Democrats pull upset in special for Hastert’s seat
By Aaron Blake
Posted: 03/08/08 09:52 PM [ET]
Democrat Bill Foster pulled off an upset in the special election for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s (R-Ill.) seat on Saturday, defeating Republican Jim Oberweis and winning the seat for the remainder of the 110th Congress.
The race drew lots of investment from each party’s national campaign committee and is a big win for Democrats in a GOP-leaning district and against a candidate supported by Hastert. Unofficial results had Foster defeating Oberweis 52-48 with 99 percent of precincts reporting.
Foster is a scientist and businessman who was running for office for the first time. Oberweis is a businessman who lost in primaries for Senate in 2002 and 2004 and for governor in 2006.
The two will square off again in November, as they have already been voted as their parties’ general election nominees.
The race attracted big-name endorsements in addition to Hastert’s support for Oberweis. These included Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) cutting a television ad for Foster and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) holding a fundraiser with Oberweis.
Both Oberweis and Foster are wealthy and invested heavily in their own campaigns, Oberweis to the tune of $2.9 million and Foster about $2 million.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spent about $1.3 million to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) more than $1 million.
DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) said the result sends a “shockwave” through the political world, given that it occurred in a district that voted 55 percent for President Bush in 2004.
“Republican candidates learned tonight that Sen. McCain … cannot save them from defeat this November against strong Democratic challengers, even in districts that voted overwhelmingly for President Bush,” Van Hollen said.
NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.) acknowledged earlier this week that a loss would reflect poorly on his party, especially given that the race took place in the district of the former speaker.
NRCC spokeswoman Karen Hanretty said the results shouldn't be over-interpreted.
"The one thing 2008 has shown is that one election in one state does not prove a trend. In fact, there has been no national trend this entire election season," Hanretty said. "The one message coming out of 2008 so far is that what happens today is not a bellwether of what happens this fall.”
The GOP is already facing nearly 30 members vacating seats this cycle and a fundraising shortfall that only recently saw the NRCC emerge from debt left over from the 2006 cycle.
The seat is the first in six special elections this cycle to flip parties.
Another race will be held Tuesday in the Indianapolis district of the late Rep. Julia Carson (D-Ind.), who died in December. Her grandson, Indianapolis City-County Councilman Andre Carson (D), is running against state Rep. Jon Elrod (R) and is favored.
