Senger prepping race against Foster
Thursday, Apr 11, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Democrat Bill Foster won by about 17 points last year over longtime Republican Judy Biggert. This is uphill at best…
State Rep. Darlene Senger will meet with Republicans in Washington, D.C., this week in preparation to challenge Democratic Rep. Bill Foster next year.
Senger will sit down with staff at the National Republican Congressional Committee, as well as with House GOP leadership and U.S. Chamber of Commerce officials, according to a knowledgeable Illinois Republican.
She is also scheduled to speak with several Illinois members, including GOP Reps. Adam Kinzinger, Rodney Davis, Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren and John Shimkus.
Republicans do not expect Senger will formally declare her candidacy until later this month. In early March, Senger told CQ Roll Call that she was “considering” the race.
* Rep. Senger explained her thinking last month…
“Part of what we’re looking at now is a trend in Illinois — [in] all of the non-presidential years, there is a way different race voter profile than there is during the presidential years,” Senger said on why she could outperform Biggert’s 2012 numbers.
Also, Senger or any other GOP challenger will not have to contend with the coattails of Illinois’ native son, President Barack Obama, in 2014 — or ever again.
But if Republicans make another poor showing here in 2014, it is hard to see how they will invest time and money in this district down the line. Also, Democrats point out that Foster outperformed Obama in the district in 2012.
Senger lives in Naperville, a suburb west of Chicago. She has served in Illinois House since 2009. Before her political career, she was a financial adviser. Her state committee assignments are related to finance.
A campaign blog is already set up, but there isn’t much to it.
* For perspective, Rod Blagojevich won this district 47-40, but Pat Quinn narrowly lost it 46-45. Mark Kirk won it 48-45. So, yeah, the numbers are very different in off years. But it’s still gonna be uphill for her as long as Foster does his job.
- LincolnLounger - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:21 pm:
Certainly uphill, but if we have another “wave” election, then who knows? If Joe Walsh can get elected . . . .
- WizzardOfOzzie - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:23 pm:
Run Darlene Run! And then the GOP caucus will be down to a total of 3 reasonable, intelligent members.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:23 pm:
Seventeen …17 points … tough “ask”.
Bill Foster, himself, is NOT the same “Bill Foster” that won, then lost …
I hope they are not looking at the TOTAL Illinois trend in POTUS-Year and Off-Year …and then NOT factoring in the District’s profile vs. Foster, and then 17 - point spread vs. the District Profile as it was drawn.
The only reason I am quibbling on this, is that this district, as drawn, has NOT had an Off-Year to base any numbers on, specifically against Bill Foster to boot.
Food for thought …
- downstate lib - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:33 pm:
Uphill, probably, but worth a shot. It’s not like she can reasonably predict ever being in the IL House Majority.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:40 pm:
So she’s meeting with the entire gop house delegation except schock? What’s that about?
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:46 pm:
===The only reason I am quibbling on this, is that this district, as drawn, has NOT had an Off-Year to base any numbers on, specifically against Bill Foster to boot.
National Journal and others take the old districts and recreate the new ones by precinct–it used to take a lot of time, but now it’s fairly fast. I would imagine she’s using the new districts recreated in the old election. But yes, if she isn’t using the new districts recreated using the old numbers, a different story.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:51 pm:
I forgot that Foster won by nearly 17. If you grew up in that neck of the woods, it’s pretty hard to believe. People were too nice to laugh at Democratic candidates back in the day, much less vote for them.
The voters have changed, the GOP has changed, or both.
- RNUG Fan - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:53 pm:
The Dailykos Pres data by dist is really nice but it tells you nothing about an off -year. Also off -years have been really unpredictable.
Obama and Quinn are doing their best to help the Republicans why not give it a try.
I will go that data to pint our partisanship has really hardened and it looks like fewer people are paying attention to downballot races and going straight ticket
That means most decisions will be in primaries and fewer and fewer districts
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:55 pm:
- ArchPundit -,
I am also throwing in the fact that this “Bill Foster” is not the same as the last “Bill Foster” that won and then lost. Once you lose, you run differently then you ever ran before you ever lost.
Some will say that state Rep. Senger is not Biggert running against the POTUS-Year issues. True. Congressman Bill Foster is now an incumbent, who knows how it stings to lose a Congressional seat.
Like I said, I am quibbling, but when we are talking 17 points, really, no matter how you slice it, it’s still a tough “ask”, and if state Rep. Senger wants to make a “go” of it, good luck.
- frustrated GOP - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 12:55 pm:
It’s a district built for Foster. Also, wasn’t she off for the last 2 weeks from Session? Why didn’t she meet then? Isn’t she suppose to be working right now? Just saying. Run, but do it when you’re not suppose to be in Springfield.
After two weeks off, now you need to travel to DC to meet with people who have offices in their districts? Isn’t that’s what fridays are for? Reps travel home to actually be with and help the voters of the district?
- Boone's is Back - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 1:05 pm:
I would be scared of Senger if I were Foster. She would be a good fit for that district, and a formidable opponent.
- Carl Nyberg - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 1:17 pm:
If I was really cynical, I’d form an exploratory committee, raise $200K from people who care about federal issues and then defer to another candidate and convert the federal money to state money.
- Judgment Day - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 1:18 pm:
“….as long as Foster does his job.”
That’s the real question. If Foster goes all “Dee Cee” on his district like he did last time, well, it will likely be “See Ya, Bill” for the second time. We’ll see if he learned anything from the first time.
- Brendan - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 1:26 pm:
“For perspective, Rod Blagojevich won this district 47-40…”
Did you do a precinct by precinct analysis? Because “this district” did not exist in its current form the last time Blago ran.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 1:29 pm:
===”this district” did not exist in its current form the last time Blago ran.===
No kidding. This is from an analysis of the new district.
- anonymoose - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 1:34 pm:
Rep. Senger, from my past experience as she is now my former State Representative, provided excellent constituent services. Sent her an e-mail a couple of times and she was always back in touch quickly with a well-thought out position. She was on the Naperville City Council too. I will sign up today and offer to make a contribution.
Respectfully, Ms. Biggert ran a rather tired campaign. She sounded tired, looked tired. Honestly, I sent in a small contribution to Rep. Biggert and it took weeks to get a “thank you.” That being said, I have yet to hear as much as a peep out of the less-than-exciting Bill Foster or any of the other Democrats who took over as my legislators in 2013. Pulse check anyone?
- Shore - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 2:29 pm:
the trouble with these districts is that republicans have had a horrible time going democrat to republican in suburban areas around the country. They’ve lost these races because of the right shift in the party and the bush baggage, but outside of 2010 they’ve struggled to swim against their own party’s social conservatism, corruption, failed dc leadership and inability to generate a domestic policy message that appeals beyond the base.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 2:43 pm:
Shore, that’s about right. It’s the curse of the success of the Southern GOP gerrymander.
- Just The Way It Is One - Thursday, Apr 11, 13 @ 7:06 pm:
Sure, Rep. Senger is more than welcome enough to waste her time and money on a run–except for perhaps raising some important issues to the National Debate in Washington, although methinks Bill would more likely act concerned during such a campaign against him, like maybe he should re-consider his positions on some matters, if she, say, scrounged up 40%+ of the final vote…but upon re-election you could safely bet he’ll just keep on voting the same way he ever has since he 1st got into Congress…! But what the heck–bring the race on!