by Josh Kalven on October 14, 2008 - 10:25am
Scott Harper, the Democratic candidate challenging GOP Rep. Judy in the 13th District, is less than two hours away from completing a 24-hour tour of the district. When I first heard about the idea, I assumed that he would be taking a break in the wee hours. But I stand corrected. A look at the schedule shows that he kept on moving straight through the night, even meeting with night-shift workers at 3:30 this morning:
by Adam Doster on October 07, 2008 - 12:05pm
Our senatorial neighbor to the north, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, is
lending a hand to two congressional candidates here in Illinois. The
progressive champion's political action committee, the Progressive
Patriots Fund, has vowed to donate
$5,000 to 10 House challengers in emerging races that haven't generated
much support from traditional Democratic organizations. Among the
candidates identified for Feingold's Expand the Map" campaign are Scott Harper in the 13th and Colleen Callahan in the 18th. You can find more information here.
(Thanks to commenter markg8 for sending in the tip.)
by Angela Caputo on September 12, 2008 - 1:16pm
Based on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) latest decision
to add the 13th Congressional District contest to its list of "emerging
races," it appears that party leaders are increasingly confident that
they have a shot at winning the Republican-controlled seat this fall.
Congressional Quarterly hinted that Democratic candidate Scott Harper was looking viable when it changed the 13th's status from "Safe Republican" to "Leans Republican" in July. "This a race to keep an eye on for signs of increased competitiveness," CQ reported.
Biggert seemed to be feeling the heat at the time. Days later, she released internal polling numbers to The Hill as evidence of her popularity among the district's voters.
An ability to raise some serious campaign cash -- $375,000 as of the end of June (plus $146,000 of his own money) -- is what put Harper on the radar of Democratic party leaders.
by Josh Kalven on July 31, 2008 - 10:45am
The Hill has an interesting article out on internal polling released by 13th District GOP Rep. Judy Biggert. The mid-June survey by American Viewpoint Inc. shows her leading Democratic challenger Scott Harper by 25 points and puts her approval rating at 67 percent. The Harper campaign begs to differ:
Democrat Scott Harper’s campaign disputed those numbers, citing its own polling data, which it says shows the incumbent’s job approval below 50 percent. [...]
Harper’s campaign manager, Sarah Topy, said the Biggert campaign’s decision to release the poll underscored the race’s competitiveness, arguing that Harper is the most serious challenger Biggert has ever faced.
“This is a real race,” Topy added. “Voters are tired of failed leadership and the Bush-Biggert agenda.”
Who knows what the actual landscape looks like in the 13th at the moment. But Topy is right that Biggert's decision to release internal numbers -- to a national outlet, no less -- proves that she's feeling some serious pressure in the wake of Harper's competitive second quarter fundraising.
UPDATE: The Harper campaign has released some of their own 13th District polling numbers (conducted by Fako & Associates between July 15 and July 17). The highlights:
- 71 percent of respondents feel the country is on the "wrong track."
- Biggert's approval rating dropped by 48 percent in November 2007 to 43 percent.
- Democratic affiliation is gradually increasing in the district, while GOP affilitation is dropping.
by Josh Kalven on July 19, 2008 - 5:41pm
Yesterday, I had a chance to talk with 13th District Democratic congressional candidate Scott Harper at the Austin Convention Center, where Netroots Nation is being held. I asked him about his solid fundraising during the second quarter and about his thoughts on the rising unemployment rate in Illinois:
by Josh Kalven on June 16, 2008 - 9:51am
Late last week, Democratic congressional challenger Scott Harper launched a website devoted to documenting GOP incumbent Rep. Judy Biggert's support of the Bush agenda. It can be found at www.therealjudybiggert.com and is worth checking out.
In the Iraq section, the Harper campaign points out that Biggert "said in November 2006 that Iraqis would be able to handle their responsibilities alone 'within the next 12 to 18 months.' " That 18-month period would have ended in May and it appears that the Iraqi troops aren't quite ready to go it alone. If I were Harper, I'd be asking Judy for an explanation.
by Mose Buchele on May 25, 2008 - 7:19pm
When I recently visited Democrat Scott Harper’s Naperville campaign headquarters the place was full of activity. Volunteers lined a table in the middle of the office stuffing envelopes. Staffers typed intently or made calls from their desks. It was a Thursday morning, five and a half months before Election Day, but the atmosphere was charged and the group was focused. This fact alone should give Illinois Republicans pause.
