Its Official, Swearing in Mark Kirk (R-IlL) GOP Formally Takes Obama’s Old Senate Seat

The 2010 midterm elections was a clear message to Barack Obama and against his agenda and policies most symbolized by the lose of his old US Senate seat …

Due to the special election for the Illinois US Senate seat in the 2010 midterms, Republican Mark Kirk will be sworn in and formally taking the old seat formally held by President Barack Obama. As if the 2010 midterm elections were not enough of a shellacking for Obama and Democrats, losing the Illinois US Senate seats was especially embarrassing. Although Democrats maintained control of the US Senate, they did lose 6 seats.

Senate Republicans on Monday formally claimed President Obama’s former Senate seat with the swearing-in of Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).

As is customary, Kirk was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden twice — once on the Senate floor, which is closed to photographers, and again down the hall in the Old Senate Chamber, in front of the media. Questions from reporters were not allowed.

A five-term congressman whose district stretched north of the Chicago area, along Lake Michigan, Kirk beat out Illinois state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) on Nov. 2 with 56 percent of the vote, after a bitter contest marked by inartful campaigns on both sides.

Because the campaign was a special election to fill out the remainder of Obama’s elected term in the Senate, Kirk is allowed to participate in the lame-duck session. Paperwork delays prevented him from being seated earlier.