McHenry County Blog

Joe Walsh at the Patriots United Thanksgiving Week Republican primary forum.

Melissa Bean

Popping into my inbox this morning is this Congressional Quarterly analysis of marginal congressional districts.

Better chances for Republicans nationally, poorer for Democrats.

Democrats defending 42 marginal districts, Republicans 7.

Locally, 8th congressional district incumbent Melissa Bean drew this comment:

“The ratings also upgrade the re-election prospects for…Reps. Melissa Bean (Ill.)…who were once in the crosshairs of GOP strategists but now seem safe.”

That is the district where Joe Walsh won a convincing primary victory capitalizing on TEA Party activists.

The only other Illinois districts mentioned were

• Illinois’ 10th — Leans Democratic to Tossup (Mark Kirk’s Northshore district)
• Illinois’ 13th — Likely Republican to Safe Republican (Judy Biggert)

Mike Tryon

It was “just” a surplus property issue.

Should it take approval of the Illinois General Assembly to dispose of surplus property worth more than $1 million?

But House Bill 4744 was aimed by Crystal Lake State Representative Mike Tryon directly at the Democratic (and some regional Republican) Party politicians promoting turning maximum security Thomson Correctional Center into terrorist central.

How creative!

President Barack Obama, Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin think it is such a wonderful idea.

But, led by not-yet-nominated-for-U.S.-Senate Congressman Mark Kirk, Republicans, including Congressman Don Manzullo, in whose district the prison is located, attacked the idea, not once, but repeatedly. All over TV.

Liberals pooh-poohed the unreasonable fear of opponents. When Manzullo pointed out that the terrorists would likely be tried in Rockford, the Obama Administration rushed in with the alternative that the courtroom would be behind the prison’s walls.

Then the would-be Christmas airplane bomber turned out to be from Yemen, the same country as most of the Guantanamo terrorists President Obama wants to transfer to Northwestern Illinois.

Byron nuclear power plants as seen from Interstate 39, upwind from McHenry County.

That got me thinking about

those Byron nuclear power plants we see on our annual pilgrimage to the Springfield Old Capitol Art Fair.

A terrorist act there releasing radiation would float right over McHenry County.

Enter Tryon with his bill.

It got out of committee, indicating House Speaker Mike Madigan’s approval.

And, it passed overwhelmingly. 81 of 116 voting “Yes.”

Algonquin Township 19 Republican Precinct Committeeman Joe Stecker must have endorsed Kirk Dillard for governor because he got almost twice as many votes as his nearest competitor Andy McKenna.

Take a look at the results for governor in these 2 of 68 Algonquin Township precincts (listed in ballot order and excluding electronic, absentee and early votes);

• Dillard 35
• Brady 6
• Schillerstrom (who dropped out and endorsed Jim Ryan) 0
• Andrzejewski 8
• Proft 12
• Ryan 17
• McKenna 20

In my Algonquin Township Precinct 7 there were radically different results.

• Dillard 13
• Brady 5
• Schillerstrom 1
• Andrzejewski 7
• Proft 8
• Ryan 9
• McKenna 30

For lieutenant governor, Algonquin 19 turned out this way:

• Tracy 5
• Plummer 35
• White 4
• Cole 4
• Murphy 31
• Cook 4

In Algonquin 7 the paper ballot votes were

• Tracy 1
• Plummer 18
• Cole 3
• Murphy 31
• Cole 6

In Algonquin 19, Congressman Mark Kirk won 59 to 16 for Hughes to 10 for Lowery to 5 for Martin. I don’t have totals for Arrington and Thomas. Sorry.

In Algonquin 7, the totals were Kirk – 38, Hughes – 11, Thomas – 9, Lowery – 5, Martin – 4, Arrington – 2.

In any event, as virtually everyone predicted Kirk is victorious.

The Chicago Tribune is out with its poll results for the United States Senate race.

While State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has 34% of those polled, Cheryle Jackson pulled 19% and in third place was David Hoffman with 16%. Two other candidates show about 1% support.

Hoffman is in third placed despite being endorsed by every paper that has made its choice known.

His campaign nevertheless sees the glass as half full:

“The Chicago Tribune poll confirms that this race remains wide open and within reach.

“Alexi Giannoulias has spent well over one million dollars on television and his numbers remain static, while David Hoffman has moved 7 points – the only movement of any candidate outside the margin of error – since the last public poll and the number of undecideds remain high.

“David has received the endorsement of every newspaper that has weighed in on this campaign, and that message will be on television with a strong buy in the closing eight days.”

With about a fourth of the Democratic Party still undecided, Hoffman has room for movement as more people start paying attention to the campaign.

The front of the Mark Kirk for U.S. Senate mailing that arrived last week.

