United States Senate election in Illinois, 1998
Encyclopedia
The 1998 United States Senate election in Illinois was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun
decided to run for re-election, despite the number of controversies she was in during her first term. Republican State Senator Peter Fitzgerald was his parties' primary with a slim margin of victory. He ended up defeating the incumbent with a margin of victory of approximately 3%.
turned down two requests for investigations from the IRS.In 1996, Moseley Braun made a private trip to Nigeria
, where she met with dictator Sani Abacha
. Despite U.S. sanctions
against that country, due to Abacha's actions, the Senator did not notify, nor register her trip with, the State Department. She subsequently defended Abacha's human rights records in Congress.
Peter Fitzgerald, a State Senator, barely won the Republican primary, spending over $7 million. He had a major finances advantage, as he was a multimillionaire. He ended up spending $12 million in his election victory.
In September, she created controversy again by using the word Nigger
to describe how she claims to be a victim of racism.
Most polls over the first few months have shown Moseley-Braun trailing badly. But, after she was helped in the final month with notable Democrats like first lady Hillary Clinton
and Chicago U.S. Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez, three polls published in the last week showed her within the margin of error and in one poll running even with Fitzgerald.
Carol Moseley Braun
Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun is an American feminist politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. She was the first and to date only African-American woman elected to the United States Senate, the first woman to defeat an incumbent senator in an...
decided to run for re-election, despite the number of controversies she was in during her first term. Republican State Senator Peter Fitzgerald was his parties' primary with a slim margin of victory. He ended up defeating the incumbent with a margin of victory of approximately 3%.
Campaign
Over the incumbent's first term as U.S. Senator, she has been plagued by a few major controversies. Moseley Braun was the subject of a 1993 Federal Elections Commission investigation over $249,000 in unaccounted-for campaign funds. The agency found some small violations, but took no action against Moseley Braun, citing a lack of resources. Moseley Braun only admitted to bookkeeping errors. The Justice DepartmentUnited States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
turned down two requests for investigations from the IRS.In 1996, Moseley Braun made a private trip to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, where she met with dictator Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
. Despite U.S. sanctions
Economic sanctions
Economic sanctions are domestic penalties applied by one country on another for a variety of reasons. Economic sanctions include, but are not limited to, tariffs, trade barriers, import duties, and import or export quotas...
against that country, due to Abacha's actions, the Senator did not notify, nor register her trip with, the State Department. She subsequently defended Abacha's human rights records in Congress.
Peter Fitzgerald, a State Senator, barely won the Republican primary, spending over $7 million. He had a major finances advantage, as he was a multimillionaire. He ended up spending $12 million in his election victory.
In September, she created controversy again by using the word Nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
to describe how she claims to be a victim of racism.
Most polls over the first few months have shown Moseley-Braun trailing badly. But, after she was helped in the final month with notable Democrats like first lady Hillary Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
and Chicago U.S. Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez, three polls published in the last week showed her within the margin of error and in one poll running even with Fitzgerald.