Nov 6 2010 Lost Lake Tribune Section E:Illinois
Section E: ILLINOIS
Ty Green, Illinois Editor
Youngest Congressman Easily Wins Seat in Illinois
U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, the youngest member of Congress, will serve a second, two-year term in Washington, D.C.
Schock, 29, R-Peoria, was leading steadily with 17 of the 20 counties reporting their vote tallies. Schock had 69 per cent of the votes, while Democrat candidate Deirdre "D.K." Hirner, had 26 percent. Green Party candidate Sheldon Schafer brought in 5 percent.
"We never took this race for granted. I've worked very hard the past two years to represent the district to the best of my ability, and I'm humbled by the overwhelming support tonight and opportunity to continue to serve the next two years," Schock said. "Our country is facing a host of challenges; it's up to the Republican House to offer superior ideas on the issues of the economy and deficit reduction. I think this is going to result in better government. With two parties, there will be checks and balances. The wins nationwide tonight are really wins for the American people, common everyday taxpayers who are outraged by the arrogance of power exhibited by the Congress."
Schock was first elected in 2008 to replace retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood in the Republican-leaning district.
Hirner, 57, lives in the neighboring 19th District and has little fundraising base and name recognition compared to Schock, who has built his name by rising through the ranks from Peoria District 150 School Board to the 92nd Illinois House seat and then Congress. Hirner, the former executive director of the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group, acknowledged a Schock defeat was a tall order.
In his next two years, Schock hopes to promote job creation through infrastructure spending in a new six-year highway bill. He favors the temporary suspension of the payroll tax for small businesses and extending the Bush tax cuts.
Schafer, 62, vice president of education and planetarium director for Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, was banking on better name recognition for the Green Party and overall dissatisfaction among voters.
Information Gained from http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1673648100/Schock-returned-to-U-S-House
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Mark Kirk says voters want to rein in government
Emerging victorious in an ugly race for the president's former Senate seat, Republican Mark Kirk said Illinois voters clearly want him to rein in Democratic policies that increase spending and expand government. But exit polling suggests that's not necessarily the case.
Kirk said his win was partly a rebuke of the White House — "I think to lose the president's seat sends a message," he said — but even more a rejection of Democratic leadership in Congress. He promised to push for an extension of all the Bush-era tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, and to fight unnecessary spending.
"If there is a verdict in this election it's that we shouldn't raise taxes," Kirk told reporters at a downtown Chicago train station where he greeted commuters as they got off their trains. "Instead, we should cut spending." Still, he vowed to work with Obama. "He's our president and it's up to every member of Congress to work with him," he said.
However, in exit polling, only two out of 10 voters said cutting taxes should be the top priority for the next Congress. The rest split about evenly between balancing the budget and spending money to create jobs. Only one-third of voters said they cast their ballot to express opposition to President Barack Obama.
Kirk has also called for repealing the health care overhaul approved by Congress this year, but in AP polling, only four in 10 voters agree with that. The rest either want the health care plan left alone or expanded.
Kirk, a congressman and Obama critic, narrowly defeated Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a basketball buddy of the president who would have been a strong ally in Washington.
Obama and his White House team campaigned hard for Giannoulias, hoping to avoid perhaps the most politically embarrassing loss on a night of losses for Democrats.
But with the end count revealed, Kirk had 48 percent to Giannoulias' 46 percent — squeaking out a victory despite the revelation that he had made false claims about his military record.
The Senate campaign was a bitter exchange of charges and countercharges.
Giannoulias faced attacks over his family's failed bank, which gave loans to two men involved in organized crime. Meanwhile, Kirk was forced to apologize after the disclosure that he had exaggerated his military accomplishments.
On Wednesday, though, Kirk's theme was one of conciliation. He said, for example, that he hoped to have a beer with Giannoulias later in the day at the famed Chicago watering hole, the Billy Goat Tavern.
Even though he won, Kirk has some work to do gaining the trust of Illinois voters. Exit polls found that more than a third of voters considered neither he nor Giannoulias to be honest and trustworthy.
Trust may have been especially important in the race because of its links to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The Democratic governor was removed from office in disgrace after federal prosecutors alleged he tried to sell the appointment as Obama's temporary Senate replacement.
But before leaving office, Blagojevich appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, who was widely criticized for accepting the post and decided not to seek a full term.
