If you have a chance PLEASE look at the Illinois Senator election results. Jesse Jackson Jr has been in and out of the hospital since June and did VERY minimum campaigning and he won 80% of the votes, hence the popularity contest.
I'm not trying to be racist or trying to influence votes or voters just giving my 2 cents.
You raise an interesting point. I am not one who would vote for Jesse Jackson or Jr. I think they are both ... uhmmmm ... less than honest. But I had no idea who his opponent was. Turns out to be a white guy who has never run for office before and it appears that he ran a minimalist campaign. I think JJ Jr. winning is probably a by-product of gerry mandering. It is a carved out democratic district.
I don't like gerry mandering by either party. I think they should carve up a state into rectangles (or as close as they can following natural divides such as rivers and roads) and let the chips fall where they may.
