Democrats throw bash to celebrate inroads in DuPage County

Illinois' top Democrats came out in rare unison Sunday night for a DuPage County gala, hoping to expand recent inroads in the Republican bastion even as they grapple with the ouster of their own governor and contemplate tax hikes.

Statewide officers from Gov. Pat Quinn to his potential future gubernatorial rival, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, gathered to pay tribute to the budding Democratic Party in DuPage County.

"I think our family was the only Democratic family on the block," Quinn recalled of his boyhood home in Hinsdale after congratulating the 500-plus Democrats in attendance for their recent gains.

Last year, three Democrats made their way onto the DuPage County Board and Democrats mounted serious challenges in several state representative races.

The fundraiser, sponsored by several labor unions, was billed as a celebration of President Barack Obama's election and it was by many accounts one of the most well-attended DuPage County Democratic events in recent history.

Yet, there are serious questions about whether Sunday night's event will be the beginning or the end of Democratic gains in a county that has been the state GOP's backbone for decades.

The gathering comes as Republicans are suiting up to mount their strongest challenge to Democratic state dominance in years. Any such comeback will require a renewed allegiance to the GOP by suburban voters, who have increasingly turned to Democrats for leadership.

With the ouster of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich following his arrest on corruption charges, GOP candidates have fresh ammunition and a chance to come out from under the cloud of former Gov. George Ryan, a Kankakee Republican who now sits in federal prison after his conviction on corruption charges.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the General Assembly are floating tax hike proposals as the state budget drowns in a multibillion dollar shortfall.

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, whose 6th District centers on DuPage, sees the tide turning and says the days of Democratic galas in his region are numbered.

"They have left the state in perilous turmoil," said the Wheaton Republican. "It is indefensible."

Robert Peickert, head of the Democratic Party in DuPage, says he is not concerned about Blagojevich tainting his party's local candidates.

"That is just one individual," he said. "He is not a reflection of what is going on in DuPage and he is not a reflection of Democrats in Illinois."

Peickert says his local party is going after Republicans in DuPage for what Democrats are attacked on statewide: ethics and taxes.

County board Democrats have pushed for more transparency in county matters and Peickert blasted DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom for his own support of tax hikes.

This year Peickert is concentrating on organizing party committees in townships to further extend the years of organization that led to the party's recent gains.

To be sure, however, Democrats still have an uphill fight in the county even as it appears the party's message may be harder for voters to hear in a post-Blagojevich era.

In a race that drew national attention and millions of dollars, Roskam defeated a Democrat to win his congressional seat in 2006. He then easily dispatched his opponent last year even though Obama won the county with 56 percent of the vote. Plus, several well-funded Democratic campaigns for state representative where shot down when voters hit the polls on Election Day.

Democrats showed Sunday night they are ready to keep fighting.

Madigan drew big laughs from the crowd when she jokingly said her former opponent, DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett, was hoping Democrats leaving the party would get tickets.

"When you drive home tonight be very careful driving in DuPage County," Madigan said. "You don't have a friend in the state's attorney's office."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=270554">New tollway chief? No one told the new governor <span class="date">[2/9/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>