Ex-Speaker Hastert's Son Will Try to Regain His Dad’s Seat

[babylonsister]

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/06/son-of-exspeaker-hastert-to-ch.html

Son Of Ex-Speaker Hastert To Challenge Rep. Foster

By Greg Giroux | June 9, 2009 8:48 AM


The youngest son of former House Republican Speaker J. Dennis Hastert is seeking a U.S. House seat in Illinois that his father long held but is now represented by Democratic Rep. Bill Foster.

Ethan Hastert, a lawyer with the Chicago-based firm Mayer Brown, said Monday that he will be a candidate next year in the 14th District, a collection of suburbs and rural territory west of Chicago that his father held for more than two decades.

Hastert, 31, told the Kane County Chronicle that he wants to be part of the "next generation of leadership."

Ethan Hastert will be running in a district his father held from 1987 until his resignation in November 2007, one year after the big Democratic congressional victories ended J. Dennis Hastert's eight-year run as Speaker.

Though Illinois' 14th traditionally has voted Republican, population growth in the eastern part of the district have helped make Democrats more competitive. The demographic changes aided Foster's victory in a March 2008 special election over Republican businessman Jim Oberweis, who lost to Foster more decisively in the November 2008 general election.

According to CQ Politics' tabulation, Barack Obama defeated John McCain in Illinois' 14th by a margin of 55 percent to 44 percent.

[gratuitous]

1. Goody, more Hastert Rule?

Wherein Hastert would advance legislation only if a majority of his caucus supported it? Brought us such gems as the Terri Schiavo Affair and head-manned the Clinton impeachment. Yeah, that's what America needs, more "leadership" from a Republican named Hastert.

[notesdev]

2. Enough!

No dynasties!

I'm almost at the point where I'm ready to say that if you gain elective office, no blood relative of yours - closer than, say, third cousin - ought to be eligible to hold office, for a period of time twice as long as you held the office.