2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois
| Elections in Illinois |
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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 senatorial 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 forecasted 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] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 3,176,203 | 60.52% | 12 | +1 | |
| Republican | 1,961,173 | 37.37% | 7 | -1 | |
| Independents | 110,819 | 2.11% | 0 | — | |
| Totals | 5,248,195 | 100.00% | 19 | — | |
District 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. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bobby Rush (inc.) | 233,036 | 85.87 | |
| Republican | Antoine Members | 38,361 | 14.13 | |
| Total votes | 271,397 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 2
This district includes parts of Cook and Will counties. Democratic nominee Jesse Jackson, Jr., who has held the seat winning a special election in December 1995, ran against Republican nominee Anthony Williams. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jesse Jackson, Jr. (inc.) | 251,052 | 89.41 | |
| Republican | Anthony Williams | 29,721 | 10.59 | |
| Write-ins | 3 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 280,776 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 3
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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dan Lipinski (inc.) | 172,581 | 73.28 | |
| Republican | Michael Hawkins | 50,336 | 21.37 | |
| Green | Jerome Pohlen | 12,607 | 5.35 | |
| Total votes | 235,524 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 4
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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
Earlier in 2007, Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado and Chicago aldermen Manny 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.[2]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Luis Gutierrez (inc.) | 112,529 | 80.60 | |
| Republican | Daniel Cunninghan | 16,024 | 11.48 | |
| Green | Omar N. López | 11,053 | 7.92 | |
| Total votes | 139,606 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 5
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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rahm Emanuel (inc.) | 170,728 | 73.94 | |
| Republican | Tom Hanson | 50,881 | 22.04 | |
| Green | Alan Augustson | 9,283 | 4.02 | |
| Total votes | 230,892 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 6
This district includes parts of DuPage and Cook counties. Freshman Republican incumbent Peter Roskam, who won the then-open seat in a close election in 2006, ran against Democratic nominee Jill Morgenthaler, an Iraq War veteran. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Republican Favored'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Peter Roskam (inc.) | 147,906 | 57.57 | |
| Democratic | Jill Morgenthaler | 109,007 | 42.43 | |
| Total votes | 256,913 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 7
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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Danny K. Davis (inc.) | 235,343 | 85.02 | |
| Republican | Steve Miller | 41,474 | 14.98 | |
| Total votes | 276,817 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 8
This district includes parts of Lake, McHenry and Cook counties. Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean, who has held the seat since 2005, ran against Republican nominee Steve Greenberg. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Melissa Bean (inc.) | 179,444 | 60.72 | |
| Republican | Steve Greenberg | 116,081 | 39.28 | |
| Total votes | 295,525 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 9
This district includes all of Evanston, Skokie, Niles, Morton Grove, Park Ridge and Norridge, parts of Wilmette, Northfield, Glenview, Golf, Rosemont and Des Plaines, and much of the North Side of Chicago. Democratic incumbent Jan Schakowsky, who has held the seat since 1999, ran against Republican nominee Michael B. Younan and Green Party nominee Morris Shanfield. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jan Schakowsky (inc.) | 181,948 | 74.66 | |
| Republican | Michael B. Younan | 53,593 | 21.99 | |
| Green | Morris Shanfield | 8,140 | 3.34 | |
| Write-ins | 13 | 0.01 | ||
| Total votes | 243,694 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 10
This district includes parts of Lake and Cook counties. 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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'No Clear Favorite'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Kirk (inc.) | 153,082 | 52.56 | |
| Democratic | Dan Seals | 138,176 | 47.44 | |
| Total votes | 291,258 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 11
This district includes the towns of Joliet, Kankakee, LaSalle, Ottawa and Streator, and all or parts of Will, Kankakee, Grundy, LaSalle, Bureau, Woodford and McLean counties. An open seat, Democratic State Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson ran against Republican nominee Marty Ozinga, a local businessman, and Green Party nominee Jason Wallace. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
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.[3] Martin Ozinga was chosen to replace Baldermann on April 30.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Halvorson | 185,652 | 58.40 | |||
| Republican | Marty Ozinga | 109,608 | 34.48 | |||
| Green | Jason Wallace | 22,635 | 7.12 | |||
| Total votes | 317,895 | 100.00 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
District 12
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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jerry Costello (inc.) | 212,891 | 71.40 | |
| Republican | Tim Richardson | 74,382 | 24.95 | |
| Green | Rodger Jennings | 10,907 | 3.66 | |
| Write-ins | 1 | 0.01 | ||
| Total votes | 298,181 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 13
This district includes parts of the Cook, DuPage and Will counties. 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 forecasted 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.[5]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Judy Biggert (inc.) | 180,888 | 53.55 | |
| Democratic | Scott Harper | 147,430 | 43.65 | |
| Green | Steve Alesch | 9,402 | 2.78 | |
| Write-ins | 51 | 0.02 | ||
| Total votes | 337,771 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 14
This district includes the cities of Aurora, Elgin, DeKalb and Dixon, and parts of Henry, Whiteside, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, and DuPage counties. Democratic nominee Bill Foster, who has held the seat since March 2008, won against Republican nominee Jim Oberweis, who also lost to Foster in the special election. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.
