Roskam Wins Over Thai-born Duckworth in US election
Tammy and her husband
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State Sen. Peter Roskam has defeated Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth in the heated race for the 6th Congressional District in the western suburbs.
In an acceptance speech just after 11 p.m., Roskam said he had received a call from Duckworth conceding the election, according to CBS. Duckworth is a Thai-born US air force pilot who lost her arm and legs in Iraq war. In his speech, Roskam said, "I would like to congratulate Tammy on a good campaign, and I know that (Duckworth) has served our country greatly and sacrificed greatly." "I want to thank God that I live in a country where free people can exercise trhe right to self-govern, and that is a great, great blessing, friends, and God has been good," Roskam added. Roskam, a lifelong resident of the district, was elected to the state legislature in 1993. Duckworth's candidacy was based on her opposition to the war in Iraq, and it is opposition based on her personal experience. The 38-year-old Hoffman Estates woman chose to fight in Iraq and paid for it with her legs, which she lost when her helicopter was shot down. "We built an organization in DuPage County the likes of which had never existed," Duckworth said in her concession speech, emphasizing the closeness of the race. The 6th District seat had long been held by conservative Rep. Henry Hyde. While the race had been considered a possible bellweather about who would take control of Congress, Democrats were already projected to take the House before Roskam announced the 6th District would remain Republican.
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