Illinois' fourteenth congressional district is vacant since Dennis Hastert resigned. You know Hastert, the about-to-explode lips, portrayed by John Goodman on The West Wing, the very image of a Fat Cat.

So today is a special election where Dirty John got to support Democrat Bill Foster - a real scientist! Foster was a physicist at Fermilab for years, and later a businessman.

And the Democrat actually has a good chance here in the very Republican 14th, since his opponent is a clown that has made a hobby of running for office. Just hasn't gotten the winning part down yet. Anyway, he's beginning to annoy people.

The term is short, but the winner will have the advantage of running as an incumbent in the fall.

And for my prize, I got this cool sticker to wear.

[Update 3/9/08]

In a stunning upset Saturday that could be a sign of trouble for Republicans this fall, a little-known Democratic physicist won the special election for a far west suburban congressional seat long held by former GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
-Chicago Tribune