By Gary Barlow

Staff writer

A neophyte Democratic politician with a background as a physicist stunned rightwing, anti-gay candidate Jim Oberweis and Illinois Republican leaders March 8 by winning a special election to fill the remainder of former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s term in Congress.

Bill Foster captured 53 percent of the vote to Oberweis’ 47 percent to win the right to represent Illinois’ 14th district, which runs from Chicago’s far western suburbs to almost the Mississippi River.

The loss represents another setback for the political aspirations of Oberweis, who has been unable to translate his famous name, synonymous with his family’s dairy and ice cream business, into elective office. Oberweis has spent more than $9 million of his own money in recent years in failed bids to be elected to the U.S. Senate, the governor’s office and now Congress. His political campaigns have stressed anti-immigrant positions, opposition to same-sex marriage equality and support for President Bush.

Hastert, who endorsed Oberweis, held the seat for 21 years. Oberweis also was endorsed by presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who came to the district to raise funds for Oberweis.

“I’m really disappointed that we came up second but that’s where we’re at,” Oberweis said following the defeat.

Oberweis, however, plans to challenge Foster immediately in the November general election, which is for a full term in office.

“As I said a month ago, coming in first is a lot better than coming in second,” Oberweis said. “Unfortunately, we’re on the other side of that one tonight. I’m sorry we came up short, but we’ll have another run at it in nine months.”

Victory was sweet for Foster, a former Fermilab scientist whose unlikely campaign included being endorsed by 26 Nobel Prize winners.

“Back in the lab, this is something we’d call a pretty successful experiment,” Foster told cheering supporters at a banquet hall in Aurora following the win.

Foster campaigned for an end to the war in Iraq and universal healthcare and took a moderate stance on immigration. Parts of the district, particularly Aurora, include fast-growing Latino populations.

Both Foster and Oberweis relied heavily on ads on Chicago TV stations.

Foster was endorsed by Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

“The people of Illinois have sent an unmistakable message that they’re tired of business-as-usual in Washington,” Obama said in a written statement congratulating Foster on his victory.

The win is the latest in a string of defeats for the Republican Party in Illinois, including Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean’s unseating of longtime GOP Rep. Phil Crane in 2004 in the suburban 8th district. Democrats are also mounting strong challenges this year to capture two Downstate congressional seats that have been held by retiring GOP Reps. Ray LaHood (18th) and Jerry Weller (11th).

Local leaders of the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay Republican group with chapters around the country, said Oberweis’ loss, in a district regarded as solidly Republican, should highlight a clear lesson for the Illinois Republican Party.

“The Illinois Republican Party must learn sooner than later that good Illinois citizens will not stand for hateful and intolerant views amongst their citizens,” Illinois Log Cabin Republican President David Valkema said in a statement. “It’s sad to have to say to our Republican leaders in Illinois that we desire liberty, freedom and equality in the Land of Lincoln yet again. This special election proves this once again. Log Cabin Illinois remains committed to continuing to exclaim to the statewide GOP leaders this message of inclusion. But we say once again to listen to common sense in government affairs and, ‘If you can’t listen to us, listen to the voters, will ya?’”