After a highly contested race in suburban Chicago’s 10th congressional district, small business owner Robert Dold defeated Democrat Dan Seals. It was Seals’ third attempt to win the seat. Dold, who lives in Kenilworth, is the part owner in a family pest control business. Throughout the campaign, Dold stuck to a message of fiscal conservatism and social moderation.

Dold said that he now intends to go to work on improving the economy, “Now is the time that we must focus on what we were supposed to do two years ago, create jobs. Now is the time that we create jobs for all hard working Americans and keep our taxes low.”

The 10th district seat was left open when five-term Representative Mark Kirk decided to run for the U.S. senate seat formerly held by Barack Obama. Kirk won that race yesterday over Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.

Republicans have held the 10th district since its Democratic Representative Abner Mikva left in 1979.