Harper is running to represent the 13th Congressional District, which has long been a GOP stronghold. Once represented by none other than former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the seat is currently held by five-term Republican Judy Biggert.
But the tide might be turning. Democrat Bill Foster's upset victory in the neighboring 14th District, along with a national and local trend to the left, has many people predicting that Harper can defeat Biggert. Early indicators are hopeful. The campaign boasted record-breaking fundraising numbers in their first quarter, and the district has been included in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) list of targeted seats in November. Adding to this momentum is Harper’s contention that he will fight harder than any of the district's previous Democratic candidates to ensure his message is heard.
A native son of the 13th, Harper has traveled the world during the course of his career. A successful business owner and entrepreneur, he is also an aspiring scholar in the field of social ethics.
To give our readers a better understanding of the first-time candidate, I sat down with Harper to learn more about the Democratic reawakening in the collar counties, his growing volunteer force, and why the DCCC is focusing on the race. We also discussed a variety of policy matters including Iraq, the importance of electricity in any national energy policy, and how his experience with manufacturing helped shape his economic views.
by Mose Buchele on May 22, 2008 - 5:14pm
As the Senate passed the new G.I. Bill today by a veto-proof majority, 13th District congressional candidate Scott Harper held a press conference calling attention to the voting record of his opponent, Republican Rep. Judy Biggert, who opposed the bill in the House.
From the Harper campaign press release:
“Judy Biggert’s vote against the GI Bill is outrageous,” said Harper. “Time and again, she has been on the wrong side of these important issues and her vote on this recent legislation is a failure of leadership.”
In addition to her vote on the GI Bill, Harper also criticized Biggert for numerous other votes against veterans, including in 2007, when she came out against a budget that would have increased funding for veterans’ health care by $6.7 billion. She also voted against expanding TRICARE to provide health benefits for National Guard members and reservists, and she voted down the Webb Amendment to increase time off between combat tours overseas.
Harper was joined by veterans of Desert Storm and the Vietnam war in supporting the new G.I. Bill. The group has begun circulating a petition to encourage expanding veterans benefits.
by Josh Kalven on May 05, 2008 - 9:59am
Watching the 13th Congressional District, that is.
We noted in early April that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) had added IL-13 to it's list of targeted races. This means they intend to offer organizational and research assistance to Scott Harper's bid to unseat Republican Rep. Judy Biggert. Today, the Herald News reports on this "national nod," noting that the DCCC isn't ruling out naming Harper to its high-profile "Red-To-Blue" list later in the year:
"There's no firm commitment at this point, but we're hopeful down the road," Harper said.
Ryan Rudominer, Midwest regional press secretary for the committee, said the DCCC is watching the 13th District, although he declined to comment on whether the party would contribute financially to Harper's campaign.
"Congresswoman Biggert has largely ignored the economic needs of middle-class families, she rubber stamps President Bush's failed agenda and we're keeping an eye on this race," Rudominer said.
In related news, the Harper campaign organized 38 volunteers over the weekend to canvass for Obama in Lafayette, IN. Over at Prairie State Blue, Mark Garrity has a first-hand run-down. For more on Chicagoland Obama supporters volunteering for him in Indiana, check out Mose's recent feature.
by Josh Kalven on May 01, 2008 - 11:58am
Here's 13th District congressional candidate Scott Harper's statement on the "Mission Accomplished" anniversary:
“President Bush and his allies in Congress like Judy Biggert have botched this war from the beginning,” said Harper. “Five years after the President declared major combat over, the war in Iraq continues to take a grave toll on our troops and their families, our military readiness, the fight against terrorism, our standing in the world and on the American economy."
“We’ve lost thousands of our finest young men and women since President Bush declared major combat ended,” said Harper. “And instead of demanding timetables and accountability to get us out of Iraq, Judy Biggert has given George Bush a $500 billion blank check to wage this war.”
“We need a new direction in Iraq to start phasing out our presence and withdrawing our troops so that the Iraqi government takes responsibility for themselves,” said Harper. “And we need benchmarks and accountability to ensure progress is being made there.”
“Maybe George Bush and Judy Biggert think the mission in Iraq has been accomplished but I don’t think the American people do,” said Harper.
