I’ve mentioned before that I think Jack Franks might run for Congress.
That thought runs hot and cold as we approach the filing date.
Jack Franks
Joe Walsh
Of course, Franks could run a place holder for Congress and file re-election for State Representative. That would allow him to see whether Randy Hultgren or Joe Walsh won the GOP primary election.
The place holder would withdraw, Franks would withdraw from his State Rep. race and gather enough signatures to allow the Democrats to put him on the fall ballot.
Prior to the back child support stories, I thought Franks more likely to want to run against Hultgren because putting Franks and Walsh on the same stage would show Franks not as dynamic.
Now I don’t know.
Franks might prefer to run against Walsh because he is unlikely to have the GOP Establishment behind him in the primary and Franks has been successful in picking off support from Republicans like McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager, among others.
The GOP didn’t even put up an opponent to Franks in several elections.
Franks might think he has a better chance of painting conservative Walsh too far out of the mainstream and as having too much personal baggage than at beating a conservative Hultgren with solidified Republican Party support.
But, let’s look at Friday’s Chicago Tribune coverage of the two legislators.
Joe Walsh made the paper with a photo for announcing that he was not going to attend President Barack Obama’s “jobs” speech. Walsh said he didn’t want to be a “prop” for another of the President’s speeches.
The Tribune calls Walsh's action a "snub."
The same paper ran a story about Franks’ leading a delegation of Illinois state lawmakers to Cuba. I notice the word “Communist” does not appear in the article.
Millionaire Franks says he will pay for the trip himself. The other state representatives are going to have their campaign contributors pay their expenses.
Franks says he wants to meet with the Cuban President Raul Castro. The word “dictator” does not appear in the article.
First trip by Illinois officials since Governor George Ryan took a trade mission there to distract attention from the Federal investigation that led to his incarceration.
In any event, compare the article above with the onebelow.
Last year Jack Franks traveled to Ireland. This year to Cuba. Is he tyring to build up his foreign affairs credentials?
Well since we are critiquing missing descriptive terms from articles, I noticed a few terms missing from your fawning article about Walsh.
Missing terms describing Walsh
1) Deadbeat Dad
2) Economic Terrorist
3) Monumental Hypocrite
4) Bigoted Zealot
In this case, I applaud Rep. Jack Franks for going to Cuba. At some point, the name calling has to stop to bring about hope for change.
The old guard of name calling of former enemies let’s hope is now passing away.
Look at all the opportunity that can come from our extending our hands to those we used to have differences with?
Cuba has much to offer, as do many other countries we have kept in the dark because of the old ‘name calling’ Pols who refuse to look beyond the past.
I wish our State Rep. Franks well and I hope Rep. Franks can make some friends in Cuba.
I hope for all our sakes, this outreach can grow to other very oil rich, culturally rich, and more than that, via some brave men and women from our government, the U.S. can some how show our neighbors that we are a “Big Brother” that can begin a new exchange of trade and travel that can be mutually beneficial to all nations within our hemisphere.
I dont’ know about anybody else, but I think it’s time to put the past where it belongs, in museums.
Jack, could you please hook me up with one of those great old Buicks the Cuban’s still drive?
Let’s pray for Rep. Franks and thank him for at least trying.
Cal, although I respect you very much, I think for the sake of our children and grand children, we need to elect those who don’t let the past dictate our future.
Word “Baiting” gets us nowhere. People are people no matter where they live in today’s world.
The sins of the father, shouldn’t be considered the destiny of a nations children’s future. Meaning “OUR” childrens futures.
Lord knows we have all had enough of all this. Its time for some forgiveness and unity and some “Hand Shaking” that leads to something!
Cuba is a beautiful country, its people are innocent, and its time we find a way both countries can benefit from a new relationship.
A local “Pol” moving beyond his boarders, just might be a brilliant move that hopefully others can follow.
I’ll book the bet that Franks doesn’t run against Walsh, how much cheese do you want to lose?