Missed Mentioning the Pavich Fundraiser
ArchPundit
So go drop by his web site and check it out–he’s running in IL-11 against El Geraldo Weller.
Illinois Congressional Races
Missed this one, IL – 14
Ruben Zamora will make another run of it in the 14th CD against Hastert. Apparently this was back in May that he announced.
David Gill Runs again in Illinois 15
The District I grew up in–except then it was Ed Madigan before hsi rather unillustrious period as Secretary of Ag.
Gill, 45, said Thursday he is actively raising money in hopes of tripling the $101,000 he raised in his first bid against Johnson.
Federal election reports show Gill with $7,500 in the bank, but he says he’s collected nearly $20,000 in the months since that was reported. Johnson reports having more than $240,000 in his war chest.
Gill’s off to a decent start, but he needs more than just to triple the 2004 total. I believe Renner ended up at $400,000 raised and still didn’t have enough to close the deal. In addition, getting name recognition early is vital so you can show a decent shot in the last 4 months–a key to getting real national support.
To help himself, Gill should shoot for a DFA endorsement which helps with both grassroots support and fundraising in the initial stage. I think this is an uphill race, but hope to see a good surprise.
I’ll link up to the blog next time I update links (which will be soon–I have some others to do).
“baseless and a political witch hunt” orchestrated by local Republicans unsuccessful in defeating the 12-term Democrat.
You don’t pay $200,00 for a baseless witchhunt.
There’s a lot of ways to spin a campaign finance violation such as saying the law is so technical the campaign made unintentional errors and coordination occurred.
Saying it’s baseless at that level just produces guffaws.
Kathy Salvi Has Formed an 8th District Exploratory Committee?
According to comments in the Leader’s Discussion Board it was announced tonight—not that I take the Leader’s Discussion Board seriously in most cases.
I stand corrected. It was announced at a Lake County Republican Golf Outing Dinner tonight that Kathy Salvi has formed an exploratory committee for her own bid to run for Congress.
Rahm’s WoodChipper
From Charlie Cook’s Off to the Races Column at National Journal
But we keep reminding ourselves that the scarcity of vulnerable Republican seats in the House and Senate makes it almost impossible for the GOP to lose control.
Having said that, I don’t think anyone has figured into the equation that Republicans would begin engaging in profoundly stupid and potentially suicidal actions that might prove us wrong and put them back into minority status.
There are two words that should give House Republicans pause before they take a leap aboard Thomas’ proposal — Rahm Emanuel. I am sure that Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is kind and loving to his wife and children and others in his immediate family.
But having known and watched the guy for almost 20 years, he does not strike me as an overly nice person. In fact, I’d lay odds that he would use a Louisville Slugger and treat like a pi?ata any Republican foolish enough to sign onto this thing. The murder scene in “Fargo” will look like patty-cake compared to what Emanuel will do to those guys.
It does not take a particularly creative mind to conjure up the television ads Democrats would air to harpoon the suggestion of a surplus. Some of the better ones would probably include Bush’s own words warning of an impending Social Security crisis. Even the least creative media consultant could successfully handle this job.
Can Liberal Agit Prop offer us some visuals?
Just because there does not appear to be enough vulnerable Republican seats for the GOP to lose control of the House does not mean the party is free to do whatever it wants without regard to electoral consequences. If a party tries hard enough, it can succeed in blowing its majorities. History holds many examples of this.
Leader Reports Al Salvi Not Running
Second hand, but they usually get this stuff correct. Unless Roeser is trying to push him out of the race, looks like Dems ought to start cheering for Dave McSweeney!
Salvi Urged to Run to Bolster the Right Wing of the Republican Party
Interestingly, Akin himself is facing a primary challenge by an African-American Republican from St. Charles, Sherman Parker.
Spokesmen for Pence and Akin confirmed that their bosses had spoken with Salvi in the past few months but said those conversations did not amount to endorsements.
Pence spokesman Matt Lloyd indicated that Pence is trying to bolster his party?s right wing. ?I think certainly, as RSC chairman, Congressman Pence wants to see more conservative members in the Congress. So things like the House Conservatives Fund are set up to help move toward that end.?
The fund was formerly called the Conservative Action Team PAC, or CAT PAC, and was run by Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.), Lloyd said.
A Republican source close to the Republican Study Committee suggested the Salvi phone conversations with Pence, Akin and other members were organized by the RSC.
In recent months, the group of 100-plus conservatives ? which Pence has called ?the majority of the majority? ? has confronted House GOP leaders over the budget and sought to play a more prominent role in shaping the Republican agenda.
Apparently that whole 50% +1 vote stategery is all wrong for winning elections. heh.
