IL-14: Hastert to Resign, Special Election On Tap

According to Roll Call, Dennis Hastert will announce his resignation from the House tomorrow:

Former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) is expected to announce Thursday that he is resigning his seat in Congress effective later this year, eventually setting up a special election to succeed him, knowledgeable GOP sources said late Wednesday.

Rumblings have persisted for months that Hastert, who announced this summer that he would not seek re-election in 2008, was unlikely to complete his current term.

This week Hastert met with House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and was making calls to tell people of his decision on Wednesday morning.

The article also adds that, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has 5 days from Hastert’s last day in office to set a date for the special election, which must take place within 115 days.  Depending on the time line of Hastert’s decision, we could see a special election coinciding with the state’s February 5th primary.  Stay tuned.

UPDATE: The Politico says that Hastert’s announcement is postponed:

Hastert initially planned to make an announcement Thursday, but has since scrapped that decision, according to one GOP aide. The former speaker, who announced his plans to retire over the summer, is still expected to leave the House some time in December, but the date of his departure – as well as his announcement – remains unclear.

Lordy, what a teaser.  Just GO.

Race Tracker: IL-14

9 thoughts on “IL-14: Hastert to Resign, Special Election On Tap”

  1. If Gov. Rod sets the GE on Feb. 5, we could take advantage of all the Dems coming out to vote for the Democratic presidential candidates. That would definitely help Foster/Laesch/whoever the Dem nominee is.

  2. If this decision was made in the wake of MA-5. The Republicans seem to think the Democrats aren’t doing as well as they were doing last year and they can easily keep this seat in a Special Election since they nearly took a seat as Democratic as this one is Republican.

    I don’t think it would work though. There are some good progressives running. A vote for a Democrat here will be a vote to bring an end to the war.

    Still, I think it’s a strech to win this district, but I wouldn’t call it a miracle

  3. Because he doesn’t like the possibility of a candidate he doesn’t support winning the district (either Oberweis or a Democrat), he’ll force the state to spend more money by huffing his way out of Congress.

    A Feb 5 special election complicates things because that means a primary in January, and a primary in February on the same day as the general election.

    Way to waste more taxpayer money, Denny.

    1. That would especially be an advantage if Obama was still in the race, because he will drive up turnout tremendously throughout the state.

  5. February 5th = The day we pre-empt the 2008 wave by taking a US Representatives seat that is a monument, a tribute to a good portion of the 12 years of bull -*** Republican rule.  When we take this seat, we will be sending a message to all Republicans. 

    “You are not safe, hide behind your lobbyists, corporate PAC’s, and mortgage your house if you need the campaign money.  We’re coming for you.”

    1. republicans have long been better at special elections because they share a unified campaign doctrine, can activate trained campaign workers at the drop of a hat and can rely on disciplined voters coming out whenever an election is called.

      this clearly puts bill foster in the driver’s seat — and virtually kills any chances laesch had (he doesn’t have the money to contest a single election, let alone two — although he may choose to run in only one)…

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