Appointed state Rep. Jerry Costello II defeated challenger Julie Bigham Eggers in unofficial results Tuesday in the 116th Illinois House District.

With 119 of 119 precincts reporting, the vote totals:

Jerry Costello II (D): 29,821

Julie Bigham Eggers (R): 18,033

Democrats appointed Costello, a financial adviser from Smithton, to the seat last year after former Rep. Dan Reitz, a Democrat, retired in mid-term.

Eggers is a business consultant. Her campaign suffered some setbacks: She said in a candidate interview with the News-Democrat that she was "in it for the insurance," because state legislators get good health insurance, and she stood by campaign literature that states she's a lifelong resident of Southern Illinois, despite public records that show she resided in Missouri for at least 10 years.

Also, Eggers' husband sought a protective order against her in October, alleging she threatened to kill him and herself. A judge ruled that Eggers' husband failed to prove "the factual findings needed" for such an order.

The 116th District stretches from the Cahokia area to Du Quoin, taking in Dupo, Columbia, Red Bud, Sparta, Steeleville and Pinckneyville. Parts of the district are in St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph and Perry counties.