Last week, Democratic state representative candidate Daniel Biss' campaign began fielding calls from 17th District women reporting that they had received a "push poll" intended to mislead them about his position on reproductive choice. According to Biss campaign manager Julie Sweet, the voice on the other end first asked the voters receiving the call if they were pro-choice. If they answered yes, the caller would then ask if they knew that incumbent GOP Rep. Beth Coulson is the "only pro-choice candidate" in the race. Sweet said the campaign initially received complaints from voters in Wilmette, but have since heard similar accounts from women in Northbrook and Skokie. The office reported receiving about two to three complaints per night, mostly from female voters over the age of 40.
Today, the group Citizens for Choice and Integrity bought an ad in the Pioneer Press and several other Sun-Times News Group publications in the 17th District. It features a letter signed by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and 38 other local women objecting to these tactics. An excerpt:
As longtime active supporters of reproductive freedom, we are gratified that both candidates for the Illinois State Legislature in the 17th District -- the Republican incumbent as well as Democratic challenger Daniel Biss -- are staunchly pro-choice. [...]
We are therefore dismayed that some pro-choice advocacy groups have not only endorsed the 17th District's Republican incumbent, but are already working hard to defeat pro-choice Democrat Daniel Biss. An unidentified group or individual has even gone so far as to pay for a push poll, a false and misleading survey, that claims he is not pro-choice. We are surprised the Republican incumbent Elizabeth Coulson would allow herself to benefit from such tactics.
We strongly urge the Republican incumbent and her supporters to take the same high road that Mr. Biss has taken in his campaign and immediately put an end to the false statements. It takes more than simply denying responsibility. The Republican incumbent should take action to prevent these kinds of false and misleading tactics used by her supporters, now and in the future, and publicly acknowledge Daniel Biss's commitment to reproductive freedom.
Read the whole thing here.
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