IL-11

IL-11: Kinzinger Afraid Of Recorded Debates?

Josh Kalven — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:24:01 -0800

On Tuesday, the conservative group Concerned United Taxpayers hosted a debate featuring the four Republican primary contenders in the 11th Congressional District. One of the candidates, David McAloon, had a member of his campaign filming the forum (as is quite common in this day and age). But apparently it was too much for frontrunner Adam Kinzinger to handle, as the Kankakee Daily Journal reported (subscription required):

Before his candidate had arrived, Kinzinger campaign manager Erik Rayman picked up the campaign literature and fliers and left the four-candidate event saying the debate rules agreed upon more than a week ago had changed.

Rayman was upset because the debate, sponsored by Concerned United Taxpayers, allowed a video camera inside the community room at the Bourbonnais Municipal Center. He said all had agreed not to allow video cameras.

Here's some video of moderator Andrea Taylor announcing that Kinzinger and his campaign manager had exited the building "for whatever reason":

And here's Taylor's spot-on comment to the Journal:

But, she said, allowing cameras inside a debate is not an unreasonable request. “If he thinks there are not going to be cameras at future debates he might be wrong,” Taylor said. “You can’t get away from video. This is going to happen. I don’t understand a temper tantrum like this.”

It's 2009, Adam. There's no hiding anymore.

Also, it's worth noting that, in an August 30 letter to the Bloomington Pantagraph, Kinzinger attempted to criticize incumbent Democrat Debbie Halvorson for not holding any public meetings on health care. In fact, like many other members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, she had opted to hold several tele-town halls on the issue (with thousands of participants).

2010 Grab Bag: Giannoulias Snags More Endorsements, Republicans Unravel, and Meet President Preckwinkle? (UPDATED)

Angela Caputo — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:11:00 -0700

Here's our latest roundup on 2010 political news ...

Giannoulias Snags More Endorsements

Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias racked up a few more endorsements this week, including one from the Illinois Democratic County Chairman’s Association (ILDCCA) on Wednesday. ILDCCA's President Alan Pirtle explained in a statement why the local chairs are ready to throw their political organizations behind his Senate primary campaign:

"We feel that Alexi Giannoulias has the vision, work ethic, and skill to lead efforts to invest in American jobs and American workers [and] not give tax breaks to companies that ship our jobs overseas from a seat in the United States Senate. He has shown tremendous commitment to the people of Illinois and their values such that he will serve all of Illinois in an effective and honorable way."

Meanwhile, the executive committee and 48 local affiliates of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) voted unanimously to back Giannoulias as well. In his endorsement, LIUNA Vice President and Midwest Regional Manager John Penn made it clear that labor hasn't forgotten how Giannoulias went toe-to-toe with Wells Fargo when the bank tried to liquidate Hartmarx, Inc. and send its employees packing. From a statement:

"When a bank that does business with our state threatened to pull the plug on 1,000 Illinois jobs, Alexi told them they could forget about managing $8 billion in state money. The bank relented and the jobs were saved because Alexi stood up for Illinois workers. That’s the kind of leader we need in the U.S. Senate."

UPDATE: Not all Democrats are convinced Giannoulias is the best candidate, according to Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed. Today, Sneed quotes an anonymous "top Dem" who says the party is trying to field Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart to run for the state's junior Senate seat. Stay tuned for Dart's response.

Biden Stumps For Halvorson

Framing the 2010 congressional election cycle as a crucial moment for President Obama's agenda to reform health care, the financial services sector, and environmental policy, Vice President Joe Biden stumped on behalf of Rep. Debbie Halvorson's (D-11th) bid to reclaim her seat Thursday afternoon. "If you're ever going to be in this business," Biden said at a Chicago fundraiser, "this is the moment."

Is Preckwinkle The "Last Candidate Standing?"

With most of the serious contenders for the Cook County Board presidency either dropping out or hedging on next year's race, Steve Rhodes asks if Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward) might end up the "last candidate standing long before the race even arrives." He runs down the latest developments on his blog over at NBC and concludes:

It's still early, but it looks like the pieces are falling into place for a President Preckwinkle.

Go read the whole thing here.

