IL 14: Observer Ranks GOP Debate Performance

Commenter “Correcting” watched the Batavia 14th congressional district forum and pens the following observations:

I’m going to grade them similar to like we did last time.

Catella: C Many of his answers are non-answers to the questions and go down some educational, philosophical path. He’s more intelligent than people think, he has a good sense of humor, and once again he had some decent answers or some decent parts of answers. There was also some really bad stuff and stuff he was unprepared on. Overall, you know why Catella isn’t a top tier candidate. Hard to say whether it was a better night for him than the first debate.

Evans: B- As with a lot of the answers from multiple candidates, we’ve heard much of this before. It bordered on repetitive and canned, but he still had alright answers for the most part and still came across as more of a relatable person than most the candidates. It’s hard to keep up with expectations when the bar is set high which Evans set for himself after the first debate. He had some awkward pauses and at times it seemed like he was reading off a script. People will now doubt whether he can take on Underwood; they’ll question whether the first debate was a fluke. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great.

Gradel: B+ He did better than he did in the first debate. I got the impression that corruption is the issue he wants to tackle the most, and he made a good case for himself in terms of raising money, so now I have some idea of why he’s here. Many of the other answers weren’t that memorable but at least seemed more passionate this time. It helped him that there were other candidates who had a bad night. His specific solutions to healthcare was something most, if not all, the other candidates lacked so that was good. It may be too little too late for Ted. He really needs to get a commercial, mailer, or something big because debates alone, I don’t believe, will get him across the finish line.

Lauf: L I’m giving her the letter L for loss because the A/B/C grading system of last debate isn’t an appropriate range for this debate. The gulf between the contenders and pretenders was HUGE and it really showed last night. Lauf had an awful night. It was brutal. I sincerely felt bad for her. She is unprepared and unknowledgable on issues, possibly worse than Catella in this regard, but also lacking Catella’s optimistic, patriotic, unifying charm. She fumbled with words, still used um a lot, didn’t know about issues, and responded to some questions with little to no elaboration.

Marter: A- Marter showed consistency and quality. We should expect that. Marter’s been saying pretty much the same thing for years now.

Oberweis: He should get the lowest grade possible. Even candidates who didn’t have a good night at least bothered to show up and there’s something to be said about being in the arena like Teddy Roosevelt said. The absence reflects poorly on Jim Oberweis. Look, NOBODY likes the League of Women Voters, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t like. That’s part of life. I don’t know if he had a prior engagement, but voters will wonder what was more important than a debate right before the primary and they may judge him worse for it.

Rezin– A Rezin gave me the impression that she is the only person, along with with Marter, who can go toe to toe with Underwood content-wise, but Rezin is the only candidate who gives me the impression she could also BEAT Underwood in a general election. She makes a strong electability case and she knows a lot about the issues. Even when she differs from her primary opponents, she does so in a thoughtful and respectful way and doesn’t come across as some wacky outlier or spiteful contrarian. For the most part, however, she tries showing how she is in line with the Republican Party.

The debate was too short, there were too many disrespectful women in the audience not following rules, and there were too many questions written by goofball lefties instead of people who are actually going to vote in the Republican primary. On the other hand, they did cover some important topics and the questions were short and to the point. The format had the potential to make this debate better than the previous one, if only they had been given another 30-60 minutes.


Comments

IL 14: Observer Ranks GOP Debate Performance — 8 Comments

  1. Lol ok Matt Quigley.

    I also saw and was at the debate.

    And we all know you’re working for Oberweis so of course, you’re going to give Lauf a Loss.

    You are not fooling anyone.

  2. Thanks for the summary.

    I’m going to hop scotch through it, but appreciate the grading system.

    One comment, at the start of the Debate, unless I missed it, or it was already done—unlike at MCC, the LOWV did NOT do the Pledge of Allegiance.

    They did however take the opportunity to let everyone know they were founded 100 years ago.

    LOWV got something against being Patriotic in Public?

  3. I hear Oberweis was in Florida.

    When is running in an election to be held 6 weeks from now that is cavalier–perhaps why he has such a record of losing elections.

    Last year he spent weeks in Kenya and then Ireland in addition to visiting his wife in Florida.

    That Lauf didn’t know what ERA is, is one more indication she is not ready for prime time.

    If Gradel becomes the GOP nominee the only issue will be his Stem Cell business in FL that was shut down last year by the FDA in federal court because among other things their dangerous treatments led to the blindness of three women.

    He was the Co-onwer and Managing Director.

    One of only two individuals listed in the federal court case and he signed the court consent decree barring him for life from practicing biologics.

    Are we really going to get through the primary with him skating on this scandal?

    Because believe you me Underwood & Co will put his candidacy in a blender until it’s mush.

