State Sen. Shane Cultra, R-Onarga, was trounced in his attempt at another term in Springfield, and state Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, knocked off challenger Tom Pliura in the 51st Senate District.

Cultra was defeated in the 51st Senate District GOP primary by state Rep. Jason Barickman, R-Champaign, by a margin of 63 percent to 37 percent. Barickman also is the outgoing chairman of the Champaign County Republican Party.

Cultra has served in the Legislature since 2003, with 14 months as an appointee to a Senate seat once held by State Treasurer Dan Rutherford.

Cultra won in Iroquois County, his home county, but by less than 300 votes — 2,837 to 2,543. He also defeated Barickman in Ford County.

But his margin in those counties wasn't nearly enough to make up for Barickman's big victories elsewhere.

Barickman won Livingston County — the county he grew up in — by almost 1,900 votes. He also took McLean County by almost 2-to-1.

Cultra will continue to serve in the Legislature until next January, when Barickman — a virtual shoo-in for election since he currently has no Democratic opponent in the conservative district — will move up.

Cultra called at about 9:50 p.m. to concede to Barickman.

"I am honored and humbled to receive such support from all corners of the district," Barickman said.

"This is the culmination of months of hard work and a positive campaign in an effort to bring effective, conservative leadership to the Illinois Senate. This is a significant step in that process. I am thankful for such support."

In the 53rd District, where there is no incumbent senator, Rose defeated Pliura of rural Ellsworth, a lawyer, physician and farmer, by a margin of about 60 percent to 40 percent.

Pliura called Rose around 10 p.m. to concede the race.

"He was very gracious," Rose said. "He said that he only wanted the best for me and the best for the state.

"I told him I thought he had run a very good race."

The race between Rose and Pliura was one of the most expensive in recent central Illinois political history. Although complete numbers won't be available for a month, partial campaign disclosure reports show that Rose may have spent as much as a quarter of a million dollars on television, radio and other advertising.

Pluira raised less than $100,000, according to State Board of Elections campaign disclosure reports.

Pliura won in McLean and DeWitt counties, but Rose had big victory margins in Champaign, Piatt and Douglas counties. In Douglas County, for example, Rose got nearly 76 percent on the vote.

"It's over," said a clearly relieved Rose. "Tomorrow we'll be back in Springfield and I'll continue to work to fix our state budget and to work toward creating a climate to create jobs in Illinois. That's what I'll be working toward."

Incumbent state Rep. Adam Brown, R-Decatur, easily defeated challenger Rob Roman of Chrisman in the 102nd House District, which includes parts of southern Champaign County, plus all or parts of Douglas, Edgar, Macon, Moultrie, Shelby and Vermilion counties.

In the 106th House District north of Champaign County, Josh Harms of Watseka won a surprisingly easy race over four other Republican challengers. With nearly 90 percent of the vote counted last night Harms had 32 percent in the five-way race. Tom Bennett of Gibson City, the Parkland College trustee who was the best-funded of the candidates, was second with 28 percent.