IL-14: Oh, How The Mighty Has Fallen

Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has left Congress and failed to finish this two year commitment to the people of Illinois 14th Congressional District, but that has not stopped him in continuing his commitment to the Republican Party.

Dennis Hastert is running unopposed for precinct committeeman for Little Rock Precinct No. 8.

Shortly after submitting his resignation last month after serving 21 years as the 14th District's congressman, the former speaker of the U.S. House signed up to run for a third term in the office of Republican precinct committeeman for Little Rock Precinct No. 8.

No one is challenging his candidacy.

It gets worst.

Now, Dennis Hastert dropped to a new low by endorsing formerly failed GOP Senate and Governor Candidate Jim Oberweis as this successor.

As expected, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert endorsed Aurora businessman Jim Oberweis as his successor Thursday morning.

Speaking briefly at a press conference at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Aurora, Hastert said that while the slate of candidates hoping to succeed him in the 14th Congressional District is a good one, "for me, the choice is clear."

Hastert praised Oberweis' integrity and conservative philosophy, and said that the dairy magnate's successful business shows he "knows how to lead."

It’s very clear. The NRCC wants candidates who can self-finance a congressional run and Jim Oberweis is always willing to spend his own personal wealth in his campaigns. So, Dennis Hastert did the most logical thing and endorsed the candidate with the greatest prosperity in order to help the cash strapped NRCC.

Citing "cold, hard analysis" of his Republican bid for Congress, Burns pulled out of the 14th Congressional District race Thursday for a combination of reasons.

Those included limited resources -- the campaign raised approximately $60,000 according to finance reports -- but not because of anything Hastert said or did, Burns said.

"It's not just the endorsement," he said, referring to Hastert's announcement of support for dairy owner Jim Oberweis in the 14th District race. "I'm certainly not going go into personal debt for a campaign."

Back in 2004 Dennis Hastert was the Speaker of the House and had no trouble criticizing Oberweis’s campaign. Now, he has to praise Oberweis.

Oh, how the mighty has fallen.