by less than 900 votes in the incomplete vote count, declared himself the victor. This came despite the fact that the race had not been called by media outlets and there were still thousands of uncounted mail-in ballots. That same day, Oberweis began sending out fundraising appeals to fund fees associated with a potential recount. On November 12, the race was called by the Associated Press for Underwood. Oberweis did not concede, and stated that he was considering all legal options, including a possible recount. Jim Oberweis attended the congressional new member orientation on November 13. He began calling for a "discovery recount" on November 18. According to the official canvass by the Illinois State Board of Elections, Lauren Underwood received 203,209 votes (50.67 percent) and Jim Oberweis received 197,835 votes (49.33 percent). In January 2021, Oberweis filed a notice of contest with the U.S. House of Representatives, alleging that irregularities in the vote recount would make him the winner of the election. On May 12, 2021, the House rejected Oberweis' challenge. Electoral history Personal life Jim Oberweis and his first wife, Elaine, had five children together before divorcing in 2003. He has two stepchildren with his second wife, Julie, and twenty grandchildren. Oberweis is a Roman Catholic. Oberweis is an avid chess player. In 2013, he had a USCF rating of 1926 (class A). He supported the Fox Valley Chess Club for many years. He also served as President of the Illinois Chess Association for two years, as Illinois delegate to the USCF, and as a trustee of the American Chess Foundation and the Chess Trust Fund. References External links Senator Jim Oberweis (R) 25th District at the 99th Illinois General Assembly By session: 101st,100th,99th,98th Illinois State Senator Jim Oberweis constituency site Campaign website Profile at OpenStates.org Profile at Ballotpedia 1946 births 21st-century American politicians American financial businesspeople Catholics from Illinois Republican Party Illinois state senators Living people People from Sugar Grove, Illinois Politicians from Chicago University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni University of Chicago Booth School of Business alumni Candidates in the 2002 United States elections Candidates in the 2004 United States elections Candidates in the 2006 United States elections Candidates in the 2008 United States elections Candidates in the 2014 United States elections Candidates in the 2020 United States elections 20th-century American businesspeople 21st-century American businesspeople