“Democrat Kim Foxx on Tuesday declared victory over her Republican opponent in the contest for Cook County state’s attorney, putting her on a path to become the first African-American to win the high-profile office that prosecutes criminals and defends the county against civil litigation.

With 82 percent of precincts reporting, Foxx — a protege of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle — had 71 percent of the unofficial vote to 29 percent for Republican Christopher Pfannkuche, a retired assistant state’s attorney who was little known among the electorate.