U.S. House, Illinois - 14th District
North central -- Aurora, Elgin, DeKalb
Race Forecast: Democrat Favored
2008: Rep.
Foster thrilled Democrats nationwide with his March special election victory in a Republican-leaning district west of Chicago that was the political base of former Republican Speaker
Race Information
- Incumbent: Rep. Bill Foster, D
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Last Elected: (%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: Democrat Favored
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
The majority of the 14th’s residents live in Kane County on the district’s eastern side, in established towns along the Fox River valley. West of the river, prairies and farms stretch to Henry County, nearly to the Mississippi River. Rich in hay, soybeans and corn, the flat landscape is interrupted only by Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
The district’s population center in Kane County is on the outskirts of Chicago. Aurora (shared with the 13th) and neighboring cities in Kane are experiencing sprawl across the county line into Kendall County, one of the fastest-growing in the nation. Despite the city’s increasingly residential feel, Aurora has a long history of manufacturing and its largest employer is the heavy-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar.
Aurora and Elgin (small parts of which are in the 8th and 6th) have benefited from job growth in nearby Naperville and Schaumburg, suburban cities that have emerged as Chicagoland business centers. Aurora and Elgin also each host one of the state’s nine riverboat casinos, attracting thousands of visitors annually to their downtown areas.
Elgin and Aurora are about one-third Hispanic, and many of these residents work in blue-collar jobs in the area. Only three other Illinois districts — the Chicago-area 3rd, 4th and 5th — have a greater Hispanic population than the 14th, which is almost one-fifth Hispanic.
Areas in Kane, Kendall and DuPage counties supported Republicans, including former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, for decades. Although the district is not quite a Republican stronghold, George W. Bush took a solid 55 percent of the vote here in the 2004 presidential race while taking 44 percent statewide. The district’s minority influences as well as a willingness of voters in previously GOP-leaning areas to reject Republican candidates have helped Democrats.
Major Industry
Farm machinery and other manufacturing, casinos, agriculture
Cities
Aurora (pt.), 102,144; Elgin (pt.), 74,013; DeKalb, 39,018; Carpentersville, 30,586; St. Charles, 27,896; Batavia, 23,866; West Chicago (pt.), 23,449
notable
President Ronald Reagan’s birthplace in Tampico and boyhood home in Dixon are operated as local museums.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 653,647
- Under 18: 29%
- Over 65: 9%
- Married: 59.4%
- Non-Hispanic White: 74%
- Black: 5%
- Hispanic: 18%
- Asian: 2%
- Foreign Born: 12.7%
- Language other than English: 20.2%
- Median Household Income: 56,314
- Owner Occupied Housing: 75%
- Income above $200k: 2.8
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 59.9%
- Blue Collar: 27.2%
- Services: 12.9%
- Bachelor's Degree: 26%
- Graduate Education: 8.7%
- Civilian Veterans: 48,101
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Bill Foster (D) | 185,404 | 57.7% |
| Jim Oberweis (R) | 135,653 | 42.2% | ||
| 2006 | general | J. Hastert (R) | 117,870 | 59.8% |
| John Laesch (D) | 79,274 | 40.2% | ||
| 2004 | general | J. Hastert (R) | 191,618 | 68.6% |
| Ruben Zamora (D) | 87,590 | 31.4% | ||
| 2002 | general | J. Hastert (R) | 135,198 | 74.1% |
| Laurence Quick (D) | 47,165 | 25.9% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 44% | George W. Bush: 55% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 42% | George W. Bush: 54% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEIN, JOTHAM SHEPARD (D) | May 2, 2008 | $228,409.00 | $228,172.00 | $144,708.00 | $235.00 | $3,500.00 | |
| FOSTER, G. WILLIAM (BIL (D) | November 24, 2008 | $5,050,218.00 | $5,020,399.00 | $171,500.00 | $2,017,782.00 | $29,817.00 | $856,450.00 |
| LAESCH, JOHN (D) | December 1, 2008 | $173,245.00 | $176,477.00 | $1,000.00 | $156,990.00 | $133.00 | |
| LAUZEN, CHRIS (R) | September 30, 2008 | $1,223,089.00 | $1,222,285.00 | $511,441.00 | $803.00 | $254,541.00 | |
| HASTERT, J DENNIS (R) | July 31, 2008 | $562,114.00 | $580,933.00 | $11,800.00 | $308,597.00 | $9,385.00 | |
| BURNS, KEVIN (R) | September 30, 2008 | $108,277.00 | $75,574.00 | $107,277.00 | $32,703.00 | ||
| DRUCK, DAN (LIBERT) | September 30, 2008 | $9,632.00 | $9,217.00 | $6,542.00 | $414.00 | ||
| OBERWEIS, JAMES D (R) | November 24, 2008 | $5,089,802.00 | $5,081,298.00 | $77,000.00 | $997,960.00 | $8,504.00 | $1,813,095.00 |
| CLAI, RODOLFO P ''RUDY'' (R) | February 5, 2008 | $3,740.00 | $3,740.00 | ||||
