"Melissa Bean has voted with Democrats in Congress 83 percent of the time," Mr. McSweeney said.

Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean, who has held the seat since 2005, ran against Republican nominee Steve Greenberg.

Farrell's campaign received much less national attention than that concentrated on Melissa Bean's campaign to unseat House Dean Phil Crane.

Democratic hopes for winning here rose after Melissa Bean's win in the neighboring 8th District, which is more Republican.

But Melissa Bean is definitely making a race of it.

Kirk believed that David McSweeney could not win the district, with a conservative being easily defeated by the incumbent Melissa Bean.

Kirk reluctantly supported David McSweeney in his race against Melissa Bean.

Melissa Bean, of Barrington was the incumbent representative of the 8th district, having displaced Phil Crane in the 2004 election.

Melissa Bean (1980) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011, representing Illinois' 8th congressional district.

He won in a crowded six-way primary but lost to Melissa Bean in the general election.