The Morning After: Dold, Biggert Lose; Dems Seal Veto-Proof Majorities In Springfield; Constitutional Amendment 49 Fails
By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 7, 2012 4:00PM
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan
Joe Walsh, Judy Biggert and Bob Dold all were beaten in their congressional races—all three, coincidentally, faced tough challenged in redrawn districts. (We’ll have more on Walsh’s loss to Tammy Duckworth later.) Biggert and opponent Bill Foster were engaged in a race that turned nasty in the weeks leading up to the election as negative campaign ads soiled the airwaves. Biggert, in a statement released late Tuesday night, conceded the 11th District race to Foster.
“Representing the people of this area has been the great honor of my lifetime. I can never thank them enough for their kindnesses towards me, their generosity with their ideas, their patience when we don’t see eye-to-eye, and their deep love of community and country.”
The race in the 10th District was even tighter, but slightly more civil, between Dold and Brad Schneider. Each campaigned hard and tried to portray himself as being able to cross party lines. In his victory speech Schneider said he believed he could make a difference and help break the gridlock in Washington. Dold told supporters in his concession speech they had nothing to be ashamed of.
Michael Madigan, meanwhile, secured a 71-47 veto proof majority in the Illinois House with Republicans losing four seats, while the Democratic majority in the Illinois Senate is an imposing 40-19. This means Gov. Pat Quinn will no longer be able to block legislation with his veto. In an historic first, DuPage County will seat a Democrat—Tom Cullerton—for the first time in the state’s history.
The amendment that would have changed the General Provisions clause in the Illinois Constitution so that all future changes to pensions would require a three-fifths vote failed to be ratified by voters. Fifty-six percent of voters approved of the measure; the referendum needed 60 percent to pass.