Kirk not only won a term beginning in January. He also was selected to replace Burris and serve the final weeks of the term that began six years ago with Obama's election. Kirk could take office within days, and he promises to block any Democratic efforts to pass costly proposals in a lame-duck session. On Wednesday there was still some confusion about when that would be. Kirk said he hoped to be sworn in as soon as possible.
Giannoulias played professional basketball in Greece and became a friend and basketball partner of Obama's. Encouraged by the future president, he ran for Illinois treasurer and won on the strength of his experience as an executive at his family's Broadway Bank.
Four years later, he set his sights on winning Obama's former Senate seat. But his banking experience worked against him when the bank failed and was taken over by federal regulators. Giannoulias also had to repeatedly explain his role in the bank's loans to two people with ties to organized crime and to corrupt political insider Antoin "Tony" Rezko.
He faced Kirk, who looked like the clear favorite with his mix of moderate social views and military experience. Then came the revelation that after long saying he was the Navy's "intelligence officer of the year," Kirk never actually won that award.
It turned out that at various times Kirk, a commander in the Navy Reserve, also had falsely said he served in the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he falsely claimed to run the Pentagon war room, and said he came under enemy fire on flights over Kosovo and Iraq. This was not enough for Kirk to fall in this election.
Information Gained from http://www.pjstar.com/news/x782430334/Democrats-lose-Obamas-former-Senate-seat
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Unes Kicks Smith out of Illinois House
Republican Mike Unes smiles as prepares to speak to his supporters. Unes won the 91st Illinois House district against Democrat incumbent Mike Smith.
After 16 years on the job, incumbent Democrat Mike Smith was effectively booted from office Tuesday by voters decisively choosing East Peoria City Councilman Mike Unes to replace him in the 91st District House seat.
Unes, 36, R-East Peoria, was on his way to being elected with 16,727 votes, or 54.5 percent, compared with Smith, 44, of Canton, who had 13,967 votes, or 45.5 percent.
"I'm very proud. It's been a long road. It's so humbling to have so many supporters," said Unes, who celebrated at Embassy Suites in East Peoria on Tuesday with hundreds of supporters. "We stuck to our game plan from start to finish to remain positive and we didn't back down. The hard work will begin Wednesday."
Smith conceded the race and called Unes. "I think we ran a good campaign, a tough campaign. We were bucking a big trend and that's pretty evident in the results tonight across the country. It wasn't a good year to be a 16-year incumbent," Smith said. "For 16 years I've been privileged to represent this district and I hope I've been able to help people in the district during that time," Smith said.
The one-term councilman acknowledged an uphill battle unseating an incumbent and the race racked up more than $1.7 million in the second most expensive legislative race in the state.
The race also slanted negatively with attack ads as Smith battled to keep his seat, which put Unes on the defensive. One of those ads claimed Unes would force a rape victim to give birth to her attacker's child. However, the literature was wrong, as Unes is anti-abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.
Smith also claimed Unes received a 10 percent pay increase as a councilman. In fact, Unes rejected any raise in pay.
Unes said the inaccurate attack ads epitomize 'everything that is wrong with state government' and give 'all public servants a black eye.' In his campaign, Unes remained largely positive, focusing on the issues.
Unes, who works for Heinold-Banwart accounting firm, favors pro-growth policies that will produce jobs and tax revenue. He said Illinois is a business-unfriendly state. He plans to grow the state's tax base and increase revenues. Unlike Smith, he does not support a tax increase.
Smith supports an income tax increase to lower the reliance on local property taxes for school funding. Specifically, he favors a graduated income tax. During his election, Smith championed the passage of the capital bill, which he said will spur the economy and create jobs.
Information Gained from http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1775204196/Unes-kicks-Smith-out-of-House
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Democrats Suffer Huge Disappointments in Illinois
It was a long and tough night for Democrats in Illinois.
In the race for President Obama's former Senate seat, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk emerged victorious. Kirk took 48 percent of the vote, while Democrat Alexi Giannoulias' had 46 percent.
"A tsunami just hit the heartland," Kirk exclaimed in his Tuesday night victory speech.
Meanwhile, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was touting the importance of Kirk's win. "When President Obama's home state rejects the past 18 months of his presidency and elects Mark Kirk, a fiscal conservative, to his old Senate seat, it should send shock waves through the White House”.
Giannoulias, who took more than 76 percent of the Chicago vote, gave a gracious and emotional concession speech. "I think he will make a good senator. I think he will make a strong senator," Giannoulias said. "He will help a lot of people."