The Republican Party Changes It's Face

Illinois Republicans tried to brush their intra-party squabbles under the rug during Republican Day at the state fair. But it wasn't easy to spin the surprise many felt Thursday when Republican Party Chair Andy McKenna abruptly stepped down from his post only to be quickly replaced by national committeeman Pat Brady.

Brady himself tried to downplay the leadership change, suggesting that nobody is really paying attention to politics now. "You know what, it's August," he told the Daily Herald. "Most people are on vacation. Most of the media is on vacation. The president is on vacation."

State Senator Matt Murphy apparently disagrees with his new party chair. That morning, the GOP gubernatorial hopeful launched an attack ad against his presumptive campaign rival in the Republican primary, state Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale). Yet the piece did not once mention his opponent by name. Watch the 60-second spot that's airing downstate:

2010 Grab Bag: Kennedy Off The Radar, Biden To Fundraise For Halvorson

Progress Illinois — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:59:07 -0700

A couple quick updates from the 2010 field in Illinois ...

A new Roll Call article on Alexi Giannoulias' "consolidation" of support in the U.S. Senate primary ends with this tidbit regarding Merchandise Mart CEO Chris Kennedy, who was reportedly considering a run for the seat:

At least two well-placed sources who were working with Kennedy on his potential bid said they have been out of communication with him for several weeks and they do not expect him to run for office. What’s more, several Illinois Democrats said they had heard nothing from Kennedy or his associates in recent weeks. [...]

This isn’t the first time that Kennedy has openly considered a race for federal office then ended up not pulling the trigger on a campaign. He also considered running for Kirk’s House seat, as well as this Senate seat in 2004.

There have been suspicions all along has been that Kennedy, despite his earlier leaks to the local press, wouldn't end up launching a campaign. Looks like they may have been on the mark.

Meanwhile, gubernatorial candidate and state comptroller Dan Hynes announced an endorsement today:

Former U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III said he will support Hynes. Stevenson is from one of the best-known political families in Illinois history. He said he can't think of a better way to continue his family's legacy than to endorse Hynes. [...]

"I'm suggesting that we can do better with Dan Hynes, who commands throughout our government already and has that experience," Stevenson said.

In other news, Lynn Sweet reports that Vice President Joe Biden is planning to "fund-raise for the House members the Democratic House politiical operation deem the most vunerable." Apparently, this effort involves him attending an August 20 Chicago fundraiser for Rep. Debbie Halvorson, who is running for reelection in the 11th Congressional District.

Second Quarter Fundraising Figures

Progress Illinois — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:27:13 -0700

The federal filing deadline for the second quarter of 2009 passed this week. Below you'll find the relevant totals for the U.S. Senate race as well as several potentially competitive House races:

Giannoulias' $1.6 million in cash-on-hand has already attracted some headlines, particularly considering that the other talked-about Democratic contenders -- Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Jackson and Merchandise Mart Properties CEO Chris Kennedy -- have yet to start fundraising.

Meanwhile, State Sen. Michael Bond's lackluster fundraising numbers in the 10th Congressional District also raised some eyebrows. But as Capitol Fax noted yesterday, that total only represents a month's worth of fundraising and he plans to pick up the pace once Kirk officially launches his Senate bid on Monday:

Bond told me today he hopes to push hard and fast after Kirk finally announces and quickly report new fundraising numbers. That’s an absolute must.

You'll also notice that both Democrat Scott Harper and Republican Ethan Hastert (son of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert) have begun raising money for their respective campaigns in the 13th and 14th congressional districts. Both are off to a slow start, but we'll have to wait and see what they bring in during the 3rd quarter.

Potential Halvorson Challenger Surfaces

Josh Kalven — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:13:45 -0800

While the 2010 midterm elections seem far off (especially today), there are some early rumblings across the state as congressional challengers gear up to start raising money and building their profile. Case in point: Rep. Debbie Halvorson may already have an opponent. Following suggestions to this effect on several local conservative blogs last month, Roll Call reports today that Air Force pilot Adam Kinzinger is "aggressively" exploring a 2010 bid on the GOP ticket:

Kinzinger met with the National Republican Congressional Committee on a trip to Washington, D.C., earlier this month. Additionally, Kinzinger’s campaign also said in a press release that he met with GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) as well as Illinois GOP Reps. Mark Kirk and Peter Roskam.

