CHICAGO, March 17 (UPI) -- Democrats in Illinois have moved a step closer to making Barack Obama the sole black to sit in the U.S. Senate, giving him a landslide party nomination.
With 95 percent of the votes tallied, he won with 53 percent, beating state Comptroller Dan Hynes with 24 percent, and five other candidates, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.
Hynes, 35, conceded and congratulated Obama, pledging pledged his full support in the general election.
Blair Hull, 61, who used $29 million of his own fortune for his bid, conceded shortly before 9 p.m., and also called Obama to offer congratulations and a pledge to help him in the general election.
In the victory celebrations, Obama joked about his name, saying it's not "Alabama: or "yo' mama."
He explained he got his last name from his Kenyan father, while his first name is Swahili for "one who is blessed by God."
He will face Jack Ryan, who won the Republican nod.