Another surprise loss for Democrats happened in Illinois's Tenth Congressional District, which covers many of Chicago's affluent North Shore suburbs. Though Kirk represented the district for five terms, the district lately indicated a significant blue streak. It was predicted that Kirk survived in the area due to his moderate views on issues such as abortion and gay rights--issues which he moved to the right on since running for Senate.
Dan Seals, a Democrat who lost to Kirk in the district twice, picked up endorsements from former Kirk supporters--and the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both came to the area to support Seals--but that was apparently not enough.
The winner, instead, was Republican Robert Dold, a Winnetka native and president of his family's pest control company. Dold worked as an investigative counsel for the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee under President George H.W. Bush before returning to the tenth district.
Though he was painted as far to the right of the electorate in the district, accused of opposing abortion rights and seeking to privatize Social Security, he was victorious in tying Seals to Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and ill-liked Washington Democrats.
The Democratic carnage was widespread in Illinois. Republican challenger Randy Hultgren ousted Rep. Bill Foster in the 14th District and Rep. Debbie Halvorson was easily defeated by newcomer Adam Kinzinger in the 11th District.
Kinzinger, a Republican and a member of the Air National Guard, launched a relentless bombing campaign on Halvorson's record, with the help of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He opposes healthcare and derides cap-and-trade as "job-killing." Kinzinger's win will put him right where Halvorson was two years ago: a first-term Congressman riding his party's big gains into Washington.
Republican Bobby Schilling defeated two-term Democratic Congressman Phil Hare in Illinois' 17th district, and in the Eighth District, Tea Party candidate Joe Walsh defeated Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean by less than 800 votes.
The Democrats did win the Illinois governor's race. Though all the polls said otherwise, Governor Pat Quinn somehow survived. Republican Bill Brady conceded the razor thin race on Friday. Quinn said he planned to work with Brady “for the common good of Illinois”
"The people have won, and I believe we have won," Quinn told supporters, hoping to have some concrete news sometime later.
Information Gained from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/03/illinois-election-results_5_n_778198.html?view=print and
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2868516,brady-to-concde-governors-race-110510.article
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Editorial.
I am more in line with the TEA Party than the Republican Party. They have become corrupt. Repeal the health care bill and extend Bush tax cuts. Ty Green, Illinois Editor
Ty Green, Illinois Editor
Youngest Congressman Easily Wins Seat in Illinois
U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, the youngest member of Congress, will serve a second, two-year term in Washington, D.C.
Schock, 29, R-Peoria, was leading steadily with 17 of the 20 counties reporting their vote tallies. Schock had 69 per cent of the votes, while Democrat candidate Deirdre "D.K." Hirner, had 26 percent. Green Party candidate Sheldon Schafer brought in 5 percent.
"We never took this race for granted. I've worked very hard the past two years to represent the district to the best of my ability, and I'm humbled by the overwhelming support tonight and opportunity to continue to serve the next two years," Schock said. "Our country is facing a host of challenges; it's up to the Republican House to offer superior ideas on the issues of the economy and deficit reduction. I think this is going to result in better government. With two parties, there will be checks and balances. The wins nationwide tonight are really wins for the American people, common everyday taxpayers who are outraged by the arrogance of power exhibited by the Congress."
Schock was first elected in 2008 to replace retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood in the Republican-leaning district.
Hirner, 57, lives in the neighboring 19th District and has little fundraising base and name recognition compared to Schock, who has built his name by rising through the ranks from Peoria District 150 School Board to the 92nd Illinois House seat and then Congress. Hirner, the former executive director of the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group, acknowledged a Schock defeat was a tall order.
In his next two years, Schock hopes to promote job creation through infrastructure spending in a new six-year highway bill. He favors the temporary suspension of the payroll tax for small businesses and extending the Bush tax cuts.
Schafer, 62, vice president of education and planetarium director for Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, was banking on better name recognition for the Green Party and overall dissatisfaction among voters.
Information Gained from http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1673648100/Schock-returned-to-U-S-House
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Mark Kirk says voters want to rein in government
Emerging victorious in an ugly race for the president's former Senate seat, Republican Mark Kirk said Illinois voters clearly want him to rein in Democratic policies that increase spending and expand government. But exit polling suggests that's not necessarily the case.
Kirk said his win was partly a rebuke of the White House — "I think to lose the president's seat sends a message," he said — but even more a rejection of Democratic leadership in Congress. He promised to push for an extension of all the Bush-era tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, and to fight unnecessary spending.
