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  Is Hastert's son eyeing dad's old seat?
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Last Editedev  Apr 19, 2009 06:55pm
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MediaNewspaper - The Herald News
News DateSunday, April 19, 2009 12:00:00 AM UTC0:0
DescriptionIs Hastert's son eyeing dad's old seat?

April 18, 2009
BY ANDRE SALLES asalles@scn1.com

Could another Hastert be in line for a run at the 14th Congressional District seat?

Ethan Hastert, the 31-year-old son of former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, confirmed Friday that he has started meeting local leaders and introducing himself as a potential candidate. It's extremely early in the process, the younger Hastert said, and he was quick to point out he has made no decisions yet.

Hastert's father held the 14th District seat for nearly 21 years. He served as speaker from 1999 to 2007, making him the longest-serving Republican in that office in history. He resigned from Congress in 2007, and after a special election in 2008, the seat went to a Democrat, Bill Foster of Geneva, for the first time since the 1970s.

Ethan Hastert is an associate at Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago, having received his law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 2005. He worked for more than a year in then-Vice President Dick Cheney's office. He lives in Elburn, and is the father of a 2-year-old son.

Hastert said he grew up with politics, walking precincts with his father, and is well-versed on the politics of the district. He believes Foster is not providing the representation the district needs, and pointed to the congressman's voting record as proof.

One of Hastert's former opponents, Democrat John Laesch, posted news of a poll circulating the district on Friday on The Progressive Fox blog, asking potential voters if they would support Ethan Hastert on the ballot. While Hastert said he has heard about the poll, he said he did not commission it.

"At the moment, I am out talking to local leaders," he said, emphasizing that the process is in its earliest stages. "It's important people get to know me personally, to the extent they don't know me already."

Republican National Committeman Pat Brady of St. Charles said that while he couldn't confirm Hastert's
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