The Illinois 17th congressional district is a swing district that is trending Republican.

The Republican candidate has strong name ID. She's run in the district before. She's an Emmy-winning television journalist. And, if she puts the money together with a strong campaign team, she could turn Illinois 17th into one of the most competitive districts in the country.

Minneapolis is more Republican than it used to be, but it's not fertile Republican territory just yet. I would imagine that the party will find somebody to run on the ballot. It could end up being a fun, spirited campaign.

Three percent is minuscule. She is raising money from Chicago Democrats and the Democratic Machine.

Bean smote the hand that fed her in the 2004 election, and without Big Labor in her corner she'll have a further shrunken coalition in an overwhelmingly Republican district.

No one knows when Francine Busby became an expert on port security. What we do know is that Busby has accepted money and support from some far-left, anti-war groups that don't exactly emphasize toughness when it comes to dealing with terrorists.

The vice president is a rock star among the conservative activists and Republican donors who make it possible for Republicans to win elections.

Texas 17 is one of the most competitive districts in America. Van Taylor is a great candidate for Republicans in a district that belongs to Republicans.

The Democrats could play musical chairs in Illinois and get a better lineup than they have now.