Roberson Wins Illinois 104th District House Seat
Democrat Mary Roberson defeated incumbent Republican Brandun Schweizer in the 104th District race covering parts of Champaign and Vermilion counties.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections
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Democrat Mary Roberson defeated incumbent Republican Brandun Schweizer in the Illinois 104th District House race, receiving about 52% of the vote. The race was one of the final contests called from Tuesday's election.
Why it matters
Roberson becomes the first Democrat, first African American, and first woman to represent the 104th District, and she will join an overwhelming Democratic majority in the Illinois statehouse. The result flips a seat previously held by Republicans.
Roberson won with about 52% of the vote, a sharp reversal from Schweizer's 2024 victory by just 269 votes over Democrat Jarret Clem. The extraction does not report final certified totals or any recount status.
The players
Mary Roberson
Mary Roberson is a Democrat who won the Illinois 104th District House seat, becoming its first Democrat, first African American, and first woman representative.
Brandun Schweizer
Brandun Schweizer is a Republican who had been the incumbent representative for the Illinois 104th District before losing to Roberson.
The details
The race was among the last to be called from Tuesday's election in the district, which spans parts of Champaign and Vermilion counties. Roberson unseated the incumbent Republican to take a seat that had been held by Republicans.
Timeline
Schweizer won the 104th District race over Jarret Clem in 2024.
Election day was Tuesday, November 4, 2026, when the race was called among the final results.
Political Context
Schweizer had held the 104th District by only 269 votes over Jarret Clem in 2024, so the narrow margin left the seat vulnerable to the Democratic challenge. Roberson's win completes a shift that the 2024 result had already foreshadowed in this district.
Roberson's win changes who represents residents of parts of Champaign and Vermilion counties in the Illinois House, shifting the district's voice toward the Democratic majority. The change takes effect when she is sworn into office in the statehouse in Springfield.
The takeaway
A seat decided by only 269 votes in 2024 flipped decisively in 2026, showing how quickly narrow district margins can change. Voters tracking state legislative races should watch these close districts closely.
Further reading
For broader context on how the state's contests are tallied and certified, see Elections coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WAND-TV.
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