Progress Illinois

Don't be fooled by the bevy of McCain/Palin and Peter Roskam yard signs staked throughout the western suburbs, says Dawn Hall, a waitress from Lombard. 

The 49-year-old hit the polling place early this morning, in time to make her 7 a.m. shift at Granny's Diner. And, unlike years past, she wasn't alone in her determination to inject some blue into the Dupage County vote count.

"Even though DuPage County has been a Republican stronghold, I think there's enough disgust for the war and the economy that Democrats have a good chance this year," Hall said.

That's the sentiment that 6th District Democratic congressional candidate Jill Morgenthaler is banking on today.

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Over the weekend, CBS Evening News reported on the slew of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans running for Congress across the country this year.  The segment highlighted Jill Morgenthaler's bid to unseat GOP Rep. Peter Roskam in the 6th District.  Watch her appearance below:

You can view the whole report here.

On a related note, the group VoteVets highlighted their support for Morgenthaler during a Friday conference call featuring Wesley Clark and former Sens. Bob Kerrey and Max Cleland.  "The [6th] district is heavy Obama, even though it has more Republican registration," said VoteVets chairman Jon Soltz. "And if there's a race on Tuesday night that has to do with coattails, more than any other race in the country, we feel that this is one of the sleeper House races."

Just minutes after interviewing GOP Rep. Peter Roskam's former boss -- Tom DeLay -- on Hardball last night, host Chris Matthews briefly reported that Roskam has launched a website intended to lure 6th District supporters of Barack Obama, which we noted on Tuesday.  Watch it:

Roll Call reported on Roskam's website today, under the headline: "Nervous Roskam Eyes Possible Ticket-Splitter."  The Sun-Times' Abdon Pallasch also devotes an article to the site, getting responses from Democratic challenger Jill Morgenthaler as well as the Obama campaign:

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From the Des Plaines Journal's endorsement of 10th Congressional District Democratic challenger Dan Seals:

During the grueling contest, the usually moderate and thoughtful [GOP Rep. Mark] Kirk has resorted to negative advertising to get his message out. He has also limited his availability to the public, we guess, having made the decision to rely on TV ads and mailings. This oftentimes happens when an incumbent fears that he might not be reelected. If Kirk is not engaged and responsive to his community while campaigning, it is unlikely he would do so while in office. If Seals becomes the next congressman, he would do well to remember that lesson.

The Journal endorsed Democratic challenger Jill Morgenthaler in the 6th District, citing "her fresh approach, sound, cool judgment, and worldly experience." 

Other endorsements of note this week: the SouthtownStar backed Democrat Debbie Halvorson in the 11th District and the Sun-Times voiced support for Republican incumbent Judy Biggert in the 13th.  We've updated our endorsement round-up accordingly.

In a recent fundraising appeal, GOP Rep. Peter Roskam noted Barack Obama's "14-point lead in his west suburban district," according to a report yesterday in Crain's.  The 6th District incumbent must be pretty scared because he's now launched an "Obama Voters For Roskam" website:

The site features a friendly 2004 quote from Obama -- who was Roskam's State Senate colleague at the time -- and includes testimonials from half a dozen 6th District residents. 

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Reporting on the 6th Congressional District race today, NBC 5's Mary Ann Ahern noted Democratic challenger Jill Morgenthaler's criticism of a comment made by GOP Rep. Peter Roskam at a recent editorial meeting.  Ahern reported that Roskam "would not talk about that abortion statement, refusing to clarify it or even discuss it today":

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Remember the summer? Only a few months have passed, but it seems like ages since Illinoisans were experiencing warm sun, winning Chicago baseball, and a tight presidential race. In those days, comments like this one from Republican State Sen. Bill Brady didn't raise too many eyebrows:

Brady said Obama's liberal political stance could also be a weak point.

"There's a great number of people in this state who do not agree with what Barack Obama believes in," Brady said.

Fast forward 120 days and Obama appears to be proving his popularity in swing districts outside of Chicago.

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GOP Rep. Peter Roskam, uncorked:

Morgenthaler, who vaulted over Roselle businessman Stan Jagla in the Democratic primary election with 77 percent of the vote, calls Roskam an "ideologue" because, for example, he opposes abortion even in the case of rape or incest. Citing the late Congressman Henry Hyde, who represented the 6th District for 16 terms until 2006, Roskam said people cannot be categorized by the way in which they were conceived and asked in the Pioneer Press interview why women can have abortions if rapists cannot be executed.

The late Henry Hyde would be awfully proud.

(H/T Capitol Fax)

This morning, the Daily Herald endorsed Democrat Jill Morgenthaler in the 6th District, incumbent GOP Rep. Mark Kirk in the 10th District, and incumbent Democratic Rep. Bill Foster in the 14th District.  We've updated our endorsement round-up accordingly.

What is GOP Rep. Peter Roskam thinking?  According to the watchdog group Public Citizen, 6th Congressional District residents have reported receiving taxpayer-funded mailings from Roskam between August 18 and October 7.  Congressional ethics law prohibits members from using their "franking" privileges within 90 days of an election.  Therefore, "rising star" Roskam should have ceased such communications on August 6.

Today, Public Citizen filed a complaint (available for viewing or download) which urged the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards "to severely reprimand Roskam and require him to pay a civil penalty and pay back the taxpayers for any franked mail sent out since early August."

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