Hastert Sticks By His Guy
President Bush may be stopping by Peoria for lunch, but Illinois Republicans will want to be in St. Charles, at the Kane County Fairgrounds, by dinner time. That's where Republican candidate Jim Oberweis is holding his first annual Family Fun Fest, featuring a barbeque dinner, alongside his biggest backer, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
Hastert backed Oberweis in the contentious primary in advance of a special election earlier this year, the first of three consecutive specials Democrats stole from Republicans, over a GOP state senator. Oberweis lost the special election to scientist and businessman Bill Foster by a 52%-48% margin, the fourth time he's lost a run for office. Still, Hastert has faith in Oberweis's ability to win the seat. The Family Fun Fest is an extension of an event hastert held for decades.
After the loss in the special election, some members of the Illinois Republican delegation tried to get Oberweis out of the race, according to aides familiar with the discussions. But, said one, Hastert stood by his candidate and "basically roadblocked the entire coup."
"Members of the delegation saw Oberweis as a losing cause and we needed to move him out of their quick," the aide said. Still, the lack of a viable replacement, Oberweis's willingness and ability to spend from his own pocket and Hastert's personal backing saved him for a rematch with Foster in November.
Both candidates are wealthy and have spent heavily on their own bids. After the March special election, Oberweis has put an additional $243,000 into his own campaign, according to FEC reports, while Foster has put in $137,000 of his own money. The fundraiser tonight, which costs $25 per person, will pad Oberweis's coffers just a little bit more; one Oberweis aide said 400 people have already responded to the invite.