Reagan Country Votes Democratic
"Certainly the weakening economy and the unpopularity of President Bush played a role in the Oberweis defeat. But there were some other factors that need to be considered before pronouncing judgment on the race's national significance.
Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich took the unusual step of calling the special election for a Saturday, ostensibly to see if it would increase voter turnout. But that proved to be a bust, with less than one in five registered voters showing up at the polls. What a Saturday election did do was enable Democrats to mobilize hundreds of union workers to canvass the district and drum up support for Mr. Foster. By way of contrast, the Republican Party in the district was unused to competitive Congressional races. "Hastert had won for so long so easily, the party was flabby and not used to a tough race," says Penny Pullen, a former state legislator and state director of Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum."
VERY ASTUTE.Also this: "Mr. Foster's win is a wake-up call to Republicans that this year they will have to step up their game, big time."
Yes, Mr. Fund. I think you got it right.
Are we awake yet? I doubt it.
