With just about 5,000 votes separating incumbent Governor Pat Quinn and state Comptroller Dan Hynes in the race for the Illinois Democratic nomination for governor, Quinn claimed victory early Wednesday while Hynes said it's not over yet. The winner in the GOP governor race is no clearer-- with Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady by just about 1,400 votes apart.
"Tonight we've learned one thing for sure, and that is we are going to continue fighting," Hynes announced just after midnight on Wednesday, as his supporters cheered at his Carpenter's Hall election party on the Near North Side. "If democracy means anything, it means that we have to count all the votes."
Meanwhile, Governor Quinn was declaring victory at his Hotel Allegro election party.
"The time for fighting is over," Quinn told supporters. "The people have won and we have won this election."
Watch video of both the Democratic candidates below.
For such an election with an extremely low turnout, the race for governor was very close on both sides.
As of 12:30 a.m., Governor Quinn was about 5,400 votes ahead of Hynes with 99 percent of precincts reporting. Despite the lead, the Hynes campaign told Illinois voters to be patient.
"It is important for Illinois to get this right," Hynes said. "Hang in there."
While talk of a recount is being floated on the Democrat side, the Republican race is even closer--yet less hostile.
In the GOP race, Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady were within a few hundred votes of one another earlier in the night. Brady edged ahead late Tuesday, but Dillard was expecting victory after midnight on Wednesday.
In an interview with NBC early Wednesday, Dillard said: "I'm very confident that if the trends continue, I'll be the nominee," adding that he is friends with Brady.
The verdict? Illinois voters may have to wait for answers just a little while longer.
Watch Pat Quinn claim victory:
Watch Dan Hynes encourage his supporters to keep fighting: