Democrat Bill Foster wins special election to replace Dennis Hastert

[pinerow]

Source: The Associated Press

Democrat maintained a solid lead Saturday in a special election to fill former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat in a contest closely watched because of the possibility the longtime GOP district could change hands.

Democrat Bill Foster had a 53 percent to 47 percent lead over Republican businessman Jim Oberweis with 534 of 568 precincts reporting.

Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/832895,cong030808.article

---

hehehe...

[Kittycat]

1. WOOHOO!!!

We just opened a bottle of wine to celebrate.

Now we need to hold the seat this November.

[coffeenap]

2. YES!!!!!! My daughter just said--Let's go break some milk bottles!

:toast:

[Kittycat]

3. I have a dozen in the garage...

We stopped buying Obernazi milk quite a while back, and I still have bottles to return.

[apnu]

125. Say what will about the man, but the company isn't that bad.

Oberwise Dairy is one of the only big outlets in the area that uses local farmers so by shutting out the Dairy because of the owner. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's don't really, and the other major grocery chains certainly don't use local.

Hate the guy for his politics if you want, but separate the man from the company. Then if the company is bad, then hate the company. (Kinda like Hillary Clinton and Wal-Mart)

[stevebreeze]

4. my betting was we would loose this one and win in Nov

How great that we won this one!!!!!!!!!

[AKing]

5. I live in the Chicago area. Some facts......

Some facts about this race......Republicans had to spend a ton of money in a race that usually would have been a slam dunk. There were constant ads on local TV. A lot of Foster ads had GW Bush's picture superimposed in the ad. Oberweis naturally avoided him,instead relying on the usual wingnut talking points like Democrats will raise your taxes.

Granpa McCain was here on feb 20th to campaign for Oberweis. Lot a good that did :)

Meanwhile the race was close with Olberweiss leading most of the way. Then last week Barack Obama cut a commercial and endorsed Foster. All of a sudden I get news that Foster was leading by 7%. That was on Thursday. The rest is history. This proved to me that Obama can,and will influence congressional races.

I was a supporter of Hillary. With this win,I'm now switching to Obama.

[salin]

10. thanks for the local read on the events...

this is a really bad harbinger for the national GOP.

[Eric J in MN]

15. Thanks for giving use these details. NT

NT

[penguin7]

20. That was a very effective well done political ad

But I think you may be jumping to conclusions.

I am not convinced that ad won the election.

[calimary]

117. Welcome news from a local observer! Thanks for this report!

LOTS of good, positive signs in your accounting here!

Always good to hear of the enemy being forced to spend money they weren't expecting to have to spend. And they don't have as much to play with this time around, either. OUR side is raking in most of the dough. That money might otherwise have gone to evil-doing in another district, or helping mccain somewhere. GOOD-GOOD-GOOD!!!

We want them having to dig deep and cough up money they're gonna need elsewhere - because they have HUNDREDS of fires, big and small, to put out, across the country! The more they're forced to squander on disappointing results, the better!!!

:party: :toast: :headbang: :woohoo: :kick:

And btw - Welcome to DU!!! VERY glad you're here!

:hi: :yourock:

[Bozita]

6. An omen. The GOP will lose another 40 seats in the House in November.

I'm really feeling it.

[maseman]

8. WOW! Bravo!

This is amazing. Denny Hastert's old seat. The old fat cow must be rolling in his lard. This is amazing news. We need to focus more than ever on the congressional seats for November.

If the Dems have 40 more seats than the Repukes and about 56 to 58 Senate seats who cares who is President. (by the way...obviously I want a Dem in the White House. Point is not much a McCain could do with such a huge Senate/House Dem lead.)

[frogcycle]

16. not 56 or 58

60 six - oh

keep that in mind

one less and nothing passes the senate, no matter who is in the WH and how many congresscritters there are.

60 Senators. No fewer.

MOST CRITICAL of all. More critical than who is in the Wh.

With 60 senators we can pass legislation to roll back the tide of oligarchy, we can conduct real oversight, we might save the Constitution.

With 59 Senators, neither HRC nor BHO will get a damned thing passed.

[ILFightinDem]

22. I disagree that POTUS doesn't matter...

"Point is not much a McCain could do with such a huge Senate/House Dem lead."

The way the current crop rolls over for anything and stands up for nothing? You kidding? I'm thinking about replacements for Stevens, Breyer, and Ginsburg. All three will likely leave in the next four years. If Grampa gets to name their replacements, forget about rolling back anything for the next two generations (if there's still a 'United States' by then).

[dogfacedboy]

26. I also believe that some R's in Congress will fall out of step.

I believe that even with a new Republican President, several R's in Congress would fall out of lock-step. I'm certain that there are some who are fed up with their party. With a new Dem President, they can feel free to do their jobs properly.

More "Independents", ala Jeffords, in the future?

[RaRa]

7. I've had to stomach all those Oberwiess bumper stickers

but this makes it all worth it!!!!!

[dogfacedboy]

27. Didn't see any of those here in Elgin

There were more Foster yard signs vs. Oberweis, as well.

A lot of folks here liked Jon Laesch, myself included. Hopefully Foster does well in office. Maybe a staff position for Laesch? His mind and character and youth would be good to have in DC.

[proust78]

9. Congress +1, baby!

How many millions did this special election cost the state? I guess Hastert's pride got ahead of his fiscal responsibility.

[BearSquirrel2]

11. A lot ...

And you can thank Dennis Hastert for spending millions in taxpayer money in his impromptu retirement.

Actually, all this does is turn the Democrat into the Republican for the fall race. There seriously needs to be a 3 year provision for when this happens. It's ridiculous.

[frogcycle]

18. don't understand your sentence

you mean the Dem will be the incumbent?

anyway, the same two are running in the fall. All Oberweiss will have available is to take potshots at whatever Foster does between now and then. And if Foster has done anything worthwhile, he can point to it. So this is pretty likely to be a "safe" seat come fall.

[OwnedByFerrets]

12. OMG!!!!

This is wonderful!!!!! Fantastic.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

13. Oh thank GOD! Oberweis is vile!

I just read the news myself! So so happy!

[FATCATs]

14. YEEEEEHaaaaaaa

Way ta go Bill !!!!

[Zambero]

17. First DeLay's seat flips, and now this!

Quite an indictment of the former GOP leadership. This would seem to bode well for the fall elections.

[penguin7]

19. This is a solid GOP district

[rosesaylavee]

24. I would ammend that to say that prior to yesterday

this was a petrified solid GOP district. But the dam has broken hasn't it!

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[frogcycle]

112. the district had NEVER elected a dem. NEVER! n/t

[rosesaylavee]

114. I read this morning that there was a DEM term

after '68 but that was it. One term in 200 years... still pretty solid GOP despite that one term. Trying to find out who that DEM hero was. Will post when I find out.

[dogfacedboy]

25. IL-14 is no longer solid Republican

It's been going "purple" for a while now. A couple of things have changed.
This is not Neo-Con territory. Most Republicans here are as outraged with the modern-day Republican party as anyone else. Hastert maintained his popularity by bringing a lot of pork to the district, particularly the larger cities, like Aurora and Elgin. Those days are over. There are now large numbers of 30-50something, Progressive-minded people here now, particularly along the Fox Valley. The youth vote these days is a real factor,as well. Of course, Oberweis aligning himself with President Meathead was a huge mistake.
A note on Oberweis: He is a perennial Republican candidate for office in Illinois, and he is a perennial loser. People just don't like him. He gets votes simply by being the Republican candidate on a ballot.

On a lighter, more personal note, I can finally go back to enjoying an Oberweis milkshake.
They really are good milkshakes. I boycott him whenever he's running for office.

[Supersedeas]

122. wonder if mancrush Tweety will have the integrity to even mention it?

[ILFightinDem]

21. +1 on Coattails

I live in IL-9, and saw the non-stop ads as well. Amazing that Fat Denny's seat changed hands right out of the box, being the former speaker, and the long history of IL-14 being GOP stronghold. Yes, this portends well for Dems - this seat was on Rove's 'endangered' list that got leaked out, from what I remember.

The first time I saw the Obama endorsement ad (it ran the last week of the campaign - too bad it couldn't have run even sooner), I said to my partner - "he's just won the election". And sure enough, he did. It was dicey until that point.

Very happy tonight - Foster's a good, smart guy (a former Fermilab physicist), and he didn't shy away from progressive policies, even as the Milk Nazi (Oberweis) used his usual smear tactics. I got worried when Oberweis ran the ad with four middle-aged women spouting off his 'higher taxes' spiel. Thankfully, people saw past that, and he's now a 4-time loser in IL (Gov, 2 Senate, and now a House campaign - he'll be the candidate in the General, too, so we'll need to make it 5-for-5). Woohoo!

Anyway - those of you who wonder if Obama has (better) coattails - let this serve as your first proof.
Score: Obama - 1 Grampa - 0 :)

[Sam Ervin jret]

23. Fox Valley has not gone Dem since the 70's and Watergate, until NOW! That says a LOT!

Maybe people, even republican people, are fed up!

It will be nice to have another scientist in the congress to help explain things to some of the others who seemed to have slept through science classes.

Maybe we can stop the slide back to the 16th century thinking about religion and science, let alone religion and state.

[rosesaylavee]

28. Illinois District Votes For Hastert's Successor

Source: Washington Post

Voters in the far western suburbs of Chicago went to the polls yesterday to decide whether a Republican dairy magnate or a Democratic physicist would succeed former speaker J. Dennis Hastert in the House of Representatives.

The race for what was once seen as a safe Republican seat has instead been excruciatingly close, testing whether the anti-GOP wave that swept Republicans from control of in 2006 is still rolling. In recent weeks, the fight between Republican Jim Oberweis and Democrat Bill Foster became a proxy war for the larger contests in November. Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama, who hails from Chicago, made an advertisement for Foster, while presumptive Republican nominee John McCain came to the district to raise money for Oberweis.

...

Republican campaign officials cautioned not to read too much into Oberweis's troubles. The dairy farm owner has run unsuccessfully for political posts in Illinois and has encountered problems with his sometimes abrasive personality. Last week, Chicago's NBC affiliate, WMAQ-TV, aired off-camera footage of Oberweis apparently mocking Foster's sometimes halting speech. Oberweis pretended to stutter, saying, "I'm so nervous" to an incredulous television interviewer.

The Chicago Tribune's editorial board, usually conservative, endorsed Foster on Tuesday, decrying Oberweis's "campaign style has consistently been nasty, smug, condescending . . . and dishonest."

more at the link

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/08/AR2008030802294.html

---

Oh. My. God. We haven't had a Democrat as a rep in over FORTY YEARS! This is unbelievably good news for District 14!

CORRECTION - WE HAVE NEVER HAD A DEMOCRAT ELECTED TO THIS POSITION EVER! WOOO-HOO!

[seemslikeadream]

29. We're dancin' in the 14th TONIGHT

[ChairmanAgnostic]

32. methinks you caught the spirit!

I'm just east of his district, but I sent $$$ and wrote LTTE.

[rosesaylavee]

38. Thank YOU!

Thank you for sending $$ and for writing LTTEs for us. This will make such a big difference to those of us who have not been represented for at least two decades.

I almost can't believe it. This is such good news!

[rosesaylavee]

33. YEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAA

[seemslikeadream]

42. Oh pickle please can I have some of those??

[rosesaylavee]

45. Sure! Help yourself!

[LiberalFighter]

36. I wouldn't want to dance in the 14th

The district practically stretches from border to border. My feet would be all sore and blistered.

[rosesaylavee]

39. It truly needs to be redrawn...

There are not a lot of shared concerns with Kane County here in the eastern part of the district and the far western more rural counties near the Mississippi. Bet the dems out west of here are glad Kane is part of the district though... our very RED county turned this district blue today.

[LiberalFighter]

40. There are other districts in Illinois that are worse.

From my first look it appears that the 14th and 16th could be redrawn to be more compact.

[frogcycle]

58. noooooooooooo!

I live in the easternmost tip - the part that sticks out - I could spit south or east and it would land out of the district. Any redraw is likely to lop me off and put me in Roskam's district. I worked too hard for Laesch/Foster for that to happen! I'll barricade the streets with 4x5 Laesch signs (I have a bunch in my garage I picked up last weekend when the ground thawed enough to get them out). I figured leaving them a week or so after the primary wouldn't hurt - they did say "Democrat" and "14th District" and "Congress" and "Progressive" and there weren't any Foster signs to be seen. There was a cluster at the entrance to my voting place this am. I put a bunch of Laesch signs there for primary day; I guess Foster's people got the message!

[rosesaylavee]

Hi!

I volunteered for the campaign and had plenty o signs ... the ice in everyones yards prevented getting signs in. I had two to put in a there just was no way to get them into the ground at all.

:hi:

[frogcycle]

yeah

when I delivered Laesch signs I took a hammer and screwdriver with me and punched holes in the ground! I put signs at Cantigny polling place on top of snowbanks!

[LiberalFighter]

115. Well you won't have to worry until 2011 when they are redrawn

Maybe help in redrawing.

[Spazito]

48. Damn, your dancing bunnies made me laugh so hard my....

stomach hurts! Thanks for the laugh and CONGRATS for the great win!

[DainBramaged]

The pickle made me spit my tea out

[Kittycat]

30. wOOt

I'm so happy, I'm tipsy...

[rosesaylavee]

44. Ain't this great?

Tipsy without a drop to drink... that's what I am tonight. FINALLY! A Democrat to represent us... to represent all the residents and that includes the republicans. I do think that Foster is a very fair and good man. This will be great to have him in Washington for the next 9 months.

[rpannier]

31. Thanks for the post

[Nickster]

34. I'm in the 8th, but I sent money to Bill Foster. Awesome news!

[rosesaylavee]

37. Thanks!

WE all did this. We had support from Democrats all over the area. Thank you for sending money. Thank you! Thank you!

[Nickster]

41. Now can someone please send me a Democrat up to the 8th and replace my Blue Dog? Please?

[rosesaylavee]

46. Seriously...

you should contact the Foster campaign and find out their strategy. I volunteered a bit with them and was impressed by the way they were going about it.

[TheDoorbellRang]

56. We did it!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[rosesaylavee]

WE did done did it!

:party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Tarheel_Dem]

35. happy to k&r......

EAT THAT G.O.P.!

:bounce: :woohoo:

[sasquatch]

43. I bet Denny the blimp is pissed

:rofl:

[rosesaylavee]

49. Nope. I bet he's not happy tonight.

[pleah]

47. Wonders never cease!

[rosesaylavee]

50. Can I get some more RECs for this OP?

Thanks!

[amb123]

51. IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!

Way at! Way at! Way at! Way at! Na day ya go! Day ya go! Day ya go! Day ya go!

Do the Peanut Butter Jelly, Peanut Butter Jelly, Peanut Butter Jelly with a baseball bat!

[rosesaylavee]

54. ....

:rofl: I love that banana guy!

[Kingofalldems]

52. k and r

But what will the freepers say? :rofl:

[rosesaylavee]

53. Heads are exploding in freeperville...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2977829

[Kingofalldems]

55. Illinois is now

Blue as Blue can be!

[rosesaylavee]

My little piece of it is!

Two fantastic DEM Senators and now a DEM rep. Holy cow - I am still excited!

[grace0418]

57. Oberweis' loss couldn't have been handed to a more deserving guy. I don't know a lot

about Foster, though I'm thrilled he won. I'm just doubly thrilled that Oberweis lost.

[stevebreeze]

59. Im am in St Charles in Il 14 right in the middle of GOP supposed stronghold

Bill ame to speak at length to us dems in St Chuck. He is, as you would think of a scientist a thoughtful but not daring person. His sometimes halting speech is in my opinion due to lack of public peaking experience not anything else. I will allow( I supported Laech in the primary) that he sometimes gave answers that where less then direct. There is no comparison to Bill foster and the milk nazi. Bill was a good candidate and may well be a great rep form the 14th.

[grace0418]

That's good to hear. I'm always pleased to see someone SMART win an election

(such a refreshing change from BushCo). If that person is smart AND Dem, even better. Of course, these days what intelligent person would still choose to be GOP, but I digress. :) Congrats to you in the 14th!

[rosesaylavee]

Yep, the Milk Nazi was foiled again! n/t

[SleeplessinSoCal]

We will see so much more of this with Obama at the head of the ticket

Please Hillary backers. Think of the greater good.

[madrchsod]

....there is no joy in ronnyland, the mighty milk nazi has struck out...

thanks to all the democrats in the east who voted to restore our district for the next few months....thank you very much!!!!

[rosesaylavee]

As one of the eastern DEMS

who volunteered on the campaign even... I am very shocked we in the east pulled it off. The last couple of weeks, heard from a couple republicans that they were going to vote for him. I think with a different R candidate, this wouldn't have happened.

[suffragette]

Wonderful news

And congrats to all of you who made this possible.

:yourock:

[DainBramaged]

OMG WE WON THIS SEAT AND DEFEATED THE RETHUGLICANS IN THEIR LIVING ROOM

Holy shit holy shit holy shit.

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
:wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:
:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[rosesaylavee]

Why, YES. We. Did.

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[tanyev]

He's a physicist?

We got ourselves an honest-to-Gawd scientist in the House of Representatives? :woohoo: :woohoo:

[rosesaylavee]

Not only that but a very successful businessman

since he was a teenager. He ran a very smart, honest, straightforward campaign.

[Dudley_DUright]

Actually there are now 3 Ph.D. physicist in the house

Foster joins fellow Democrat Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Republican Vern Ehlers (R-MI). Let's start a physics caucus!

[ShockediSay]

60. Dem. Wins Election to Fill Hastert Seat

Source: ap

CHICAGO (AP) — A longtime Republican district fell to the Democrats Saturday when a scientist snatched former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's congressional seat in a closely watched special election.

Democrat Bill Foster won 52 percent of the vote compared to 48 percent for Republican Jim Oberweis. With 558 of 568 precincts reporting, Foster had 50,451 votes to Oberweis' 45,741....


The 66-year-old Hastert, who lost his powerful post as speaker when Democrats took control of Congress, resigned late last year.

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQZZmxxd-dehJ1c_lUKFffsXLaxwD8V9LA780

---

Wanna guess why Hastert resigned?

I'm guessing that like Trent Lott, he saw a pot of gold
at the expense of the American people, by being a lobbyist

[mth44sc]

61. HOT DAMN...

I like the sounds of that!

edited to spell "the" correctly. It's that time of night...

[Olney Blue]

62. Good bye, Dennis. We won't miss you.

[murielm99]

63. This is historic!

That district never goes to a Democrat.

Bye-bye Milk Nazi.

[rosesaylavee]

68. Can you BELIEVE IT!

Un-*(^#(%^#(%#($#*-believeable!

[kanrok]

72. "Milk Nazi"

LOL...not bad for a Cubs fan!

[Up2Late]

77. What are you talking about? "Milk Nazi?"

Please explain.

Btw, I won't ask you to explain the "Cubs Fan" remark, you must be a poor, mis-guided Sox Fan.

[murielm99]

81. Many Democrats in Illinois refer to Oberweis as

The Milk Nazi.

Oberweis is a perennial candidate. I think he has used his own money to run in six different political races. He wants so badly to be in politics.

He founded Oberweis dairies. His products are actually very high quality. His ice cream and his eggnog are delicious. I buy them even though I don't like the guy.

He is called the Milk Nazi because of some of the bigoted commercials he has run. He seems to loathe brown immigrants, foaming at the mouth over illegals. The commercials really are awful. It is especially ironic, considering that some of his dairy business is in Aurora, which has a very large Spanish speaking population. And illegal immigrants have been found working in his dairy stores.

Actually, he does not make his money from dairies any more. His money is mostly in overseas holding firms. He is very, very wealthy. But all his wealth has not bought him political clout or office.

[grace0418]

86. He's a homophobe to boot.

Your typical RW hatemonger. His dairy products are delicious, I will admit. But I stopped buying them in 2003 or so. I just couldn't give that asshole my money anymore.

[truebrit71]

124. This statement is incorrect...

"His money is mostly in overseas holding firms"

That is simply not accurate.

Thrilled to tiny pieces about the pick-up though...that is truly monumental...

[never cry wolf]

83. has the milk nazi ever won any election ever???

(I love the moniker, Milk Nazi, btw...)

It seems like Oberweis has been on the ballot for some office or another for the last 10 years or so... to the best of my knowledge his only qualification is heir to a dairy.... a self born millionaire.... how many elections has he lost?

[frogcycle]

84. only thing he ever won was the primaries a couple weeks ago

I'll go out tomorrow and see if I can get the rest of the big Laesch signs out of the ground - I put some right next to huge Oberweiss signs. Should I take along some spray paint? :)

[Liberal Veteran]

64. Aw Gawd....pass the bratwurst!

Happy days.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

65. It's a good day! nt

[LiberalFighter]

66. What was the turnout compared to other general elections?

[rosesaylavee]

67. Half.

I don't think many of the Republicans knew there was an election today.

[LiberalFighter]

71. Boy those Republicans did a good job keeping the election a secret.

Now if they can do as good a job in November.

[murielm99]

69. There was a 10-15% turnout for this special election.

I will have to find the figure. My son read it to me over the phone.

Here are the figures that I posted in another thread:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2008/by_county/IL_Page_0308.html?SITE=ILCHTELN&SECTION=POLITICS

[murielm99]

74. This article says

turnout was low, with barely more than one in five registered voters participating in the special election.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-special-election.09mar09,0,7304737.story

[stevebreeze]

93. Kane co had 22% turnout, not bad for a special election

Low turnout is supposed to be a big plus for the GOP since most of the time the loyal GOP voters turnout more for primary's here. Just a few years ago there was about a 2 - 1 ratio of GOP to Democratic ballots in most primarys.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

70. This was such an important race.

A bellweather. A vital feeling-out of just what the repukes could bring to the table and what the public would accept from them.

They failed miserably.

It is just a damned shame that the straight razor warriors in GD P cannot put down the hating for 5 minutes and see what is waiting for all of us in November. This thread should be packed with people jumping for joy.

[rosesaylavee]

75. Party over here... come join us!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3216795&mesg_id=3216795

I have lived in this county most of my life. We routinely have open seats with only one republican running because no one will run as a DEM here. In 2000, we had an amazing slate of DEMs on the ticket for the first time I can remember. They all went down in flames and lost to people with less experience but who had an R after their name. We even had a DEM run in the county election in 2004 who was endorsed by several prominent elected republicans in the county. Nope. The R won that too despite the lack of experience and expertise.

THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED in the history of this county.

[murielm99]

76. Most Illinois Democrats are jumping for joy.

My brother called me from San Francisco. He is a former Illinoisan who has been watching this race.

I'm not in the 14th, and neither are any of my children. But my whole family is celebrating tonight.

[grace0418]

87. Same here. I live in the city but I've been watching this race and hoping for

the best. YAY! High fives for Illinoisans! :)

[mitchtv]

73. Well well well

Life is sweet

[JCMach1]

78. Signs of things to come...

[bleedinglib]

79. Congrats Illini !!!

Would you agree that this is the first coattail effect for Barack?
Barack did come out and campaign for Foster.
All you super-D's remember that in Denver.
Blib

[earthlover]

80. Did Hillary come to Illinois? Did she say the Republican was cool and the Dem only had a speech?

Just askin....

[DainBramaged]

97. Ya just got to bring that bullshit to every thread, don't ya?

Just sayin'!

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[murielm99]

82. No. This was a victory for the grassroots.

John Laesch ran against Hastert last time. After the Foley scandal, John actually received 40% of the vote against Hastert, which was miraculous. John opened the door.

John lost the primary to Foster by a very narrow margin. I think people are sick of Hastert and all he stands for. The demographics of the district are changing, too.

I know that many people worked hard to get voters to the polls. They worked especially hard in Dekalb County, the home of NIU. The college Democrats and the regular party Democrats there have worked hand in hand over several years to turn the county from republican to Democratic. They gained parity on the city council, and I think the county board. They elected a Democratic mayor. All this hard work took time and years. Give Foster himself and the grassroots kudos for this one.

[Robbien]

99. No it is not. Foster is a Blue Dog

Foster will join up with Bean and work with GOPers to undermine the Progressives in the Democratic party.

While it is nice that a seat changed from R to D, the Blue Dogs in the House just increased their power base.

Laesch is a Progressive, but Foster was the one who got monetary support from the DLC to support his win.

[frogcycle]

111. and at the last count I saw

he only beat Laesch in the primary for the fall by a couple hundred votes out of 20 thousand or so. And in this one by a couple thousand (people didn't know they had to vote in the special primary too; turnout was lower even tho all you had to do was step across the room. Fosters numbers were almost identical; Laesch had a big dropoff)

If two additional candidates had not come out of the woodwork and each grabbed a few thousand votes from target demographics (ie, one was hispanic) Laesch would have romped in both primaries. I wonder where those two got THEIR support, hmmmm?

[frogcycle]

85. go away

leech

[countmyvote4real]

88. Hello Mudville. Foster is a blue dog Dem. I wish it were John Laesch.

Still, Foster will at least be better on some votes than the Milk Nazi.

woo hoo

[Stuart G]

116. Yep, I wish it was John Laesch too..

John was out there last time, all by himself, fighting the good fight. He sure deserved to fight this one. For those that don't know, John lost in the primary by about 350 votes........Stuart

[tishaLA]

89. Wow. I'm very happy with this news.

[DUlover2909]

90. HAHAHAHAHA

Yipee! LOL. ROTFL! The Pukes are screwed! No hope for them. Now if we can just get the Congress to start torturing Bushco.

[lligrd]

91. And So It Begins nt

[Counciltucky]

92. Did it take a crowbar to pry his fat ass out of his seat?

I know, I probably shouldn't reduce myself to weight insults, especially when I could afford to shed weight myself, but it's Dennis Hastert, so I hope this exception is okay.

[grytpype]

94. hahahahaha!!!

[TomClash]

95. Slightly Wrong

Who would hire him to lobby a Dem house?

More likely he took a pot of gold already.

[stillrockin]

96. Thanks for your parting gift, D!

[ohio2007]

98. Now he has to run for relection in just a few months

If he's elected in november,he won't lose the seat come january

[Honeycombe8]

100. Great news. The first of many replacements to come? I hope. nt

[LiveLiberally]

101. This is Great News! /nt

[santamargarita]

102. I hope we see more of this...

K&R

[mikekohr]

103. Obama Campaigned For Foster,- A Sign Of Things To Come-

-From Downstate Illinois, next door to Hastert's old district-

The utter disgust of Illinois voters with the corruption in the Republican leadership did not hurt Bill Foster's chances. I've met Representative-elect Foster. Bill is a smart, reform minded, ethical, man and a strong candidate who developed his own computorized system to get out the vote. Congratulations to Mr Foster and best wishes. Foster deserves full credit for this stunning upset. But there is one other point that must be factored into his victory.

The endorsement and media ads featuring Senator Barack Obama touting the qualifications of Bill Foster probably played a big part in Foster's upset victory in a rock-ribbed Republican district. Obama has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to attract independents, moderates AND Republican votes, demographics critical to winning the White House and lifting the entire Democratic ticket in ALL 50 states.

If you want to reduce the Republican presense in Washington this fall, and cast them into history's trashbin of failed political movements, Obama is the candidate at the top of our ticket that will all but ensure that happen,


mike kohr

[ShockediSay]

119. there was also an indepenent group

?progressives for America

seeking online contribution$ for him,
I kicked in 15$

my point being that independent internet
fund raising could make a HUGE difference in
this election MAYBE even democratize the existing
corrupt process of "fund raising"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

104. Dem. wins election to fill Hastert seat

Source: The Raw Story

Democrat Bill Foster has snatched former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's congressional seat in a closely watched special election that gave the longtime Republican district to the Democrats.

Foster has won 52 percent of the vote compared to 48 percent for Republican Jim Oberweis with 556 of 568 precincts reporting.

Foster's special election win means he will fill the remainder of Hastert's term until it 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.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Dem_wins_election_to_fill_Hastert_s_03082008.html

[thereismore]

105. Boo Yah! nt

[Lorien]

106. Woot!

Great news! :bounce:

[grace0418]

107. Take that, Milk Nazi!

Jim Oberweis is such a racist tool.

[Usrename]

108. Great news!

:headbang:

[hisownpetard]

109. Wonderful news, Mr. Pooch.

:bounce:

[Doctor_J]

110. I know Bill Foster

My kids went to summer camp with him. He's a fine man, a brilliant scientist, and a devoted Dem. This is a major win in a right-wing stronghold.

[Carrieyazel]

113. Even if McCain wins in November, we will crush them down the ticket, no question.

Our strength now is winning in Congress, state houses, governors and local races. Only 11 governors races this year, and fewer state and local races than in a midterm year, but we will solidify our gains from 2006. We are the majority party now, and Repubes are being cut off at the roots.

Unfortunately, it looks like Hillary/Obama will fight a bloody mess, and McCain may prevail. Even if he does, his hands will be tied.

[chemp]

118. go Bill- we need more heroes!

Dr. Foster is an African American with powers similar to Giant-Man's. He was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck in The Avengers #32 (September 1966). His "Black Goliath" persona was created by Tony Isabella and George Tuska in Power Man #24 (April 1975). Foster became the second Giant-Man in Marvel Two-in-One #55 (September 1979). He became yet the fourth Goliath in The Thing (vol. 2) #1 (January 2006).

Although he became a superhero years after his initial appearance, Bill Foster is the third African American comic book character to become a superhero.

Black Goliath is also the name of the short-lived comic book starring the character, which ran for 5 issues in 1976.

Black Goliath has appeared in the pages of The Avengers




http://www.marvel.com/universe/Goliath_(Bill_Foster)

[Zorra]

120. Heh. Let's hope this portends results for the '08 election.

:thumbsup:

[Arugula Latte]

121. Sing to the tune of "Edelweiss" from the "Sound of Music"

Oberweis, Oberweis
My, what a crash and burn
You're mean and white, corrupt and uptight
Looks like it's Bill Foster's turn

Stooge of the right, may you go to Hell
Go to Hell, forever

Oberweis, Oberweis
Kiss our asses forever

[sakabatou]

123. w00t

[DuaneBidoux]

126. I'm in Texas' 22nd. Don't forget us! Holding on to D for DeLay's old seat would be sweet.

Nick Lampson is our current congressman. But the Republicans are going to put up one hell of a fight to get back that seat.

This is one reason I am excited by our heavy primary turnout for Dems and why I get frustrated when Dems write off a state like Texas. Yes we are blood red, but maybe local Dems will put in more effort for congressmen like Lampson if we aren't written off by the national dems including (and especially) Clinton.