March 9, 2008 - 2:43am

Debating whether IL-14 has meaning for New Jersey

Does Democrat Bill Foster’s victory in Illinois’ Congressional District 14 provide insight into the competitive U.S. House races in Districts 3 and 7?

According to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, it does.

A Saturday evening memo from DCCC communications director Jen Crider argues that NJ-3 and NJ-7 are more favorable to Democrats demographically than is IL-14. All three are suburban districts.

But the National Republican Congressional Committee says not to read too deeply into tonight’s results.

“The one thing 2008 has shown is that one election in one state does not prove a trend. In fact, there has been no national trend this entire election season,” said NRCC communications director Karen Hanretty. “The presidential election is evidence of that. The Democratic candidates are trading election victories from week to week and the nomination could hinge on a few news cycles. The one message coming out of 2008 so far is that what happens today is not a bellwether of what happens this fall.”