The 2008 congressional elections in Illinois were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who would represent the State of Illinois in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and U.S. Senate elections. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011.
Illinois has nineteen seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Its 2007–2008 congressional delegation consisted of eleven Democrats and eight Republicans. It became, following the election, twelve Democrats and seven Republicans. District 11 was the only seat which changed party (from open Republican to Democratic), although CQ Politics had forecast districts 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 18 to be at some risk for the incumbent party.
Overview
United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois, 2008[1]
This district includes part of Cook County. Democratic incumbent Bobby Rush, who has held the seat since 1993, ran against Republican nominee Antoine Members.
This district includes part of Cook County. Democratic incumbent Dan Lipinski, who has held the seat since 2005, ran against Republican nominee Michael Hawkins and Green Party nominee Jerome Pohlen. Perennial candidate and alleged white supremacist Richard Mayers had attempted to run in the Green Party primary.[7]
This district includes part of Cook County. Democratic incumbent Luis Gutierrez, who has held the seat since January 1993, ran against Republican nominee Daniel Cunninghan and Green Party nominee Omar López.
Earlier in 2007, Cook County CommissionerRoberto Maldonado and Chicago aldermenManny Flores, Ricardo Muñoz and George Cardenas had announced their intentions to run for the seat in 2008, as Gutierrez had said he planned to retire. However, Gutierrez later changed his mind and announced he would seek re-election in 2008.[8]
This district includes part of Cook County. Democratic incumbent Rahm Emanuel, who has held the seat since 2003, ran against Republican nominee Tom Hanson and Green Party nominee Alan Augustson.
This district lies entirely within Cook County. Democratic incumbent Danny K. Davis, who has held the seat since 1997, ran against Republican nominee Steve Miller, a United States Navy veteran.
This district includes parts of Lake County, McHenry County and Cook County. Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean, who has held the seat since 2005, ran against Republican nominee Steve Greenberg.
This district includes parts of Lake County and Cook County. Republican incumbent Mark Kirk, who has held the seat since 2001, ran against Democratic nominee Dan Seals, who also ran against Kirk in the 2006 election.
Republican incumbent Jerry Weller, who had held the seat since 1995, decided not to seek re-election, leaving this an open seat. Tim Baldermann, mayor of New Lenox and police chief of Chicago Ridge, won the Republican nomination but withdrew on February 23.[9] Martin Ozinga was chosen to replace Baldermann on April 30.[10]
This district is in the southwest part of the state and includes the cities of Alton, Carbondale and East St. Louis. Democratic incumbent Jerry Costello, who has held the seat since August 1988, ran against Republican nominee Tim Richardson and Chairman of the Metro East Green Party Rodger Jennings.
This district includes parts of the Cook County, DuPage County and Will County. Republican incumbent Judy Biggert, who has held the seat since January 1999, ran against Democratic nominee Scott Harper and Green Party nominee Steve Alesch. CQ Politics initially forecast the race as 'Safe Republican', but changed the forecast to 'Republican Favored' after Harper had raised more money than the 2006 Democratic nominee for this seat by mid-July.[11]
The district was previously represented by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert from 1987 to 2007. He resigned in November 2007; Bill Foster won the special election held on March 8, 2008.
This district in the central and western part of the state includes the cities of Jacksonville, Peoria and Springfield. Republican nominee Aaron Schock won against Democratic nominee Colleen Callahan and Green nominee Sheldon Schafer. Republican incumbent Ray LaHood, who had held the seat since 1995, decided to retire, leaving this an open seat.
This district in the central part of Southern Illinois includes part of Springfield and the outer St. Louis suburbs. Republican incumbent John Shimkus, who has held the seat since 1997, won against Democratic nominee Daniel Davis and Green Party nominee Troy Dennis.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
