LiberalNation
03-09-2008, 12:07 AM
:laugh2:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080309/ap_on_el_ge/congress_hastert_s_seat;_ylt=Ao1n2cnWn2JS76EYAz1gg NJvzwcF
CHICAGO - A longtime Republican district fell to the Democrats Saturday when a wealthy businessman and scientist snatched former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's congressional seat in a closely watched special election.
Democrat Bill Foster won 53 percent of the vote compared to 47 percent for Republican Jim Oberweis. With all 568 precincts reporting, Foster had 52,010 votes to Oberweis' 46,988.
"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 Saturday evening.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said Foster's win is a rebuke of the Bush administration and of the GOP's apparent presidential nominee, John McCain, who helped raise money for Oberweis.
"This is going to send a political shock wave across the country in this election year," Van Hollen said.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who made a TV ad praising Foster, said in a statement that voters "sent an unmistakable message that they're tired of business-as-usual in Washington."
The National Republican Congressional Committee downplayed the significance of the loss and said the back and forth between Democrats for the presidential nomination shows that one election doesn't indicate a trend.
"The one message coming out of 2008 so far is that what happens today is not a bellwether of what happens this fall," NRCC communications director Karen Hanretty said in a statement.
Foster's special election win means he will fill the remainder of Hastert's term, which ends in January.
The two will square off again in November, for a new, full term. Foster won a close Democratic primary by less than 400 votes for that race, although one challenger has initiated a re-count.
Hastert, 66, lost his powerful post as speaker when Democrats took control of Congress. He resigned late last year.
With Foster headed to Washington, the district will have a rookie congressmen after years of enjoying Hastert's clout.
Hastert, who was the longest-serving Republican speaker in history, didn't finish his 11th term. During his two decades in Washington, he funneled millions of dollars to the district that stretches from Chicago's far western suburbs to almost the Mississippi River.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080309/ap_on_el_ge/congress_hastert_s_seat;_ylt=Ao1n2cnWn2JS76EYAz1gg NJvzwcF
CHICAGO - A longtime Republican district fell to the Democrats Saturday when a wealthy businessman and scientist snatched former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's congressional seat in a closely watched special election.
Democrat Bill Foster won 53 percent of the vote compared to 47 percent for Republican Jim Oberweis. With all 568 precincts reporting, Foster had 52,010 votes to Oberweis' 46,988.
"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 Saturday evening.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said Foster's win is a rebuke of the Bush administration and of the GOP's apparent presidential nominee, John McCain, who helped raise money for Oberweis.
"This is going to send a political shock wave across the country in this election year," Van Hollen said.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who made a TV ad praising Foster, said in a statement that voters "sent an unmistakable message that they're tired of business-as-usual in Washington."
The National Republican Congressional Committee downplayed the significance of the loss and said the back and forth between Democrats for the presidential nomination shows that one election doesn't indicate a trend.
"The one message coming out of 2008 so far is that what happens today is not a bellwether of what happens this fall," NRCC communications director Karen Hanretty said in a statement.
Foster's special election win means he will fill the remainder of Hastert's term, which ends in January.
The two will square off again in November, for a new, full term. Foster won a close Democratic primary by less than 400 votes for that race, although one challenger has initiated a re-count.
Hastert, 66, lost his powerful post as speaker when Democrats took control of Congress. He resigned late last year.
With Foster headed to Washington, the district will have a rookie congressmen after years of enjoying Hastert's clout.
Hastert, who was the longest-serving Republican speaker in history, didn't finish his 11th term. During his two decades in Washington, he funneled millions of dollars to the district that stretches from Chicago's far western suburbs to almost the Mississippi River.