Schneider Defeats Dold in Illinois
Democrat Brad Schneider unseated freshman Rep. Robert Dold, R-Ill., bringing home the most Democratic-leaning Republican seat, by some measures.
The Associated Press called the race for Schneider, who led Dold by less than 4,000 votes with nearly all precincts reporting. Dold's 10th District gave President Obama over 63 percent of the presidential vote in 2008, the highest rate of support in any GOP-held district in the country. On paper, that spelled doom for Dold without a GOP wave at his back, but the district has a history of ticket-splitting. Republican Sen. Mark Kirk represented the district before his successful statewide run in 2010.
Still, Schneider was able to convince just enough voters that Dold - who broke with his party on many occasions in the last two years - was an enabler for a radical Republican majority in the House. Schneider focused his campaign on opposition to Paul Ryan's budget proposals, which Dold backed in 2011 and 2012.
Schneider's victory completed a Democratic sweep of four vulnerable Republican incumbents in Illinois. The party's nominees also defeated Reps. Joe Walsh, Judy Biggert, and Bobby Schilling.
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