Nabeela Syed Defeats Darby Hills to Win Illinois 26th Senate District

Nabeela Syed, a 27-year-old Democrat and one of the first Muslims elected to the Illinois General Assembly, has defeated Republican incumbent Darby Hills to win Illinois’ 26th Senate District. Unofficial results show Syed receiving approximately 57% of the vote to Hills’ 43%, flipping the northwest suburban seat to Democrats.

A rising political career

The senator-elect first won election to the Illinois House in 2022 at age 23 and was reelected in 2024. Now completing her second term representing House District 51, Syed will move to the state Senate. A Palatine native and University of California, Berkeley graduate, she has become a prominent young Indian American Muslim voice in Illinois politics.

A $6.5 million contest

The candidates raised approximately $6.5 million combined, making this one of the most expensive Illinois General Assembly races on record—not an established all-time record for every Illinois election. Syed raised at least $4.7 million, compared with roughly $1.8 million for Hills, with Democratic organizations and unions providing much of Syed’s support. These figures describe contributions raised, not necessarily final spending.

What she campaigned on

Affordability and access to health care were central themes. Syed outlined priorities including lowering prescription-drug costs, expanding insurance coverage for preventive care and improving access to mental-health services. Her victory gives Democrats another seat in a chamber where they already held a supermajority entering the election.