Kinzinger has a somewhat janky campaign website up and running. On it, he argues in favor of cutting taxes by repeating the misleading claim that the corporate tax burden is higher in the U.S. than most other countries, makes the case for increased border security by fearmongering about terrorists infiltrating our country via Mexico, and says this of our presence in Iraq: "We must not leave this theatre until the United States can do so without any loss to the objectives that define her involvement."

Is this the path Illinois Republicans see to a "restoration" of their party?

IL-11: Marty, Where Are You?

Adam Doster — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:05:00 -0800

On my way east from Joliet to Indiana this afternoon, I swung by the Mokena-based campaign office of Marty Ozinga. The 11th District GOP congressional candiate operates out of an office building tucked behind his own massive concrete plants. I figured I'd hang around the parking lot and talk to some volunteers as they made their way to or from the building.

I waited. And waited. And walked around the building. And stood by the door. But I didn't see one soul. Granted, it's entirely possible that his field staff was already hard at work getting Republicans to the polls. Unfortunately for 11th District conservatives, I kind of doubt it.

IL-11: Happy Days Are Here In Joliet

Adam Doster — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:10:41 -0800

Across the country, heavy turnout has forced many voters to endure seemingly interminable lines. Democratic congressional candidate Debbie Halvorson, on the other hand, breezed right through her polling place in far-south suburban Crete. And frankly, that was just fine with her. "My precinct is technically more Republican," she told me from her campaign headquarters in Joliet. "So there was no line at all! I got right in."

That's not to say turnout was depressed everywhere in the sprawling 11th Congressional District. Only 30,000 people took advantage of early voting there, in part because of the location of various county clerk's offices. But Halvorson campaign manager Brian Doory said polling places were jammed this morning in Kankakee (a Democratic stronghold), Bourbonnais, and Frankfort.

Halvorson said that concern over the direction of the economy is what she thinks is attracting so many residents to the polls. "People are hurting," she said. "Housing prices are down, wages are down, and expenses are up. It's the same everywhere you go."

In the past four days, Doory estimates that campaign volunteers knocked on 70,000 doors (35,000 on Saturday alone), distributing literature and talking about the issues. Sixty volunteers had already filtered through the headquarters by 10:15 AM. Two drove a giant campaign van through the streets of Joliet reminding people to vote. A speaker atop the vehicle blared "Happy Days Are Here Again."

In a district that straddles multiple media markets -- meaning television ads aren't as cost-effective -- the Dems are hoping Halvorson's ground operation puts her over the top.

Ozinga Goes On Self-Funding Spree

Josh Kalven — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:02:35 -0700

GOP congressional candidate Marty Ozinga had loaned $320,000 of his own money to his 11th District campaign by the end of the third quarter. Campaign finance reports show that, in the month since, he has given an additional $250,000 to the effort, bringing his total personal contribution to $570,000 this election year. This amount flies in the face of Ozinga's statement in September that he wouldn't be "writing big checks for my own campaign. I just don't believe in that."

It also begs the queston: if the Supreme Court had not struck down the Millionaire's Amendment earlier this year, would Democrat Debbie Halvorson now be able to raise some last-minute funds from her maxed-out donors?

First some background.

After Tim Baldermann bowed out of the race shortly after winning the GOP primary, many surmised that the county chairmen in charge of choosing a replacement would pick the wealthy Ozinga due to his ability to self-fund. But once tapped as the Republican candidate, Ozinga tamped down those expectations, telling the Tribune on May 1 that he would not spend more than $350,000.

At the time, crossing that $350,000 threshold triggered the Millionaire's Amendment, which -- depending on certain conditions -- could have potentially tripled (from $2,300 to $6,900) the maximum individual contribution to his opponents. In June, however, t he Supreme Court struck down that particular law. When Tribune reporter David Mendell asked whether the ruling changed Ozinga's gameplan, campaign manager Andy Sere didn't necessarilly rule out exceeding the $350,000 mark. "He's not planning to spend a ton of money out of his pocket," Sere said. "[H]e has not made a decision on how much exactly he is going to spend."

