Tea Partier Joe Walsh Wins in Illinois

Republicans' historic House win just got bigger. Democrat Melissa Bean has conceded Illinois' 8th district to Tea Party-backed Republican Joe Walsh, the Huffington Post reports. Bean, an incumbent who had been widely expected to win, called to congratulate Walsh after the counting of absentee ballots today left her nearly 300 votes short.

Walsh's troubled campaign had been written off by the Republican establishment, which refused to fund it. His campaign manager quit and sued for nonpayment, and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh threatened to sue the candidate over a song on his website. When victory came, Walsh, like other candidates in undecided races, was already in Washington attending a week-long House orientation session.
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