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U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky‘s “early and often” voting campaign has paid off — her pooch Ellie has been named the “cutest dog on Capitol Hill.”

Ellie, a winsome 3-year-old rescue mutt, beat hundreds of entrants and 11 other finalists to win the annual competition, organized by the Animal Health Institute.

Illinois’ Schakowsky, who last week admitted she’d voted for Ellie twice, used Facebook to urge supporters to join her campaign. More than 16,000 votes were cast.

But Ellie wasn’t the only Illinois winner. Pickles, an adorable hedgehog owned by a staffer for U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, Mary Sobczak, scooped the “cutest exotic pet” title.

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Pickles, a hedgehog owned by a staffer for Rep. Peter Roskam, Mary Sobczak, was named the “cutest exotic pet” on Capitol Hill.

Judging by his instagram account @hedgieonthehill, Pickles is a Green Bay Packers fan, evidence, perhaps, that good looks and sound judgment do not always go together.

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Twitter @kimjnews

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