Grundy Reporter

Conservative candidate for the 75th House District Jed Davis has scored a resounding victory over incumbent State Rep. David Welter (R-Morris). 

Davis pulled off the successful primary challenge with a demanding 57.7% of the vote in comparison to Welter’s 42.3%. Davis is currently not facing a Democrat candidate in the November election. 

“We're honored and humbled by the entire process and very excited to be here moving forward and just so grateful for the people of the 75th," Davis told the Grundy Reporter. “I mean, we had an amazing team of just grassroots volunteers and we came together and worked their tails off. And I think the results show it, which is very, very grateful and again, honored and humbled.”

Jed Davis | Courtesy photo

Davis, of Newark, is the board president of Parkview Christian Academy in Yorkville. The Academy in Yorkville earlier this year won a temporary restraining order against the State of Illinois over Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive orders regarding mandatory mask usage. Davis said Welter offered no show of support for the school’s efforts to reverse the mask mandate. 

“The time is for local leadership to stand up locally, influence change and then have that resound across the state and put pressure on Springfield,” Davis said when mounting the ultimately successful primary campaign.

Davis has also shown his disdain for companies requiring employees to report vaccination status.

"I’m appalled companies are creating modern-day scarlet letter scenarios by having employees wear buttons advertising vaccination status," Davis said. "It’s flat out discrimination and these decisions belong in the privacy go an individual and their doctor, not for public display. This company should immediately cease these practices and a at a minimum they owe their employees a significant and sincere apology.” 

Davis was Welter’s first real electoral challenger since his appointment to the 75th District in 2016 after which he beat Democrat Martha Shugart. In the ensuing election years, Welter had only faced one other competitor, a write-in candidate in 2020 who garnered a single vote, according to Ballotpedia.