GOP congressional Reps fight off Obama tide

Incumbent Republicans in the North and West suburbs were on the path to keeping their seats late Tuesday, though Democrats added to their majority within the Illinois delegation by winning an open seat in the South suburbs.

In the most contentious race, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk beat Democratic challenger Dan Seals by 6 percentage points with 93 percent of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results in the 10th District that spans Lake and Cook counties.

It was the same margin the Wilmette business consultant lost to Kirk with in their first match in 2006.

The mostly status quo outcome means much of the suburban region remains represented in Congress by GOP lawmakers, from Zion to Naperville, even after Barack Obama pulled decisive victory in Illinois' collar counties.

Republicans celebrated their ability to beat back a strong Democratic push across the suburbs Tuesday night.

"In this environment, I'm very encouraged by these results," said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna. "We had good candidates who were independent minded."

But Democrats also maintained their gains obtained in the region over recent years and picked up a seat in the South suburbs where Republican Jerry Weller of Morris is retiring.

Democrat U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, who took office in a special election after House Speaker Dennis Hastert stepped down in the far west 14th District, managed to fend off Republican ice cream mogul Jim Oberweis for a second time. The district stretches from St. Charles to near the Mississippi River.

Democrat U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, who took office in a 2004 upset against Republican Phil Crane, easily dispatched Republican challenger Steve Greenberg in the 8th District, which covers part of western Lake County and far northwestern Cook County.

Three other Democratic upstart challenges failed, including Jill Morgenthaler against U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam in the DuPage County-centered 6th District, Scott Harper against U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert in the 13th District and Robert Abboud against Rockford Rep. Don Manzullo in the far northwest 16th District.

Democrats picked up the additional seat in the state with the victory of state Sen. Debbie Halvorson against Republican concrete mogul Marty Ozinga in the 11th District.

The Democratic majority statewide will increase to 12 next year with seven Republicans, an ongoing trend in a state that has been dominated by Democrats for years.