* I had been keeping this saga behind the subscriber firewall, but the AP picked up on Rep. Rosemary Mulligan’s retirement announcement, so we might as well discuss it in the open. Here’s the AP story…
Mulligan’s decision came after House Republican leader Tom Cross on Friday said he wouldn’t back her in the upcoming primary election. The primary race is now between Susan Sweeney and Kelly Schaefer. Both Park Ridge residents are write-in candidates.
Mulligan says she decided to pull out of the race because she was “spending too much time getting angry about it.” She says she looked at what happened to U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who suffered a stroke over the weekend, and thought “life is too short.”
* As you already know, Mulligan failed to file enough petitions to make it onto the primary ballot. She withdrew from the race and ran as a write-in candidate. But then, as subscribers know, two other Republicans filed to run as write-ins last week and House Republican Leader Tom Cross decided to support one of those candidates, who is allied with a Penny Pullen organization. Ironically enough, the pro-choice Mulligan beat the pro-life Pullen in 1992.
Anyway, I was out of the office for a little while late yesterday afternoon when Rosemary’s press release was issued. So, the Daily Herald beat me to the story…
“I watched the stuff going on with (U.S. Sen.) Mark Kirk (who suffered a stroke over the weekend) and I thought, you know, life is too short. You have to watch somebody like that and think, ‘Why am I racing my motor over this?’” […]
House Republican Leader Tom Cross said Friday he wouldn’t back Mulligan’s primary election bid, instead taking the rare stance of lending support to [Susan] Sweeney. […]
Cross spokeswoman Sara Wojcicki Jimenez has said Cross recruited Sweeney because House Republicans didn’t know for sure whether Mulligan would file as a write-in candidate by the deadline Jan. 19. Mulligan earlier had to pull her name from the regular ballot after conceding she did not have enough petition signatures to qualify.
If Mulligan didn’t file as a write-in, Cross feared the seat would have more easily fallen into the hands of Democratic candidate and Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan without giving the GOP a chance to put up a fight, Wojcicki Jimenez said.
I’ll have more from Mulligan for subscribers tomorrow.
Discuss.
LIVE session coverage...
- just sayin' - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:39 am:
Good lord, so the GOP will have yet another pointless nominee who will be even more of a blind rubberstamper for the pointless Tom Cross than Mulligan was.
The Republican Party in this state is a complete joke.
- Cal Skinner - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:43 am:
Maybe Rosemary and I should sit down and have our favorite drink (one thing on which she and I agree) and I’ll tell her how the House Republican Campaign Committee spent money to defeat me and she can tell me how the HRO did the same to her.
And, next year, maybe she’ll start her counterpart of my McHenry County Blog.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:44 am:
Can’t wait to see/hear what a completely unrestrained Rosemary Mulligan is like this session.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:49 am:
Sorry Cross, but this seat is DEFINITELY going to the Democrats.
You simply do not have the resources to defend an open seat race, not with so many incumbents in tight races in a presidential election AND remap year.
Without Personal PAC defending that seat for you, you might as well move on.
Personal PAC not only comes in with money, they spend it smartly, and they have one of the best issue ID lists in the state.
Beyond that, Terry Cosgrove is one of the most effective and powerful allies a Republican could hope for.
Here’s what Cosgrove does to Democrats who challenge pro-choice Republicans like Mulligan:
-He tells pro-choice Democrats not to give you money;
- He tells pro-choice elected officials not to endorse you, or send you volunteers;
- He convinces other progressive organizations to stay away from your campaign;
- He hands every piece of dirt he can find on you to reporters.
If you want to know what’s going to happen to Rosemary Mulligan’s seat, look no further than Beth Coulson’s seat.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:53 am:
Cal,
Take to heart that Cross will lose this seat, Mulligan was always the “cat with 9 lives” who kept others at bay, and when it somes down to it, the area is changing and they can’t blame Mulligan for losing.
Attention all HGOP candidates:
Cross will be with you, until he is not with you … or golfing… one of the three.
Why am I on this?
