Is There an Election Coming Up or Somthing?

By Kevin Robinson in News on Aug 21, 2007 1:00PM

Now that Tony Peraica has thrown his hat in the ring for Cook County State's Attorney, and Luis Gutierrez has been worshipped in seeking a ninth term, we now have a whole flock of Democrats and Republicans lining up to beat the shit out of each other over Dennis Hastert's congressional seat. Addressing a crowd of supporters last Friday from the steps of the Kendall County Courthouse, where he launched his national political career, Hastert announced that he was retiring after eleven terms in Congress, including eight years as the Republican Speaker of the House.

In this most early of seasons, however, the announcement came not only with the usual platitudes foisted on retiring pols, but also with an eye on what may be a contentious fight over the seat he will be vacating. Illinois dairyman and right-wing stalwart Jim Oberweis will seek the 14th Congressional District seat, as will state Sen. Chris Lauzen of Aurora and Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns. On the Democratic side of the ticket, John Laesch of Yorkville and attorney Jotham Stein of Geneva will be running.

While Hastert was coy with the press ("I have to wait and see who files. I don't know who is out there. I will make that decision when the time comes, probably after November," he told the Chicago Tribune), Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego was more forthcoming. "This is still a conservative area. This is an area that believes in fiscal responsibility and less government.... [B]ut I believe at the end of the day it will remain Republican."

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