The district was previously represented by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert from 1987 to 2007. He resigned in November 2007, and Bill Foster won the special election held on March 8, 2008.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Foster (inc.) | 185,404 | 57.75 | |
| Republican | Jim Oberweis | 135,653 | 42.25 | |
| Total votes | 321,057 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 15
This district includes the cities of Charleston, Urbana, Danville and Champaign, and all or parts of Livingston, Iroquois, Ford, McLean, DeWitt, Champaign, Vermillion, Macon, Piatt, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie, Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Crawford, Lawrence, Wabash, Edwards, White, Saline and Gallatin counties. Republican incumbent Timothy V. Johnson, who has held the seat since January 2001, won against Democratic nominee Steve Cox. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Republican'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Timothy V. Johnson (inc.) | 187,121 | 64.19 | |
| Democratic | Steve Cox | 104,393 | 35.81 | |
| Total votes | 291,514 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 16
This district includes the cities of Rockford, Crystal Lake, Machesney Park, Belvidere, Freeport and Galena, and all or parts of Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb and Whiteside counties. Republican incumbent Donald A. Manzullo, who has held the seat since 1993, won against Democratic nominee Robert G. Abboud and Green Party nominee Scott K. Summers. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Republican'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Don Manzullo (inc.) | 190,039 | 60.87 | |
| Democratic | Robert G. Abboud | 112,648 | 36.08 | |
| Green | Scott Summers | 9,533 | 3.05 | |
| Total votes | 312,220 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 17
This district includes the cities of Sterling, Rock Island, Moline, Kewanee, Galesburg, Canton, Macomb, Quincy, Springfield and Decatur, and includes all or parts of Henry, Whiteside, Rock Island, Mercer, Knox, Warren, Henderson, Fulton, McDonough, Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Christian, Sangamon, Macon, Shelby, and Fayette counties. Democratic incumbent Phil Hare, who has held the seat since January 2007, ran unopposed. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Phil Hare (inc.) | 220,961 | 99.77 | |
| Write-ins | 517 | 0.23 | ||
| Total votes | 221,478 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 18
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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Republican Favored'.
Republican incumbent Ray LaHood, who had held the seat since 1995, decided to retire, leaving this an open seat.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Aaron Schock | 182,589 | 58.88 | |
| Democratic | Colleen Callahan | 117,642 | 37.94 | |
| Green | Sheldon Schafer | 9,857 | 3.18 | |
| Total votes | 310,088 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 19
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. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Republican'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Shimkus (inc.) | 203,434 | 64.46 | |
| Democratic | Daniel Davis | 105,338 | 33.38 | |
| Green | Troy Dennis | 6,817 | 2.16 | |
| Total votes | 315,589 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
See also
United States House of Representatives elections, 2008
References
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2008/2008Stat.htm#stateIL
- ^ Rep. Gutierrez scraps plans to retire, will run in 2008 Yahoo News
- ^ Hal Dardick and Erika Slife Republican quits District 11 race, Mayor of New Lenox throws wrench into key national contest Chicago Tribune, February 23, 2008
- ^ Slife, Erika (1 May 2008). "GOP taps Ozinga for U.S. House contest". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
- ^ "Key House Races Shift Towards the Democrats". CQ Politics. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2009.