"If there is a verdict in this election it's that we shouldn't raise taxes," Kirk told reporters at a downtown Chicago train station where he greeted commuters as they got off their trains. "Instead, we should cut spending." Still, he vowed to work with Obama. "He's our president and it's up to every member of Congress to work with him," he said.
However, in exit polling, only two out of 10 voters said cutting taxes should be the top priority for the next Congress. The rest split about evenly between balancing the budget and spending money to create jobs. Only one-third of voters said they cast their ballot to express opposition to President Barack Obama.
Kirk has also called for repealing the health care overhaul approved by Congress this year, but in AP polling, only four in 10 voters agree with that. The rest either want the health care plan left alone or expanded.
Kirk, a congressman and Obama critic, narrowly defeated Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a basketball buddy of the president who would have been a strong ally in Washington.
Obama and his White House team campaigned hard for Giannoulias, hoping to avoid perhaps the most politically embarrassing loss on a night of losses for Democrats.
But with the end count revealed, Kirk had 48 percent to Giannoulias' 46 percent — squeaking out a victory despite the revelation that he had made false claims about his military record.
The Senate campaign was a bitter exchange of charges and countercharges.
Giannoulias faced attacks over his family's failed bank, which gave loans to two men involved in organized crime. Meanwhile, Kirk was forced to apologize after the disclosure that he had exaggerated his military accomplishments.
On Wednesday, though, Kirk's theme was one of conciliation. He said, for example, that he hoped to have a beer with Giannoulias later in the day at the famed Chicago watering hole, the Billy Goat Tavern.
Even though he won, Kirk has some work to do gaining the trust of Illinois voters. Exit polls found that more than a third of voters considered neither he nor Giannoulias to be honest and trustworthy.
Trust may have been especially important in the race because of its links to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The Democratic governor was removed from office in disgrace after federal prosecutors alleged he tried to sell the appointment as Obama's temporary Senate replacement.
But before leaving office, Blagojevich appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, who was widely criticized for accepting the post and decided not to seek a full term.
Kirk not only won a term beginning in January. He also was selected to replace Burris and serve the final weeks of the term that began six years ago with Obama's election. Kirk could take office within days, and he promises to block any Democratic efforts to pass costly proposals in a lame-duck session. On Wednesday there was still some confusion about when that would be. Kirk said he hoped to be sworn in as soon as possible.
Giannoulias played professional basketball in Greece and became a friend and basketball partner of Obama's. Encouraged by the future president, he ran for Illinois treasurer and won on the strength of his experience as an executive at his family's Broadway Bank.
Four years later, he set his sights on winning Obama's former Senate seat. But his banking experience worked against him when the bank failed and was taken over by federal regulators. Giannoulias also had to repeatedly explain his role in the bank's loans to two people with ties to organized crime and to corrupt political insider Antoin "Tony" Rezko.
He faced Kirk, who looked like the clear favorite with his mix of moderate social views and military experience. Then came the revelation that after long saying he was the Navy's "intelligence officer of the year," Kirk never actually won that award.
It turned out that at various times Kirk, a commander in the Navy Reserve, also had falsely said he served in the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he falsely claimed to run the Pentagon war room, and said he came under enemy fire on flights over Kosovo and Iraq. This was not enough for Kirk to fall in this election.
Information Gained from http://www.pjstar.com/news/x782430334/Democrats-lose-Obamas-former-Senate-seat
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Unes Kicks Smith out of Illinois House
Republican Mike Unes smiles as prepares to speak to his supporters. Unes won the 91st Illinois House district against Democrat incumbent Mike Smith.
After 16 years on the job, incumbent Democrat Mike Smith was effectively booted from office Tuesday by voters decisively choosing East Peoria City Councilman Mike Unes to replace him in the 91st District House seat.
Unes, 36, R-East Peoria, was on his way to being elected with 16,727 votes, or 54.5 percent, compared with Smith, 44, of Canton, who had 13,967 votes, or 45.5 percent.
"I'm very proud. It's been a long road. It's so humbling to have so many supporters," said Unes, who celebrated at Embassy Suites in East Peoria on Tuesday with hundreds of supporters. "We stuck to our game plan from start to finish to remain positive and we didn't back down. The hard work will begin Wednesday."
Smith conceded the race and called Unes. "I think we ran a good campaign, a tough campaign. We were bucking a big trend and that's pretty evident in the results tonight across the country. It wasn't a good year to be a 16-year incumbent," Smith said. "For 16 years I've been privileged to represent this district and I hope I've been able to help people in the district during that time," Smith said.
