The AP storyMajor Democratic Victory - Hastert’s IL Seat Goes To Bill Foster
By: Logan Murphy on Sunday, March 9th, 2008 at 6:36 AM - PDT
Illinois Democrat Bill Foster, who was endorsed by presidential contender Barack Obama, won a special election held today to fill the House seat vacated by disgraced Republican Dennis Hastert. How big is this win? Hastert had held his seat for over two decades and the NRCC poured nearly 1/3 of their money into the race, and even Republican presidential nominee John McCain stumped for rival Jim Oberweis. On top of all that, Foster is a progressive Democrat and has come out strongly against telecom immunity:
“The President and his allies in Congress are playing politics with national security, and that’s wrong. Nobody is above the law and telecom companies who engaged in illegal surveillance should be held accountable, not given retroactive immunity. I flatly oppose giving these companies an out for cooperating with Alberto Gonzalez on short-circuiting the FISA courts and the rule of law.”
U.S. House - District 14 - Special General
Illinois - 558 of 568 Precincts Reporting - 98%
Name Party Votes Vote %
Foster , Bill Dem 50,451 52%
Oberweis , Jim GOP 45,741 48%
Hastert served as Speaker of the House from 1999 till 2007 when the Democrats took control of Congress, but will be remembered most for his disgraceful behavior in covering for former Rep., Mark Foley, who was hitting on underage male pages while in office.
Ahahah, this is @#$@4 GREAT, the man wins a close race to be sure, but a heavily Republican area replaces their Republican for a Democratic SCIENTIST? The only thing that could have the win more unlitkely is if Foster were a Gay Atheist Scientist. As it is he was predicted to lose this race by nearly everyone until Obama edorsed him and his people stepped in after Super Tuesday when their job was done and instead started helping Foster.AP wrote: Democrat Wins Hastert's Seat in Illinois
By DEANNA BELLANDI – 5 hours ago
CHICAGO (AP) — Nearly two years after taking control of Congress, the Democrats have claimed another prize by capturing former GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat — a development that Republicans say is not a harbinger of things to come.
The longtime Republican district fell to the Democrats Saturday when wealthy scientist and businessman Bill Foster snatched the seat in a closely watched special election.
While Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen predicted Foster's win would send out a "political shock wave," Republicans were quick to downplay its significance.
"The one thing 2008 has shown is that one election in one state does not prove a trend," National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Karen Hanretty said in a statement.
Republicans had been hoping to hold on to the district that President Bush easily carried in 2004 with 55 percent of the vote. The district runs from Chicago's far western suburbs to almost the Mississippi River.
Foster defeated wealthy Republican businessman Jim Oberweis by capturing 53 percent of the nearly 100,000 votes cast in the election.
"Tonight our voices are echoing across the country and Washington will hear us loud and clear, it's time for a change," Foster told cheering supporters.
Van Hollen said Foster's win is a rebuke of the Bush administration and the GOP's apparent presidential nominee, John McCain, who helped raise money for Oberweis.
"The message to Republican candidates is that John McCain's not going to be able to save you in this election," said Van Hollen, a Maryland congressman.
Foster's special election win means he will fill the remainder of Hastert's term, which ends next January. The 66-year-old Hastert, who lost his powerful post as speaker when Democrats took control of Congress, resigned late last year.
Foster, 52, worked for 22 years at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. As a young man, he and his brother started a company that manufactures theater lighting equipment.
The race between Foster and Oberweis spawned a contentious campaign that saw both men counting on high-profile supporters to sway voters. Oberweis had Hastert and McCain; Foster leaned on Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama who endorsed him in a TV ad.
"The people of Illinois have sent an unmistakable message that they're tired of business-as-usual in Washington," Obama said Saturday night in a written statement.
Oberweis, whose name is synonymous with his family's dairy business and his financial management company, gets another shot at the seat when he squares off again with Foster in November for a new, full term in the 14th Congressional District.
"I'm really disappointed that we came up second but that's where we're at," Oberweis said.
This is the latest election disappointment for Oberweis who has lost primary races twice before for the U.S. Senate and once for Illinois governor.
With Foster headed to Washington, the district will have a rookie congressmen after years of enjoying Hastert's clout. During his two decades in Congress, Hastert funneled millions of dollars to the district. He was the longest-serving Republican speaker in history.
Hastert's is one of three open seats in Illinois this year because of GOP retirements. Reps. Jerry Weller and Ray LaHood are also stepping down. The Democratic Party's chances to pick up one of those seats improved when the Republican nominee to replace Weller dropped out of the race.
Besides attacking each other in negative TV ads, Foster and Oberweis clashed on issues ranging from immigration and health care to the Iraq war.
During a recent TV appearance, Foster said he would be a "good vote in Congress to change President Bush's policy" on Iraq. Oberweis contended the troop surge there was working.
All the signs are there, higher than expected turnout, a democratic winning a twenty plus year Republican stronghold, over a million dollars worth of ads bought and it all comes to nothing.
"It's not a sign of a trend" HAH
