伊利諾州國會議員的「潮州女兒」達克沃斯 - 从伊拉克戰场到达她祖国政治

擁 有一半華裔血統的譚美．達克沃斯(Tammy Duckworth)，6日晚宣告當選伊利諾州國會議員，成為伊州首位亞裔國會眾議員。

達克沃斯的父親是美軍，母親林麗嬋是泰國華裔。她曾在2006年參選聯邦眾議員，以些微差距落敗，今年捲土重來，再 戰伊州第八選區聯邦眾議員，與共和黨對手華許(Joe Walsh)經過被稱為是國會選舉歷史上最昂貴的選戰之一，終於勝出。

出生於泰國的達克沃斯，由於父親曾為聯合國工作，從小就跟著父親遊走東南亞各國。她在取得碩士學位後，因加 入預備軍官培訓課程(ROTC)，決定投入軍旅，成為首批戰鬥直升機的女性駕駛員。

她在2004年參與伊拉克戰役時，因駕機被擊中而喪 失雙腿，從此必須以輪椅和義肢代步。但她從不以行動不便，阻礙自己，曾以三輪車長征26.2哩的芝加哥 馬拉松大賽。

歐巴馬總統上任不久，她被任命為聯邦退伍軍人部助理部長。

她表示，童年的經驗讓她更能體認生 長在美國的優勢和權益，也讓她更懂得珍惜、感謝，包容不同的文化，也更具國際觀。

Duckworth defeats Walsh in congressional contest

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Candidates for the 8th Congressional District seat, Democrat Tammy Duckworth (left) and Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh hold campaign events Thursday night. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune)

Democrat Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who lost both legs in combat before turning to politics, defeated freshman Republican Rep. Joe Walsh on Tuesday night after a bitter and expensive campaign that attracted outsize national attention.
With 93 percent of the unofficial vote counted, Duckworth had 55 percent, with 45 percent for Walsh. Duckworth led in all three counties: suburban Cook, DuPage and Kane.

“I am proud to be your servant in Congress. Together we bring a new attitude to Washington, and starting on my first day I will remind the Congress that we are here to serve, not to obstruct. All Americans should be served by their government,” Duckworth told supporters.
Walsh conceded, congratulating Duckworth on a “tough, tough race.”
“I'm going to cry tonight. ... It wasn't an easy phone call for me to make,” Walsh told supporters. “Cry a little. Then get up. We have a state to save. We have a country to save.”
The campaign was watched nationally because of Walsh's status as a firebrand tea party icon and Duckworth's backing from top Democrats, including President Barack Obama, who did an automated phone call for her.
The contest was marked with scathing attacks from both sides. Duckworth labeled Walsh a “deadbeat” who was too extreme to represent the district. She seized on his personal financial struggles and frequent campaign faux pas, including his claims that medical advances have eliminated the need for women to have life-saving abortions.
Duckworth's strategy throughout the long and bruising campaign was to underscore her stark differences with Walsh, said Duckworth campaign manager Kaitlin Fahey. Walsh's “loud, bombastic” rhetoric made that easy, she said.
“When he took a position that was so counter to the heart and soul of this district, we would highlight that and make the distinction clear between these two candidates,” Fahey said.
Walsh, meanwhile, painted Duckworth as a failed bureaucrat who relied too much on her personal narrative as a war hero instead of her ideas for office. He contended she was more concerned with becoming a national political figure than helping voters in a district drawn by Democratic leaders specifically to elect her.
“From Day One, it was, ‘Justin, get me on the first plane back after every vote, and I don't want to be in D.C. until one hour before I have to vote,'” said Walsh spokesman Justin Roth. “And because of that, there's just a groundswell of people who appreciate the fact that they actually have a member of Congress who actually wants to hear what they say.”
Both candidates enjoyed wide name recognition from the start and wrestled to keep a race that kept venturing into the national spotlight focused on local issues. Given that many knew Duckworth's military story, she sought to get beyond that by portraying herself as a member of the community who would fight to bring jobs and federal dollars back to the district, support immigration changes and embrace its growing diversity.
For his part, Walsh is an outspoken freshman in Congress who touts the fact that he has made few friends while in Washington, even among his Republican counterparts. He campaigned on holding the line on national debt, saying he would not vote for a single program that added to it. Walsh supports an overhaul of the Medicare and Social Security programs while declaring that government needs to “get out of the way” of small businesses struggling under a bad economy and confusing regulations.

In a district that voted 62 percent for Obama in 2008, Duckworth's campaign kept a close eye on independents.
Despite his status as an incumbent, Walsh had cast himself as David while comparing Duckworth to Goliath. Duckworth routinely out-raised Walsh, and she had $4.5 million in her campaign chest as of last month, compared with roughly $1.8 million for Walsh.
But Walsh received major support from conservative political groups that poured more than $5 million into the race on his behalf. Duckworth also got about $500,000 in support from outside groups.
Walsh said his campaign focused on building support on the ground as opposed to the airwaves, noting it was cheaper and more effective when neighbors tried to win over neighbors.
In addition to his statements on abortion, Walsh drew attention for saying Duckworth talked too much about her war service, unlike “true heroes.” He also claimed radical Islam was infiltrating the suburbs and apologized after he called Obama “idiotic.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee sought to tie Duckworth to imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who appointed her to lead the state veterans affairs agency.