Running Scared from the Hill and at Home

SOURCE: www.nationalatlas.gov

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The 10th District of Illinois The Candidates The Campaign The Results

SOURCE: www.nationalatlas.gov

Running Scared from the Hill and at Home

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The 10th District of Illinois

Race/Ethnicity 81.5% White 4.8% Black 7.1% Asian 14.2% Hispanic

Occupation 75.9% White Collar

14.5% Blue Collar

Median Income $81.5k in district $53.7k in state

Partisanship Cook Political Report Partisan Voting Index, D +4

‘04 Presidential Vote

Kerry, +5

SOURCE: www.nationalatlas.gov

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Candidates: Incumbent Mark Kirk

Occupation Attorney

Political Experience

Chief of staff to Congressman John Porter

Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, U.S. Department of State

First Elected

2000

Committees

Appropriations

Military Service

Naval Reserves, 1989-present

SOURCE: kirk.house.gov

Table 4.1 Congressional Vote Scores for Mark Kirk, 2001-08

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

Figure 1. Presidential Support Scores for Mark Kirk, the Average Scores of Illinois Republican Representatives, and Annually Averaged Presidential Approval Ratings, 2001-

08

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Candidates: Challenger Dan Seals

Occupation Presidential Management Intern, 1997-98

Director of Marketing, GE Commercial Finance, 2003-06

Political Experience

Democratic nominee for Congress in 10th District, 2006 (lost by 13,651 votes)

SOURCE: www.myspace.com/dansealsforcongress

Table 4.2 Campaign Finance Data for Illinois’ 10th District, 2000-08

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: The Polls

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Seasons of Change”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Turned His Back”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Same People”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Just Say No”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Partner Building Bush's Failed Economy “

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Illinois Needs A Change”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Short Sighted”

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Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign: “Double Speak”

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NOTE: No television ads produced by the Kirk campaign or the NRCC were available.

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Campaign

NOTE: Ads produced by the Kirk campaign or the NRCC were unavailable.

Cases in Congressional Campaigns: Incumbents Playing Defense

The Results