SPRINGFIELD - A veteran state lawmaker is heading to Congress after swamping two rivals in the race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller in Congress.

With 83 percent of the precincts reporting in the 11th Congressional District, Democrat Debbie Halvorson had 59 percent of the vote to lead Republican Martin Ozinga and Green Party candidate Jason Wallace.

Ozinga, a Homer Glen Republican, had 35 percent of the vote, compared to Wallace's 7 percent.

In prepared remarks, Halvorson told supporters she would work hard to make a difference for families in the eight counties that comprise the district.

"I am going to Washington so that I can bring government back to you," Halvorson said.

The race drew national attention as Democrats attempt to build their majority in Congress by picking up seats that previously had been in Republican hands.

Weller, a Morris Republican who served in Congress for 14 year, didn't seek re-election.

Halvorson, the 50-year-old majority leader in the Illinois Senate, fended off attacks by Ozinga seeking to tie her to the dysfunctional state government led by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Her role as a top lieutenant to controversial Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, also became fodder in the race.

But Halvorson, whose platform largely mirrors Democrat Barack Obama's, pointed to Ozinga's inexperience and his own contribution of $23,000 to Blagojevich's campaign fund.

Money played a major role in the race with Ozinga loaning himself over $500,000 while Halvorson benefitted from more than $2 million in campaign cash from the Democratic Party.

Ozinga, 58, is president of Mokena-based Ozinga Bros., an 80-year-old family-owned concrete business. He said it was tough to overcome the impact of the national Democratic push to gain the seat.

"It's not a good year for Republicans," Ozinga said. "I think we accomplished a lot. We have nothing to feel bad about."

Wallace, a 26-year-old Iraq war veteran and graduate of Illinois State University, said he was unable to compete with the more than $4 million that was pumped into the district by both Democrats and Republicans.

"We gave it our all," Wallace said.

He said a victory by Halvorson marked a sea change in the demographics of the district, which had previously been listed as a GOP stronghold.

"This represents quite a change for the area," Wallace said.

Halvorson lives in Crete with her husband, Jim Bush. They have four children and four grandchildren. The former stay-at-home mom once sold Mary Kay cosmetics.