Illinois Review had comments under an article by former State Senator Mark Rhoads Saturday suggesting that Metro East Congressman John Shimkus (R) would be put in the same district with Democrat Jerry Costello.
Don Manzullo applauded Joe Walsh's comments at the McHenry County Tea Party co-sponsored candidates' night at McHenry County College.
Commenter “The Oncoming Storm” disagrees with emphasis on the two congressional districts covering McHenry County.
The scenario I believe will be in motion will be to target Congressman Don Manzullo of the 16th district. Manzullo won his 10th term last month and is the dean among Republican House members from Illinois.
I see the Democrats drawing Walsh’s new district to combine him with Congressman Manzullo, which will quickly force the retirement question on Manzullo, who will complete his 20th year of congressional service in 2012. [Walsh did speak to a Tea Party function in Rockford, which is way out of his 8th congressional district.]
If Manzullo decides not to retire, then Manzullo and Walsh fight for the Republican nomination in the primary. If Manzullo retires, then Walsh will be nominee.
Jack Franks, but not from the Tea Party candidates' night, which he ducked, as did Melissa Bean.
Enter State Representative Jack Franks (D, Marengo) into the congressional race in 2012 against Walsh. Franks has won 7 terms as state representative in northern and western “Republican” McHenry County, is a proven fundraiser in state campaigns, was one of the most vocal Democratic critics throughout Governor Blagojevich’s tenure, and has consistently brought state funding into projects across McHenry County.Combine the new Walsh district with the McHenry County, Boone County, and heavily union Rockford/Winnebago area with the Cook County, heavily minority populations of Elgin, as well as Aurora and Carpentersville in Kane County, and you have a Democratic fertile congressional district for Franks to unseat Walsh.
Phil Collins added this:
The most conservative Illinois congressman is Manzullo, so the Democrats will probably give parts of his district to the districts of Walsh, Hultgren, and Schilling.
Manzullo would probably retire, and Democrats will think that they would defeat at least two of those other three Republicans, since all of them will be in their first terms.
There is also another comment from Pete Speer which perceptively addresses the Lake County part of Walsh’s district.
OH gee, they will get to choose between an outright unabashed corporate whore like manzullo or some supported by the nutjob teabagger establishment.
It is always humorous to see the “Mark Taylors” engaging in adult political discussions.
It’s not 1994 when people got all of their information and “this is how you should think” from the lamestream media.
Wow, you aren’t even bright enough to get my name right, no wonder your comments are so moronic.
I don’t understand why Mutt Tinkle has to call people names. Why can’t we have a civil discourse here?
Manzullo and Walsh are patriotic Christian Americans who follow the Declaration of Independence and the teachings of Christ.
They are not for sodomizing their neighbor nor killing their unborn children.
I think every American who believes in God and Country should think the same way.
If people don’t want to believe that way, then there is Cuba, China, North Korea and some other places where they might feel more comfortable.
All this speculation is largely a waste of time at this point. Since the IL GOP blew one of the best chances in many years to win a larger role in Springfield, we basically just have to wait and see what the Dems impose.
Since the 8th, 10th, 11th, and 14th have all been competitive for the Dems in the last few election cycles, my guess is that they will try to set themselves up to win one or more of those collar county areas back. The bizarre gerrymandering of the 17th didn’t save it for them, so my hunch is that the 17th is the district which will get absorbed back into others so that they can push more predictable Dems into the Chicago collar districts.