On the GOP side of the aisle, Congressman Mark Kirk got approval from 47% of the voters. His closest opponent Pat Hughes, scored 8%. None of the others had more than 3%.

35% of Republicans are undecided, but none of Kirk’s opponents have shown any ability to raise significant sums of money.

Now the the United States Supreme Court has ruled that corporations and unions can use non-PAC funds out of their general treasuries to support or oppose Federal candidates for office, the question in my head is whether corporations will start contributing to one of Congressman Mark Kirk’s opponents.

Maybe the low limits applicable to individuals would apply to “natural persons,” as dissenter Justice John Paul Stevens wrote.

If so, no potential problem for Kirk.

If not…there might be a lot more ads on television.

I see from this article that there are now no limits on corporate contributions in Federal elections.

“‘It is a sweeping decision. In one opinion, the Court struck down all bans on corporate independent spending,’ said Marc Elias, a leading Dem election lawyer at Perkins Coie,” the article in Hotline on call says.

Robert Kelner, a GOP election lawyer at Covington & Burling, thinks most money will flow through trade associations, although individual companies may buy ads themselves.

Under current Illinois law corporations and unions can contribute unlimited amounts to political campaigns.

A limit of $5,000 is set to go into effect next election cycle, but it does not pertain to independent expenditures.

Whether that limit for corporation contributions to Political Action Committee’s will be challenged remains to be seen.

Mark Kirk

I keep getting these calls from statewide candidates.

They must know I’m a Republican precinct committeeman and think I might talk to some of my neighbors, I guess.

Anyway, Mark Kirk, who is running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate called last night.

He told me he had been endorsed by over 100 Republican leaders and organizations, including Congressman Peter Roskam, Congresswoman Judy Biggert and former Governor Jim Edgar.

He told me how he had voted against tax hikes “40 times.”

He told me he had sponsored “tough anti-corruption laws.”

I remember one would have taken pensions away from congressmen convicted of illegal acts. Congress critters only lose their pension WHILE they are imprisoned.

Amazingly enough, Illinois has had such a law since the mid-1950’s.

He also told about his service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Then, someone else asked if I would vote for Mark Kirk.

If so, I should press 1. If I’d like to volunteer, I should press 2.

When I didn’t do either and didn’t hang up, a woman said,
“I didn’t hear your response.”

Then, the message started over again.

I finally hung up.

So, it looks as if Mark Kirk is following Abraham Lincoln’s advice to identify his supporters and get them to the polls.

I can only imagine that those who pushed button number one will get at least one phone call on election day, if not before.

With no single opponent around which conservatives are grouping, it’s hard to see how Mark Kirk can loss the primary election.

It should be noted that Mark Kirk did not mention one issue near and dear to social conservatives.

Not one.

I started noticing it when I looked at Friday’s mail.

Republican candidates are sending mailings to puff themselves up.

Or just to let us know they exist.

Candidates can’t count on precinct committeemen anymore. Besides GOP political organizations in the suburbs being shadows of what they used to be, what candidate in their right might would count on committeemen going door-to-door on February 2nd.

How much will have the snow have melted by then, even if we have a warm spell?

Setting the primary on Feb. 2nd was just another step in Mike Madigan’s centralization of power in the hands of those at the top.

This is the room at Liberty Outdoor where candidates laid out literature and signs for precinct committee to take last Friday night and Saturday morning. You can see Appellate Court Justice and candidate therefor Mary Schostok conversing on the right. Central Committee Executive Director Geri Davis is facing the camera next to the Dillard sign. Behind here is Ray Marachiori, Lt. Gov. Jason Plummer's campaign manager and my former staffer when I was chairman of the House Privatization Committee. He is talking to Lt. Gov. candidate and Sprinfield businessman Don Tracy, who is a candidate for Lt. Gov. Half of Tracy's head did not make it in the photo. Sheriff Keith Nygren talks with county board candidat John Jung in the center background. The top of his wife Marge's head can be see to Jung's left. Over Jung's shoulder appears a bit of Donna Kurtz.

I picked up my literature Friday night and took the photo you see above about 7:30. By the time closing time had rolled around on Saturday, about forth of some 200 precinct committeemen (if all the precincts were manned) had shown up to get literature. Most will mail what they picked up.

Friday I got an over-sized post card from Congressman Mark Kirk, the favorite to be the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama and occupied by Roland Burris.

The seat ought to be a pick-up, except for Kirk’s liberal congressional voting record, which has enraged many conservative Republicans.

Like Kirk Dillard, he plays the Jim Edgar card. There’s a photo of Edgar and Kirk and the message side of the postcard leads with this quote from Edgar:

“Mark has a superb record of integrity and ethics,
and he has a great record on the issues as well.”

Kirk plays to his strong points, promising

“Lower Taxes…Less Government…Tough on Corruption”

He actually has a record in those areas which would please a lot of Republicans.

