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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (183937)	3/23/2006 9:01:33 PM
From: Glenn Petersen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Roskam will beat Duckworth. Rahm Emanuel got a little too cute here. This is Hackett in reverse. Emanuel should have backed Cegelis, who has spent three years building a grass roots organization and had the full support of the local Democrats. Duckworth won't have that support. At the very least, Emanuel should have found a veteran who actually lives in the district. Roskam, who was unopposed in the primary, actually got 50% more votes than all of the Democratic candidates combined. Gearing up for next battle Duckworth sets sights on Roskam By John Biemer Tribune staff reporter Published March 23, 2006 Software engineer Christine Cegelis conceded defeat Wednesday morning to Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth after a tight Democratic primary in the 6th Congressional District, setting up the showdown national party leaders envisioned to succeed Republican U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde. But the narrow Duckworth victory and the money spent to achieve it point to a tough battle against Republican state Sen. Peter Roskam in November. With 99 percent of the precincts counted in the west suburban district, Duckworth had 44 percent of the vote to Cegelis' 40 percent. Lindy Scott, a Wheaton College professor, won 16 percent. Cegelis' concession marked the end of a campaign she began in 2003 against Hyde, who is retiring. Receiving 44 percent of the vote against him in 2004 helped convince Democratic leaders that the traditionally Republican district might be one of a few nationwide that could swing their way. Duckworth of Hoffman Estates entered the race in late December with a boost from Democratic leaders such as U.S. Sens. John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Early Wednesday, Duckworth paid tribute to Cegelis while speaking to supporters--including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin--at an Addison VFW hall, calling Cegelis a "tough competitor" with "high ideals." Duckworth urged Democrats to work together to defeat Roskam, linking him to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, whom he once served as an aide, and Vice President Dick Cheney, who raised funds for him last week. "There's no question that Peter Roskam would fit right into today's Washington, and that's a reason not to send him there," she said. Roskam spokesman Ryan McLaughlin countered that Duckworth "started the negative campaign against Peter Roskam, and I think voters are tired of that." Though alone on the GOP ballot, the Wheaton attorney received 1 1/2 times the total votes for the three Democrats--emblematic of Roskam's support and the true Republican nature of the district, McLaughlin said. Roskam has raised more than $1.1 million, with more than $800,000 still unspent, according to a March 1 federal filing. Duckworth's capacity to raise funds rivals Roskam's: She drew in almost $520,000 in less than three months of campaigning, but spent almost $400,000. The close primary reflected Cegelis' many supporters who had stuck with her since her first race and bristled at Duckworth's late entry and massive push from leaders such as U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. York Township Democratic Party Chairman Doug Cole said the 40 or more precinct committeemen in his township who supported Cegelis or Scott may vote for Duckworth in the fall because "we can't stand Roskam," but they're unlikely to work for her campaign. Duckworth lives in the neighboring 8th District, and her campaign was the product of "top-down politics as foisted upon us by Rahm Emanuel. Not only do they not need us, they don't want us, so we'll take the message," Cole said. Scott wished Duckworth well Wednesday but said he was "disappointed by the uneven playing field" in terms of money and media attention that confronted him and Cegelis. Duckworth's resources and national profile--due largely to having lost her legs in an attack on a helicopter she was co-piloting in Iraq--may have persuaded some voters to shift in the past few weeks, said DuPage County Democratic Party Chairwoman Gayl Ferraro. "People looked at the big picture and knew they were assured they would have the financial support and the support from Washington," Ferraro said. "The voters in the district understand what there is to lose, and what we have to gain by winning this." Cegelis conceded when Duckworth called Wednesday morning, said Cegelis spokesman Andy Juniewicz. "Christine wished Tammy all the luck in the world." Cegelis then issued a statement thanking her supporters for sending "a loud and clear message to members of the Democratic Party." "The biggest miracle of all is you...," Cegelis told supporters. "You proved that you are a political force to be reckoned with, and anybody who ignores that fact does so at their own peril." ---------- jbiemer@tribune.com Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune chicagotribune.com