What caucus allows its members to go out on their own to get petitions, knowing they seem to always have trouble doing it (also, SGOP, you are not off the hook either with Sen. Jones!)?
Either the HGOP is inept and can’t organize, or … if they want you out, they let you end your own career, while picking a replacement … “just in case”.
Don’t forget to get a hot dog before you play the back nine, Tom…
- bored with press - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:55 am:
One of my favorite Mulligan moments was the crazed speech she gave just about having a moment of silence for those in Chicago marching for justice (the march happened to be to show solidarity to the peaceful Occupy veteran who got a brain injury from police in Oakland).
Sometimes she was venomous when you lobbied her. It is
hard not to think she is a bit too maniacal sometimes.
That said, she was sometimes pretty honest about the problems with Illinois politics, and often truly tried to do the right thing.
- Old Milwaukee - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:56 am:
Good Lord, another condescending, vitriolic, ugly post from just sayin’. As if the Illinois Democrats are the most competent group of people to ever govern a state.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:03 am:
Rosemary could make your life hell in Human Services Committee or Approprs. and I’ve been on the end of more than one frontal assualt from her but she knows the process and human service issues. I will miss her candor and knowledge of the issues.
- mark walker - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:04 am:
Sorry to see this play out. Rosemary deserved better…
A lot of the more responsible, flexible, moderate Republicans around the state are being replaced by the more ideological right-wing of the party. This makes it even harder to find compromise solutions for the state.
I wonder how much of this is a backhanded slap at Terry Cosgrove of Personal PAC, who had such success fighting Brady’s campaign for Governor.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:07 am:
Can’t be too good for caucus morale when incumbents get thrown under the bus.
- Eugene - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:18 am:
On this I agree with Yellow Dog and others. This district is more Democratic than it used to be; the new map takes away Rosemary’s best precincts. Also, Cross is backing a Pullen ally, which I assume means a strongly pro-life candidate. That will not sell in this district. Marty Moylan seems like a nice guy but is perhaps not an outstanding candidate - but under these circumstances, he doesn’t need to be. This will be a Democratic pick up in November.
- amalia - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:36 am:
Mulligan was a Personal Pac favorite. were they not in touch with her in the petition portion of the race?
wish one could get video of Madigan when he received the news that Mulligan was bowing out. happy dance!
- amalia - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:37 am:
oh, and what will happen now with the Maine Township committee post?
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:48 am:
Why do these people need their hands held at petition time? Why should the House GOP or Personal PAC or any other group need to shepherd these folks through the gathering of signatures? Frankly, if they cannot take the time to collect 500 on their own and get their supporters and precinct committeepeople to collect 500 more, they need to be replaced. I’m not saying they shouldn’t get help with making sure the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed, but we’re talking about incumbents not getting enough signatures. Seriously?
Full disclosure, I did it a few years ago as a D running in a strong R district. And, I had a more than full-time job. These people had all Fall with invites to events and lots of supporters…
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:49 am:
Not many left now of Lee’s moderate suburban women, are there? And somehow, to me the party and the process seem diminished by the loss. I will miss Rosemary. And I believe she will give them Hellfire this session.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 11:57 am:
===This will be a Democratic pick up in November. ===
I’m pretty sure the HDems would rather run against Mulligan. Also, this district was won by Brady in 2010.
- The Captain - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 12:21 pm:
Isn’t it unusual for the caucus to work against an incumbent in a primary? This sends an ugly message.
- reformer - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 12:41 pm:
Mulligan was in the untenable position of having to fight both Cross and Madigan. No one does that and survives.
I think the Des Plaines mayor will beat an unknown newcomer.
Don’t forget that Rosemary is still the GOP committeeman of the biggest township in the district. Something tells me her organization, whatever is left of it, won’t be making this race a priority.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 12:50 pm:
===I’m pretty sure the HDems would rather run against Mulligan. Also, this district was won by Brady in 2010.===
===I think the Des Plaines mayor will beat an unknown newcomer.===
This, for me is the crux. R district, according to “Brady” numbers, (I miss the U of I trustee numbers at times like this) and a mayor is running as a Dem, in a presidential year.