I looked for any information on social issues, but no mention is made of any of his positions.

Kirk also stresses his military record, as you can see if you click on the image of the address side of the piece and enlarge it.

I haven’t covered the U.S. Senate race to any great extent. The prohibitive favorite, U.S. Congressman Mark Kirk has been to 1776 for a morning “vetting” by Republican Party insiders. I didn’t get much feedback, but when a candidate is running so high in the polls, Establishment types generally support him or her.

With last week’s widespread dissemination of what had previously been rumor mill fodder, stimulated by a radio ad from Senate candidate Andy Martin, some are wondering who is running against Kirk.

Pat Hughes is one of them. He describes himself as “a successful real estate developer, husband, and father, resides with his wife, Susan, and their three children in Hinsdale.”

Here is his press release in favor of term limits:

HUGHES MAKES STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF TERM LIMITS
U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Hughes
to Speak at “Stop Mark Kirk Express” Event

U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Hughes (R-IL) makes the following statement on his support for term limits and will be making a more formal statement on the issue tonight at the Stop Mark Kirk Express event hosted by the Will County Tea Party Alliance:

“Washington D.C. has quickly become the primary place of residency for some members of Congress. In the past twenty years over 90% of House members who ran for re-election have won and over 80% of Senators who have run for re-election have won.

“It is an astonishing high incumbency rate and an odd occurrence due to the fact that Congress has not seen an approval rating over 50% in almost as many years. Setting term limits for Congress helps set a standard for responsible government and responsible representation of the people. When members of Congress begin to see their office as a career and not a public service, they have lost sight of what serving in Congress is about; representation of the people. Politics should be about the people, not the office.”

“If elected to the U.S. Senate I would not only work towards getting term limits set for Congress, I would also pledge to only serve two terms as a Senator myself. Our country thrives when the voices of the people are heard and represented.”

U.S. Senate candidate Andy Martin used radio ads to surface a rumor that could be damaging in the primary election, maybe even in the general.

Why radio ads?

Because political candidates can say anything they wish in a radio ad. Its content cannot be censored, as newspapers and electronic news media regularly do.

Here’s how the Chicago Sun-Times handled it:

The Chicago Tribune was a bit more explicit in its headline:

I guess that’s not much of a surprise, but one of my readers felt strongly enough to send me McCain’s email, which follows:

My Friend,

Next year, Illinois voters will have the opportunity to elect a new U.S. Senator. The people of Illinois deserve a Senator who will restore honest government, strengthen our national security, fight for veterans and bring fiscal discipline to Washington.

Mark Kirk has my strongest endorsement and I hope to welcome him as a colleague in the Senate in the near future.

Mark has served honorably in the United States Congress since 2001. During his time in Congress, he has been a consensus builder and worked tirelessly to support our troops, veterans and the citizens of the State of Illinois.

As a Commander in the United States Navy Reserve, Mark has served his country with distinction in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and Bosnia. During his tenure in Congress, Mark deployed to Afghanistan in December 2008. His firsthand knowledge of our military and his service in the Middle East makes him an unparalleled leader in Congress on these important issues.

Mark shares our values, the same vision for America’s future, and works relentlessly to stop the budget-busting, big government agenda. He is the kind of valued leader that we need in the Senate who will work to find the common sense solutions the people of Illinois expect to see from their leaders.

I hope you will join me in supporting Mark Kirk’s campaign for U. S. Senate by following this link to make a donation of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more before December 31st. Any amount you can give up to the $2400 legal limit will help his campaign as they approach their primary election in February.

His potential Democrat challengers are well-funded. The national Democratic Party does not want to lose Barack Obama’s former Senate seat. And they will do whatever it takes to keep control of this seat. So I hope you will take a moment today to support his campaign by giving as generously as you can.

Thank you for your support and I wish you and your family a happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. I have been honored and humbled to have your support in the past, and I hope Mark Kirk can count on you to help him win what will be a competitive campaign. Please follow this link to make an immediate contribution to help Mark Kirk’s campaign start 2010 with as much financial strength as possible.Thank you.

The friend of McHenry County Blog who forwarded this to me had these comments:

“Mark Kirk shares our values and will face a competitive campaign.”

SHARES OUR VALUES?

Not any voter that I know, here in Illinois!

Pass this far and wide, and invite your contacts to contact John McCain and tell him how wrong he is.  Remember, he lost the election last year, we now have a loser telling us to vote for a loser?  I don’t think so!

Kirk:

• voted against the troop surge in Iraq;
• received an F- from the NRA; 1
• 100% rating from Planned Parenthood;
• against traditional marriage;
• voted for Cap and Trade

… these among other liberal voting records of Mark Kirk.

Maybe McCain doesn’t know Kirk’s voting record, and that WE THE PEOPLE have had enough!