CHICAGO -- Embattled Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarez was ousted in the Democratic primary Tuesday night by challenger Kim Foxx (D), who now eyes a November bid for the role of top prosecutor of the nation's second-largest county.

Shortly before 9 p.m., Foxx led with more than 61 percent of the votes with 76 percent of the precincts reporting. Alvarez's staff said she was calling Foxx to concede and vow a "smooth transition."

Obviously, we hoped the results would be different, Alvarez told supporters during her concession speech Tuesday night.

Ive been criticized that I wasnt a very good politician, she said, adding, I am damned proud of the fact that I am a very good prosector.

Foxx, 43, triumphed thanks to a wave of support and heavy organization from anti-discrimination and anti-police brutality groups in Chicago, many of which are affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Foxx was among those who criticized Alvarez's handling of the Laquan McDonald case -- including the decision to wait more than 13 months to bring murder charges against the Chicago cop who was seen on camera shooting the teenaged McDonald 16 times.

"The public has to hold feet to the fire on these issues. And Anita Alvarez's feet have not been held to the fire," Foxx said in an interview with the Chicago Reader .

The Chicago native's history was also undeniably powerful: Raised in the now-demolished Cabrini-Green projects, Foxx fought through homelessness in high school to make it to college and then law school. She spent 12 years as a prosecutor in the Cook County States Attorney's office, eventually working under Alvarez.

Foxx has said she was initially inspired by Alvarez, who held the role as Cook County's top prosecutor since 2008, when she was the first woman and first Latina to score the Democratic nomination. But as those feelings gave way to disappointment, Foxx moved on to become chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, considered the most powerful Chicagoan, according to Chicago Magazine -- and a noted Alvarez foe.

Preckwinkle was hardly the only one hoping to see Alvarez's term come to a close.

Alvarez handily won her previous re-election bids, but her pattern of harsh prosecution of youth offenders -- which made Cook County among the leaders for juvenile life without parole sentences -- and low rate of prosecuting police misconduct eventually drew the ire of those hoping for progressive reform.