11th CD Challenger to Weller
John Pavich Biographical Sketch
Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, John Pavich accepted a post with the Central Intelligence Agency, specializing in counterterrorism. He felt an obligation to serve his country and to give back to the country that had given him so much.
As an intelligence officer in the CIA?s Directorate of Operations ? the agency?s clandestine service arm ? John gained a firsthand understanding of the global issues confronting our democracy and the threats to our personal freedoms.
John has always dedicated himself to public service. The second of four children of Robert and Marcia Pavich, John J. Pavich grew up in south suburban Lynwood, a part of the 11th Congressional District until 2002. He spent his summers working on the family dairy farm. He graduated from Thornton Fractional South High School and later received degrees in International studies and Russian studies from St. Norbert College in DePere Wisconsin. Following his 1998 college graduation, John embarked upon his career of public service, teaching English in Lithuania.
Following his 2002 graduation from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, John continued his public service career at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. With his expertise in international law and Balkan history, John was a crucial member of the legal team that negotiated the first plea agreement of a national leader in the Tribunal?s history. This plea is widely recognized as being the first step towards a new era of reconciliation in the Balkans.
John?s wife, Kelly, shares his devotion to public service. Kelly served in the Peace Corps after college graduation and has since worked for the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation, which provides college scholarships to inner-city students, and for the Princeton Review.
Following the birth of their first child, Andrew Michael Pavich, in November 2004, John and Kelly decided to look for new ways to serve their community and country. This led to John?s decision to seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 11th District of Illinois. John believes that we all share obligations to each other and to our future generations.
John currently practices law in Will County, Chicago and southern Cook County. John and Kelly live in Beecher, Illinois and are members of St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church in Lansing, Illinois.
Statement of Principals
My name is John Pavich. I am seeking the Democratic nomination for the
United States House of Representatives in the 11th Congressional District of
Illinois.
I am 28 years old. I grew up in the 11th District. I have taught and believe
deeply that each of us must live to serve others. During the past three
years I have tried to serve my country by participating directly in the war
on terror. I have been privileged to have served with, and been mentored by,
the most patriotic of Americans. Nonetheless, I now see a duty to do more ?
to offer whatever talents I may have been given to more directly serve my
community and my country.
Over the next four years decisions will be made in Washington that will
affect generations of Americans ? but none more than my own. ?We not only
pay the price now, in war, but also in the decades to come, as we must
apportion our resources to meet out priorities; education, health care,
jobs, veterans? benefits and the environment. We have obligations to
ourselves, to our parents and grandparents, and to our children. Our lives
are, for better or worse, centered around our families; our civic priorities
arise from the need to nurture and support family life.
I am a Democrat because I believe that we fulfill ourselves by serving
others, that we must bear one another?s burdens. This has, traditionally,
been the vision and identity of the Democratic Party. Our democracy has been
enriched by vigorous dialogue between the people and their government. We
owe our leaders a healthy skepticism and, if necessary, loyal opposition.
This is our duty to them and to ourselves. ?We must act, not out of fear,
but from the strength that comes from having faith in each other.
If I am chosen to serve in Congress I pledge to dedicate myself to these
principals, to my community and to my country
UPDATED: New bio replaces the old one 5/19/05
What the Hell is Bobby Rush Doing?
Two Chicago Democrats, Reps. Bobby Rush and Luis Gutierrez, did not file any trip records since 2000 with the clerk of the U.S. House. After being contacted by the Tribune, their offices said they were working to comply.
“You brought it to our attention,” Tasha Harris, a Rush spokeswoman, told the Tribune. “We didn’t know we had to file.”
Gutierrez took at least 25 paid trips and Rush more than six, other financial disclosure records show.
It’s not hard to know when someone else pays the bills and you are a Member of Congress–disclose.
The obvious question, and one I can’t answer since the House doesn’t make disclosure available on the web is, did Danny Davis get trips from the Moonies?
BTW. Cross Guys, it’s not the same to compare a fully disclosed trip by Rahm to DeLay’s scandals that involve not just your typical non-profit or company, but companies and non-profits strangely funded by a lobbyist, Jack Abramoff who is a close friend of DeLay. Comparing an organization that supports democratic reform that meets in Paris compared to a trip to Scotland for golfing paid for by gambling interests is a bit different.
There’s nothing hypocritical in calling for greater disclosure and taking a trip that would meet those standards easily. Especially when compared to a trip that doesn’t even pass current standards by DeLay.
The larger point is that the return of a House Ethics Committee with teeth and without the phony truce of the last few years will hold people accountable from DeLay to Guittierez.