DeKALB | As commercials return to normal — with mudslinging again exclusive to cleaning products — the post-election focus turns to the Congress of the future.

In particular, the status of Congressman J. Dennis Hastert in the House of Representatives has come into question. Hastert has chosen not to seek the position of House Minority Leader in the next session of Congress.

“The Republican leader in the 110th Congress will have the responsibility to emphasize conservative values and reform principles. I will not seek this role, but will support our leader to the best of my ability as I return to the full-time task of representing the people of the 14th district of Illinois who have honored me 11 times with the privilege of serving them in the House of Representatives,” Hastert said in a statement released Nov. 8. “Now that the Democrats have won the House, they have a huge responsibility to help govern this nation.”

Hastert is still the second candidate, behind Vice President Dick Cheney, in presidential succession until he leaves his position as Speaker of the House.

“Hastert is a lame duck as far as leadership goes, and he may be a ‘blame duck’ as well,” said assistant political science professor Brendon Swedlow. “Although President Bush said he himself was largely to blame for the losses in Congress, he also suggested that congressional scandals were important causes of those losses. We can expect this theme to get more of a workout, as both Democrats and Republicans seek to interpret the mandate of the election, assign blame for losses and take credit for wins. In this process, Hastert and Bush will probably end up blaming each other, which party division Democrats will seek to exacerbate and exploit,” Swedlow said.

Drew Hammill, spokesperson for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, said the Congress still in session after an election tends to be feeble.

“We go into session on Monday,” Hammill said. “It’s traditionally called a ‘lame duck’ session, because the new Congress has been elected. It will probably be about a week or so of wrapping up appropriations of bills.”

The Democrats will hold a caucus on Nov. 16, where they will formally vote to elect a Speaker, Hammill said. Pelosi will likely then be Speaker-elect until January 3 or 4.

Hastert reportedly considered retirement in 2004, but was convinced to run again by President Bush, according to a Nov. 9 article in the Chicago Tribune. Friends of Hastert say he is interested in a future ambassadorial position, the Tribune said, primarily in Japan.