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Aurora Beacon-News
March 25, 2002
22-year-career: House speaker lost first primary race
By Dave Parro
STAFF WRITER
It took a former high school teacher from the cornfields of Illinois 19 years to become the third most powerful
politician in the country. Now U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert doesn't really see anywhere else to go.
After receiving nearly 70,000 votes in an uncontested primary Congressional race last week, Hastert will enter
the November general election confident he will continue into a third term as leader of the nation's House of Representatives.
The Yorkville Republican said he has no aspirations for higher office, though he has not said how long his political
career will last. He knows his time in office could always be cut short, though he hasn't publicly talked about
retirement.
"You reach the pinnacle, and there's no place else to go, unless you want to be president or vice president,
and that's not on my agenda," Hastert said. "I want to do as many things as I can now, while I have a
chance to do it."
From saving the old Kendall County courthouse to securing federal funding for roads, bridges and trains, Hastert
has already done plenty for his district. While he still has the power, he would like to do even more.
One of the speaker's most publicized projects has been the Prairie Parkway, a highway concept he has pushed since
his early days in Congress.
The road from teacher and wrestling coach to persuasive politician with the power to bring millions of dollars
back home started a little bumpy. In his first run at state office, Hastert lost in the 1980 Republican primary
race to more experienced opponents.
Hastert was vying for a nomination that would have had him competing for one of three seats from the same district,
before the Illinois General Assembly was reformed and only one politician represented each House district.
The Aurora native who grew up in Oswego would have returned to teaching at Yorkville High School had it not been
for the health problems of one of the candidates in the general election. When Allan Schoeberlein dropped out of
the race, Hastert was named as his replacement.
It was a break for Hastert, who went on to win in November by a comfortable margin. For the first year, Hastert
made a long commute to Springfield on a regular basis so he could continue to teach and coach part-time at Yorkville
High. But that could only last so long, as he eventually devoted his career to politics.
Hastert spent the next six years as a state representative, serving three terms until he decided to make a bid
for federal office. In 1986, he was elected to the 100th Congress, representing Illinois' 14th Congressional District.
The rise to power started quickly, as Hastert participated in and chaired committees. Nine years after becoming
a congressman, Hastert was named chief deputy whip of the House in 1995, overlooking the GOP agenda. He would hold
onto the position through two terms.
When it became clear that Newt Gingrich was on his way out as speaker of the House, Hastert's name continued
to come up as a likely replacement for the controversial figure. The Fox Valley and Yorkville were placed on the
national map as TV crews descended on the area.
Four days after his 57th birthday, on Jan. 6, 1999, Hastert became the House's most powerful figure. Now 60,
Hastert seems destined to be re-elected in November and continue as speaker, unless Democrats can take control
of the House.
For the Fox Valley, that could mean plenty more perks, at least for two more years.