Democracy wins over special interests and ignorance!
from the HuffPo:
Joe Walsh Election Results: Illinois Congressman Defeated By Tammy Duckworth
from the HuffPo:
Joe Walsh Election Results: Illinois Congressman Defeated By Tammy Duckworth
Posted: 11/06/2012 10:25 pm EST Updated: 11/06/2012 11:04 pm EST
Freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh was defeated Tuesday by Tammy Duckworth, his Democratic challenger in Illinois' 8th congressional district.
With 41 percent of the votes counted, Duckworth led Walsh 56.3 percent to 43.7 percent. The race was initially called by NBC. AP has also called the race for Duckworth.
The volatile race between Walsh, a Tea Party favorite, and Duckworth was one of the nation's most closely watched congressional battles. Nearly $6.6 million in outside spending was reported in the contest, including $2.7 million worth of ads attacking Duckworth poured into the race by conservative super PACs in recent weeks.
Polls leading up to the election showed Duckworth holding at least a 10-point lead over Walsh as both campaigns went intensely negative in the race approached its conclusion.
Walsh repeatedly attacked Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran and double amputee, for speaking "too much" about her military service and implied that she wasn't a "true hero." He also attracted national attention last month when he stated that he was opposed to abortion, including in circumstances when the life of the mother is at stake.
Duckworth, for her part, went negative in an ad released late last month that criticized the Illinois congressman over $117,00 in back child support this ex-wife alleged he owed in a now-settled lawsuit. Walsh brought his children into the matter as his 25-year-old son Joe Jr. appeared in a television ad urging Duckworth to pull the "deadbeat dad" ad from the airwaves.
