Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam Takes Leadership Position in the House

By Kevin Robinson in News on Nov 30, 2010 2:00PM

Republican Congressman Peter Roskam, of Wheaton, ascended to the position of chief deputy majority whip this week, the bottom rung of House leadership, making him the number four Republican in congress. While the position is largely concerned with lining up votes on the floor, it also gives Illinois something of a voice in the GOP leadership in Washington. The position has also been a stepping-stone to higher leadership positions in congress. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois held the position, as did now-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia. Roskam will be working with Dayton congressman and now Speaker of the House John Boehner.

House Republicans are also hoping that Roskam can act as a go-between with President Obama. The two served together in the Illinois State Senate, where the two worked together on death penalty reform for the state. As Politico points out, Roskam's seat is hardly a safe seat for a conservative - the west suburban district is, according to the Cook Political Report, split evenly between Democratic and Republican voters. And in 2008 nearly 60 percent of voters in that district supported the president at the polls.