Then, appearing before the Tribune editorial board this fall, Ozinga declared: "I won't be writing big checks for my own campaign. I just don't believe in that." Watch it:

As of September 29 -- the date of the editorial board meeting -- Ozinga had only loaned his campaign $220,000.* During the following month, he handed over an additional $250,000. In a press release yesterday, the Halvorson campaign asked this apt question: "If that's not a 'big check' to millionaire Marty Ozinga ... what is?" The campaign also pointed out that Ozinga had said "I still feel middle class" during that same Tribune meeting.

So would Ozinga's personal loans have triggered the Millionaire's Amendment, allowing donors to triple their maximum contributions to Halvorson? Yes. But the threshold in this case would have been $554,000 -- not $350,000. This is because the formula for the now-defunct amendment takes into account any disparity in fundraising early in the election year. Halvorson had raised $408,000 by January 31 and Ozinga nothing (he wouldn't become a candidate until months later), so the $350,000 threshold would have been raised by half that amount -- to $554,000.

Would the increased contirbution limits have made a difference in the final week of the campaign? Perhaps. As of October 15, the two campaigns were pretty evenly matched in terms of cash-on-hand (Ozinga with $206,000, Halvorson with $237,000). She could have made an instant appeal to her maxed-out donors and maybe covered some additional advertising before Election Day.

Would that have really been necessary at this point? With recent polls showing Halvorson ahead by double digits, probably not. But we'll find out for sure on Election Day.

*CORRECTION: This post originally stated that, as of September 29, Ozinga had loaned his campaign only $70,000. In fact, at that time he had loaned himself $220,000.

Immigrant Activists Kick Off Massive GOTV Effort

Angela Caputo — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:35:47 -0700

When hundreds of thousands of Chicago residents took to the streets in 2006 to protest congressional efforts to criminalize illegal immigrants, they joined millions across the nation in pledging: "Today we march, tomorrow we vote."

Two years later, many of those same folks poised to deliver on that message. At a pre-election rally on Chicago's Near West Side last night, motivated activists and volunteers geared up to move more than 100,000 immigrant voters to the polls on November 4.

By mobilizing voters in key congressional districts -- including 33,000 in IL-10 and IL-11 alone -- organizers at Illinois Immigrant Action (IIA) are confident that this election cycle will broaden the political influence of the state's immigrant population.

This new wave of voters could have a dramatic effect on the tight race for the 10th Congressional District. In recent months, IIA organizers have registered and connected with thousands of voters there, primarily in the Latino stronghold of Waukegan. Considering GOP Rep. Mark Kirk's anti-immigration record, this demographic is likely to lean strongly towards Democratic challenger Dan Seals.

"We will drown them out with our vote," said U.S. Rep. Luis Guiterrez at last night's rally, which the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) organized. He told those gathered in the Teamsters Hall ballroom that it's time to target legislators who've supported increasingly punitive immigration policies.

Beyond Gutierrez, the event featured speeches from Mayor Richard Daley, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and City Clerk Miguel del Valle. This impressive roster is a testament to how ICIRR has outgrown its origins as a small coalition of Chicago nonprofits and emerged as an electoral force and a leader in the nation's immigration debate.

The prospect of tipping the balance of power to a clear Democratic majority in the U.S. House by getting a few thousands new voters out to the polls in places like Joliet, Aurora, and Waukegan has members of Illinois' immigrant community increasingly optimistic that comprehensive reform may be within reach during the next Congress.

"Your votes will be heard," a red-faced Daley shouted to the crowded hall of voters from all seven continents. Decrying the ongoing immigration raids nationwide, he added: "This is not the America we believe in. We believe in fairness, of children and families staying together."

New DCCC Ads Hit 10th And 11th Districts

Josh Kalven — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:21:15 -0700

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has a new ad out hitting 11th District GOP candidate Marty Ozinga as "out for himself -- not for us." Watch it:

The DCCC also has a new spot up in the 10th District that uses snippets from local media outlets to whack GOP Rep. Mark Kirk: