Press Release

For Immediate Release

February 6, 2008

DUPAGE COUNTY FLIPS WITH THE HELP OF SENATOR OBAMA AND ENERGETIC GROUND GAME OF DEMOCRATIC GRASSROOTS WORKERS

DuPage County has finally revealed its true color. Yesterday's election results bear out what many in DuPage County have been whispering for several years now: that grassroots activism coupled with strong Democratic candidates can break the Republican party's stranglehold on the voters of DuPage County.

Just four years ago, DuPage County primary voters pulled 62,624 ballots for Democrats and 72,437 for Republicans. The election commission's early results for yesterday's balloting indicate that DuPage primary voters have turned to the Democrats. DuPage voters pulled over 131,000 Democratic ballots to the Republicans' 107,000. Much of the momentum is surely due to the excitement of the race between Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton. But the Democrats' strong showing signals that the races for Illinois Representative Districts 46 (Gary Nowak) and 96 (Dianne McGuire) could turn the county's the far corners into Democratic districts. Several County Board races are also in play.

Two specific trends were noted by the poll-watching teams of Operation Turn DuPage Blue: Cross-over votes by pragmatists who usually voted Republican because they saw limited Democratic ballot choices; and hidden Democrats, those who previously skipped primary balloting but stepped up to vote in this election. Additionally, the success of OTDB's precinct committeemen recruitment doubled the number of local candidates on the ballot and generated hope and grassroots excitement about local representation that has too long been absent in Democratic County politics.

"It's exciting to see these election results but we still have our work cut out for us. I know if all Democrats in DuPage do their part between now and November, we can help our country get back on track and bring two-party government to DuPage County at the same time," said Bob Peickert, OTDB's chairman. Peickert is a candidate for Chairman of the DuPage Democratic party which will hold its election at the party convention in March.

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For More Information

Contact:

Bob Peickert, Chair Operation: Turn DuPage Blue

630-421-2405

BobPeickert@msn.com