Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel has accepted Barack Obama's offer to become White House chief of staff. And that leaves Illinois' 5th congressional district seat in limbo. 

Emanuel's constituents in the 5th district re-elected to him to office Tuesday. Less than than two days later, he's decided to join President-Elect Barack Obama's administration. In Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, which is in Emanuel's congressional district, residents like Don Shapiro have mixed feelings about the situation.

SHAPIRO: I thought he was doing such a good job in Congress and it's so important to have that kind of representation when you live in a large city like Chicago. It's so easy to get lost in the shuffle. So I will be disappointed that he'll no longer be in that role. But you know you have to look a little more globally and look at the country as a whole and figure that it's for the best.

Despite his reservations, Shapiro says Emanuel will do a good job in the White House post. Emanuel has been in office since 2003.

I'm Tasha Flournoy, Chicago Public Radio.