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Call It A Comeback

April 2008

Illinois Congressional Races

In other Congressional Races

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From the Trib:

•6th District: Freshman Republican Rep. Peter Roskam of Wheaton had $967,286 left while Democratic challenger Jill Morgenthaler of Des Plaines had $127,304.

•10th District: Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park had $2.2 million after raising $627,000 since mid-January, while Democratic challenger Dan Seals had $745,000 left after collecting about $513,000.

•11th District: Democratic state Sen. Debbie Halvorson of Crete said she raised more than $581,000 and had nearly $682,000 left. The Republicans are looking for a replacement candidate for the seat being vacated by Rep. Jerry Weller.

•13th District: Republican Rep. Judy Biggert of Hinsdale reported $511,741 left while Democratic challenger Scott Harper of Lockport had $103,463.

•14th District: Newly-elected Democratic Rep. Bill Foster of Geneva had $262,939 compared with $132,717 for Republican Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove.

At this point in the race, Seals is running incredibly strong and while any challenger will have a cash-on-hand deficit, this is going to be a full out fight with the DCCC and the RNCC (if it has any money) come November.

Halvorson is off to a good start and Harper seems to be doing better than last cycle (I haven’t checked, but he does seem to be running a stronger campaign this time). Morgenthaller is falling flat, probably due to her general right wing stance on the war and civil liberties.

G-Rod

Hey Look, Over There

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G-Rod asked about Rezko, the obvious response: Mike Madigan is evil and insists we share the sand box:

Asked if the corruption trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko has inhibited or distracted him from accomplishing his agenda, Blagojevich ticked off a list of accomplishments that came before the trial. They included his expansion of health insurance coverage for children, increased coverage of cancer screenings for women and “fighting those who want to raise taxes.”

But Blagojevich added, “When you consider the dynamics, I think we’ve made a lot of progress. It could be a heck of a lot more harmonious, though, if those Democrats in the House stand for what they say they’re for.”

Now, he didn’t get away with this diversion did he?  Sadly, he did.  The Trib’s headline:

Blagojevich chides House Democrats

Technically true, and entirely misses the point.

Obama

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Steve Rauschenberger now in the WSJ:

 “Barack was one of the smartest people I ever worked with, but he was more interested in moving up,” says Republican Steven Rauschenberger, who served with Mr. Obama in the state senate. “I never thought he was very engaged in the state senate, because he didn’t think that much of it.”

Steve Rauschenberger then (S-T September 6, 2003)

He has suggested to Obama that they split from the pack and debate Lincoln/Douglas-style, across Illinois.

The most qualified candidate of both parties by legislative experience running for the U.S. Senate nomination is a Republican, Steve Rauschenberger, the first freshman and youngest senator to be named chairman of Senate Appropriations back when the GOP was in control. Now the 47-year-old Elgin legislator has taken a daring tack. He has suggested to state Sen. Barack Obama (D-Chicago), whom he regards as the most formidable of the eight major Democratic contenders, that they split from the pack (Rauschenberger faces six Republicans) and debate–just the two of them–Lincoln/Douglas-style, across Illinois.

Obama, an eloquent African American who was president of the Harvard Law Review, is considering it, and if he accepts, the Senate race would be suddenly lifted out of sound bytes and 20-second TV spots. This much is clear: If some day Illinois could be represented in the Senate by both Rauschenberger and Obama, it would come closest to the golden era when brilliant opposites, Everett Dirksen and Paul Douglas, jointly served.

G-Rod Illinois Senate

I’m Still Betting on Blair Hull

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The problem for Blagojevich in appointing someone to be Senator should Obama vacate his seat is that he has a running feud with half the state and on that alone he won’t appoint most of the people mentioned in Laura Washington’s column.

Emil Jones as Senator doesn’t seem likely to me, but hey, it probably makes him feel good hearing that. I do think Emil would be fun to watch in DC, but I don’t see him wanting it. Jackson Jr. simply has too many problems with downstate. Downstate will elect African-Americans, but Jackson Sr. has enough baggage to make it difficult for his son–not to mention Blagojevich and Jackson aren’t so close.

Schakowsky would certainly love to do it, but has awkward relations in Springfield and I doubt Blagojevich sees an upside and there’s always got to be an upside for him.

Madigan is a no go on anger alone and Hynes is his best bet to win a 3rd nomination if Blagojevich runs a third time. Hynes and Madigan in a primary help Blagojevich eek out a possible win. I doubt they both run, but that’s Blagojevich’s best shot. Jesse White took himself out of contention.

Hull actually makes some sense if one thinks about Blagojevich. Hull is a big Blagojevich donor, most of his baggage is out there if not all. Hull would do best by not having to run in a primary where a cynical press would beat him up. As a sitting Senator, he’d have the ability to demand a little respect.

Other possibilities could be a Latino pol such as Flores. Gutierrez would be a natural other than he is one of the worst fundraisers ever.  A Flores appointment would anger African-American politicos just as an appointment of Jones or Jackson would Latinos.

Hull and Tammy Duckworth offer up a unique opportunity for Blagojevich. He loves loyalty and both of them fall in that category.  Hull has been a huge backer of the Governor and a 2010 run for election would coincide with Blagojevich’s reelection year so he’d have an ally running with him.  Duckworth would be a good public choice in avoiding most of the anger from different groups, satisfying vets, and providing a good face to run with in 2010.

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A Hearsay Bill

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Errr…so I heard dis guy say dat he saw some guy who kinda sounds like dis guy say “blah, blah, blah”

That’s not evidence, it’s, well, hearsay and completely inappropriate for a criminal trial.  Why our lege Members feel they need to tamper with long established law because they think one guy might be getting away with something is a bit of a mystery.

The more appropriate lesson to take from Peterson is that we need better police and coroners.

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