While Democrat Bill Foster will be heading back to Washington, he doesn’t plan on forgetting the people who put him there.

“The most important part of my job is right here at home,” the 14th District congressman said. “I firmly believe you cannot truly represent people unless you listen to them.”

On Tuesday, Foster grabbed 57 percent of the vote. Dairy magnate Jim Oberweis received 43 percent.

Going forward, Foster said he will work hard to bring change in Washington.

“There’s so much to be done,” he said.

Some of Foster’s goals are to end the United States’ involvement in Iraq, make sure all Americans are guaranteed access to a basic level of health care at a reasonable cost, and repair what he calls the “fiscal irresponsibility of the Bush administration.”

“It’s no secret our economy is in danger,” he said.

Foster thanked his supporters during a reception Tuesday night at Long Island Sound Banquet Hall in Aurora.

“Together we’ve run a fantastic campaign,” he said. “We won what some thought was an unwinnable race.”

In March, Foster, a former scientist at Batavia’s Fermilab, beat Oberweis by taking 52 percent of the vote in a special election to fill former U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert’s seat.

Hastert held the seat for more than 20 years.

Mark Guethle, Kane County Democrats chairman, lauded the campaign’s effort.

“No longer in Kane County are you going to be afraid to be a Democrat,” he said.

Oberweis conceded defeat at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“It was not a good night to be a Republican,” Oberweis said. “I know how John McCain feels.”