The one-term councilman acknowledged an uphill battle unseating an incumbent and the race racked up more than $1.7 million in the second most expensive legislative race in the state.
The race also slanted negatively with attack ads as Smith battled to keep his seat, which put Unes on the defensive. One of those ads claimed Unes would force a rape victim to give birth to her attacker's child. However, the literature was wrong, as Unes is anti-abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.
Smith also claimed Unes received a 10 percent pay increase as a councilman. In fact, Unes rejected any raise in pay.
Unes said the inaccurate attack ads epitomize 'everything that is wrong with state government' and give 'all public servants a black eye.' In his campaign, Unes remained largely positive, focusing on the issues.
Unes, who works for Heinold-Banwart accounting firm, favors pro-growth policies that will produce jobs and tax revenue. He said Illinois is a business-unfriendly state. He plans to grow the state's tax base and increase revenues. Unlike Smith, he does not support a tax increase.
Smith supports an income tax increase to lower the reliance on local property taxes for school funding. Specifically, he favors a graduated income tax. During his election, Smith championed the passage of the capital bill, which he said will spur the economy and create jobs.
Information Gained from http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1775204196/Unes-kicks-Smith-out-of-House
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Democrats Suffer Huge Disappointments in Illinois
It was a long and tough night for Democrats in Illinois.
In the race for President Obama's former Senate seat, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk emerged victorious. Kirk took 48 percent of the vote, while Democrat Alexi Giannoulias' had 46 percent.
"A tsunami just hit the heartland," Kirk exclaimed in his Tuesday night victory speech.
Meanwhile, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was touting the importance of Kirk's win. "When President Obama's home state rejects the past 18 months of his presidency and elects Mark Kirk, a fiscal conservative, to his old Senate seat, it should send shock waves through the White House”.
Giannoulias, who took more than 76 percent of the Chicago vote, gave a gracious and emotional concession speech. "I think he will make a good senator. I think he will make a strong senator," Giannoulias said. "He will help a lot of people."
Another surprise loss for Democrats happened in Illinois's Tenth Congressional District, which covers many of Chicago's affluent North Shore suburbs. Though Kirk represented the district for five terms, the district lately indicated a significant blue streak. It was predicted that Kirk survived in the area due to his moderate views on issues such as abortion and gay rights--issues which he moved to the right on since running for Senate.
Dan Seals, a Democrat who lost to Kirk in the district twice, picked up endorsements from former Kirk supporters--and the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both came to the area to support Seals--but that was apparently not enough.
The winner, instead, was Republican Robert Dold, a Winnetka native and president of his family's pest control company. Dold worked as an investigative counsel for the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee under President George H.W. Bush before returning to the tenth district.
Though he was painted as far to the right of the electorate in the district, accused of opposing abortion rights and seeking to privatize Social Security, he was victorious in tying Seals to Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and ill-liked Washington Democrats.
The Democratic carnage was widespread in Illinois. Republican challenger Randy Hultgren ousted Rep. Bill Foster in the 14th District and Rep. Debbie Halvorson was easily defeated by newcomer Adam Kinzinger in the 11th District.
Kinzinger, a Republican and a member of the Air National Guard, launched a relentless bombing campaign on Halvorson's record, with the help of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He opposes healthcare and derides cap-and-trade as "job-killing." Kinzinger's win will put him right where Halvorson was two years ago: a first-term Congressman riding his party's big gains into Washington.
Republican Bobby Schilling defeated two-term Democratic Congressman Phil Hare in Illinois' 17th district, and in the Eighth District, Tea Party candidate Joe Walsh defeated Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean by less than 800 votes.
The Democrats did win the Illinois governor's race. Though all the polls said otherwise, Governor Pat Quinn somehow survived. Republican Bill Brady conceded the razor thin race on Friday. Quinn said he planned to work with Brady “for the common good of Illinois”
"The people have won, and I believe we have won," Quinn told supporters, hoping to have some concrete news sometime later.
Information Gained from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/03/illinois-election-results_5_n_778198.html?view=print and
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2868516,brady-to-concde-governors-race-110510.article
Article prepared by Ty Green, Illinois Editor and edited by Senior Editor, Ben Fugate
Editorial.
I am more in line with the TEA Party than the Republican Party. They have become corrupt. Repeal the health care bill and extend Bush tax cuts. Ty Green, Illinois Editor
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