U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam was returned to Congress on Tuesday night by a comfortable margin.

The Republican candidate won a second term representing Illinois’ 6th District by 58 percent to 42 percent against Democratic candidate Jill Morgenthaler. It was a sharp difference from his victory in 2006, when he won by 2 percent of the vote.

At his victory party Tuesday night, Roskam thanked his family, staff and volunteers, and spoke of a crossroads facing the nation.

“Our country is at a point where we’re going to be making some very important decisions, and you can sense that,” he said.

“What is our attitude going to be toward the free market? What is our attitude going to be toward the family? What is our attitude going to be as we try to uphold a culture of life?” Roskam asked his crowd of cheering supporters, who just minutes before were forlorn while watching U.S. Sen. John McCain’s televised concession speech.

Roskam said he is looking forward to again leading the 6th District.

“We have been entrusted, friends, with a great blessing of freedom,” he said. “I just want to let you know that is not lost on me.”

Morgenthaler, a retired Army colonel and until last year Illinois’ homeland security adviser, had envisioned that an evolving 6th District, from a Republican stronghold to one of more Democratic voters, would mean a victory for her.

Earlier in the night, a hopeful Morgenthaler campaign spokesman Roger Lotz pointed to the more registered Democrats than Republicans who voted in February’s primary, and since then the campaign had made voter registration a priority.

Particularly, they had looked to engage residents who had recently immigrated to the country — “new Americans,” Morgenthaler said.

“We worked very hard, we worked very closely with the Korean-American community … Indian, Muslim (communities),” she said. “Because every group wants to be represented.”

They had also hoped for a boost from the “Obama factor,” voters casting straight Democratic tickets in support of presidential contender U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, Lotz said.

Part of the uphill battle for Morgenthaler’s bid was fundraising.

Roskam’s war chest outnumbered hers by 3 to 1. At the last filing, Oct. 15, Roskam had raised more than $2.3 million, compared to Morgenthaler’s $726,000.