affect water systems, roads, public safety, and budgets, and that experience will shape my focus on pushing back against unfunded mandates, securing infrastructure funding with flexibility, and lowering the cost of living,” Walter said.