  4. So you think I’m Quigley and I work for Oberweis even though our writing styles are nothing alike and I said Oberweis should get the lowest grade possible??

    Not only are you wrong in assuming I’m Quigley, but there’s no logic to your argument.

    And how do you know Quigley is an Oberweis supporter?

    That’s not what I heard, and Quigley sure loves paling around with the Marter people!

    Quigley comments on this blog under his own name as far as I know.

    Didn’t Cal just write a post about not assuming people’s identities?

  5. First comment ever on this blog, but responding to J.

    Politically speaking, I’m working for no one.

    I’ve endorsed no one. I

    ‘ve accepted no money or favors from anyone.

    I have however donated money to a candidate, walked and collected signatures for them.

    It was not Oberweis, but feel free to check the FEC filings or State Board of Elections for the signature sheet if you’re so inclined.

    Republicans believe hard data trumps accusations every time, and the hard data will verify everything I’ve said.

    Let’s pretend your incorrect conspiracy theory is right for a moment though.

    If I actually was, why on earth would I write a scathing review and say Oberweis should get the “lowest grade possible”, while giving an A rating to the person polling in second place?

    That would be like working at McDonald’s, standing in the drive-through with a sign saying “Go to Wendy’s, they have better burgers”.

    It’s silly and doesn’t pass the smell test.

    Finally, of course I was at the debate, and the first one as well.

    I was the first to jump into the race to see Lauren Underwood, and her obvious far-left positions challenged and defeated.

    I care deeply about IL-14 and the impact it has on the people of Illinois as well as the country.

    It was extremely difficult to make the decision to exit the race, but I did so as my Mom was diagnosed, lost the ability to reliably walk, and had to have brain surgery over the summer with an uncertain future.

    I can honestly say I did not expect that to happen 4 months into my first ever attempt at political office, and I realized it would be too much of a distraction to continue.

    I thank God she’s doing better now after the surgery, which is partly why I’m active again.

    As a former Naval Officer who drove warships as the Officer of the Deck, I was taught: If you cannot fully devote yourself to the task at hand, when people are counting on you, the right thing to do is step aside for someone who can.

    I followed my training.

    I fully stand by my decision.

    I serve God, Family, and Country, in that order.

    I’m not going to stop supporting the conservative cause or helping deserving Republicans win races through collecting signatures, donating, and doing what I can to change hearts and minds.

    I grew up here, left to defend the country through military service, and came back and started two successful businesses.

    I could have chosen anywhere to live, but Illinois is my home, it’s now my growing family’s home and I will fight to see our state rebound and thrive.

    I’ve literally had the Iranian Revolutionary Guard point weapons at me in the Middle East, provided first aid to shattered bodies and limbs in Haiti, and risked my savings to start a business.

    I will not be stopped by petty rumors.

    They are the tools of the weak and cowardly.

    This is a new Republican party, weakness and cowardice have no place in it.

    I’m a Republican, I wear it with a badge of honor, and I don’t hide my face, or hide behind an alias.

    I get out and involved with the community because that’s how we win.

    To anyone who reads this, for all the fighting we do with each other in the party, the answer isn’t to attack one another, its to walk out our front door, talk to our neighborhood and share our message.

    We should register new voters and work for the candidates we care about.

    To quote a friend.

    “Stop talking and start walking”.

    It’s hard, but if we follow those steps, we will win back this state race by race.

  6. Responding to Correcting.

    Absolutely, though I’d say I pal around with friends, not just people. Marter joined the race a few weeks I left it. Some of my earliest supporters went on to support his campaign. Some went to Oberweis, some later went to Lauf, some are now backing Gradel, and Jerry Evans lives a few minutes down the road from me. As the first person in the race, I made a lot of friends. Just because people are supporting different candidates doesn’t mean they aren’t still friends, or else March 18th would be really awkward. I wrote a few months ago on my Facebook page that I personally don’t believe in endorsing anyone. It’s because I don’t think my own endorsement should carry any special weight. I’m just a guy who passionately stepped forward days after the election, proclaimed my beliefs and worked hard to meet the district. I’m a regular citizen like anyone else, perhaps more vocal than most. In short, as a private citizen, I don’t think I’ve earned the right yet for an endorsement to mean anything, and that it would be arrogant of me to do so. I’m by no means perfect, but I try to avoid the sin of pride as much as possible.

  7. I saw it –

    and I would hardly consider someone asking for the entire policy or legislation or this case Amendment, to be fully said instead of abbreviated as “stupid.”

    Or not ready for “primetime.”

    She still answered No indicating that she did know what ERA means.

  8. 🇺🇸 Matt … well said and THANK YOU for your service to our GREAT country!

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