SYCAMORE | While some students Tuesday night were out watching the Huskies face Toledo, members of the College Republicans were out watching the polls.

During the days leading up to the election, Brent Keller, president of the College Republicans, said he and the CRs put up signs at polling places and covered the phones.

About two hours after the polls closed, Keller and a few of his fellow CRs came into their headquarters at 2439 Bethany Road, visibly out of breath, but said they were energized with the election numbers still coming in.

“I live for these days,” Keller said.

While the polls were still open, Keller said he was cautiously optimistic.

“I think the voters of the 14th district have a clear choice,” Keller said. “A candidate who represented this district above and beyond what we could expect versus a carpenter who still lives with his parents. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist,” Keller said about Hastert’s bid for the House.

Hastert won 60 percent of the vote to beat challenger John Laesch, but since Republicans failed to take the majority of seats in the House, will not retain his position as Speaker.

As some of the final election results poured in, Andrew Nelms — state congressional candidate Bob Pritchard’s campaign manager and NIU student trustee — put the results on a large projected display.

Pritchard, the incumbent, was re-elected, beating challenger Chuck Sauer.

Keller said one of the reasons Blagojevich had an advantage in the gubernatorial race is that he had a substantial war-chest coming into the election.

Nelms said the Republican candidates running for the city board really put in time and effort into the races. He said the results of the city board election do not represent all of the districts.

Most were confident Hastert would retain his seat. Keller said the losses in the city board and the House would encourage them to work harder.

Regarding Judy Barr-Topinka’s loss to Blagojevich, Keller said he is eagerly awaiting an indictment.

“I thought that Topinka would be able to pull it off but by a very slim majority,” Keller said. “The fact that she lost isn’t all that surprising given the amount of negative campaign done by the governor over the past four years rather than focusing on his duty as governor. Given the composition of the statewide constitutional officers, I’m just waiting for an indictment.”

Christopher Norman is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.