EmailIn the special election to replace retiring House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, Democrat Bill Foster beat Republican Jim Oberweis, 53%-47%.
"In a stunning upset Saturday that could be a sign of trouble for Republicans this fall, a little-known Democratic physicist won the special election for a far west suburban congressional seat long held by former GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert," writes the Chicago Tribune.
"In a major blow to the Republican Party, Democratic former physicist Bill Foster on Saturday took the solidly Republican far west suburban seat held for the last 21 years by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert," proclaims the Chicago Sun-Times.
Not surprisingly, Obama supporters are selling the result as a sort of proxy Obama-McCain face-off, since Obama did a TV ad for Foster, while McCain stumped for Oberweis.
There’s another way to look at the race, though. Clearly Foster was comfortable having Obama campaign for him even though the district is something like 2-to-1 Republican.
Does anyone know if any of the Democrats running for Congress in 2006 in Republican-leaning seats had Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, campaign for them so publicly?
I ask because Clinton heralds the fact that she won over Republican voters in her state. But there were some hotly contests Democratic House races in New York two years ago, and Clinton was on the top of the ticket. And I’m pretty certain she didn’t appear in any TV ads for an of those Democrats — ultimately victorious now-Reps. Michael Arcuri and Kirsten Gillibrand not to mention long shot Rep. John Hall (formerly of the band Orleans).
Thoughts?
-jpt