GOP Wins Illinois' Only Open Congressional Seat
UPDATED 11/3/10 6:52 a.m.
Democrat Dan Seals Loses For Third Time
CHICAGO (CBS) - Republican businessman Robert Dold has won the state's only open congressional seat by narrowly defeating three-time Democratic candidate Dan Seals.
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With 94 percent of precincts reporting on Tuesday, Dold had 51 percent of the votes, compared with Seals' 49 percent.
The race was closely watched and means Illinois now has a Republican majority congressional delegation for the first time in seven years.
Dold, of Kenilworth, is the owner of a Rose Pest Solutions, a pest control company in the north suburbs.
The 10th congressional district stretches north of Chicago. It has been largely Republican but had recently been trending Democratic.
Dold talked about his mission once he enters office on the CBS 2 Morning News Wednesday. He said his primary responsibility will be "trying to put the economy back on track and put people back to work."
He said voters turned against Democrats and incumbents because "they believe Washington's not listening, and that's an enormous problem," particularly given a 10 percent "published" employment rate and a much higher "unpublished" unemployment rate.
The solution lies with the owners of small businesses, Dold said.
"We've got to enable small businesses so they can get out and hire," he said.
Five-term Republican Congressman Mark Kirk gave up the seat and won President Barack Obama's old Senate seat on Tuesday. Seals has now run unsuccessfully three times for the seat.
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