Somewhere in the great beyond, there's a big smile tonight on Tim Hall's face.
Who's Tim Hall? Find out on the jump.
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Until tonight, Tim Hall was the only other Democrat to ever win election to Congress in the northern Illinois area that now makes up most of the 14th Congressional District. The onetime school teacher from Dwight, Ill. -- now deceased -- beat a hapless Republican in a Watergate backlash election in the mid-70s and was defeated two years later.
I have a feeling that Rep.-elect Bill Foster may have a better fate.
Saturday's special election victory was broad-based. Foster did particularly well in suburban Chicago areas, but he also ran well in rural and small town parts of the district. That bodes well for November's rematch with Oberweis and beyond.
Foster even carried Kendall County, home of the former Rep. Denny Hastert -- that's former SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Denny Hastert.
Sure there were local factors. Oberweis went extremely negative and isn't well liked anyway. And he's now 0-for-4 in as a candidate, losing earlier primaries for U.S. Senate and Governor.
But Foster's election is also a harbinger with national implications. If Democrats can carry the Speaker's district, what Republican district is safe?
If I were a Republican running for election, I'd have a very troubled sleep tonight.
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