Will a sitting mayor win, in a district leaning the other way, with MJM in his corner …
Or …
Will the HGOP, who dropped the incumbent for a “new face” keep the district R, while facing a presidential race with a native son on the ballot?
Open seat, leans R, with a D mayor? Kinda difficult not to go with Madigan v. HGOP.
Very interesting race, indeed.
- formerpolitico - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 12:55 pm:
Good for Rosemary! She will enjoy her remaining year in the House immensely, without the burden of electoral sniping, fundraising, and campaigning!
- reformer - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 2:19 pm:
The 2010 numbers aren’t as relevant as the 2008 numbers. Obama carried the district. Obama is on top of the ballot again. Next comes Duckworth and Sen. Kotowski. Then comes state rep.
It’s likely Obama will again carry the district, that Duckworth will landslide Walsh, and that Kotowski will be re-elected. All making it pretty tough for a Republican to buck the trend. This seat is a Madigan pickup.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 2:25 pm:
I’m not saying Rosemary’s perfect…nobody is.
But she’s also not Terry Parke.
All other things being equal, if I’m the Democrat, I’d rather be running for an open seat.
Just ask Daniel Biss.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 2:37 pm:
Chicago Tribune, November 15, 2002
“A Touch of Democracy”
“…Cross and his supporters will ask the GOP caucus to adopt new governing rules to open things up. Rank-and-file legislators will have the opportunity to choose four members of their leadership team, and those members will have to come from different regions of the state. The caucus leader will be limited to serving 10 years in that position. Cross also promises that the party will open up the political fundraising operation, so the money and staffing of the House Republican Campaign Committee will not be treated by the caucus leader as his personal treasure chest. …”
Ten Years is coming up, Tom …
If things go bad this cycle, will someone in the Caucus “remind” you of this pledge? Or … should you, if you lose the Gavel again, do what you said “leaders” should do … after ten years?
Just Sayin’
- train111 - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 3:48 pm:
Mulligan’s district went to Brady over Quinn by a 52.5 to 47.5 margin. That makes it slightly less GOP lean than the adjoining 56th held by a Democratic incumbent. This race is pretty much a toss-up if you ask me.
train111
- Been There - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 5:27 pm:
===Good Lord, another condescending, vitriolic, ugly post from just sayin’. As if the Illinois Democrats are the most competent group of people to ever govern a state.===
If you are talking about legislatively than maybe you have a point. But this post is more about politics and the Dems are definitely the more competent group. By a long shot. As a matter of fact, it use to be fun to work against the GOP in GA races. Now you almost feel sorry for the GOP workers.
- reformer - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 6:34 pm:
Willie
Cross quietly discarded his ‘02 term limit pledge a couple of years ago. I bet Madigan is happy.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 6:50 pm:
reformer -
I am just reminding the other memebers of the HGOP, as they watch Cross turn on one of thier own, again, that the only way the Caucus is going to change, is to do it themselve.
Remember your Animal Farm. All Animals are equal. Some Animals are more equal.
What say you HGOP Caucus?
As Cross has gone against his pledge, Cross is now taking out anyone that may question him being Minority Leader. All that was suppose to be different, is all that is the same.
That is what that was about, reformer, to remind those members how this leadership started, and with Mulligan, where it has gone to, promise broken, notwithstanding.
- Indeedy - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 7:41 pm:
Rosemary had three, weather-amenable months to collect enough good signatures and she didn’t. Rather then stand up and take responsibility for her failure, she pointed fingers, blamed the party (poking out her own eye), and in the end blamed her caucus leader. Cross’ “Adieu” was over due.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 7:53 pm:
===Cross’ “Adieu” was over due.===
I think it should read,
“Cross’ OWN ‘Adieu’ IS overdue, unless being in the minority is what the HGOP wants to be”
Today Rosemary …
And isn’t taking out caucus members what the HGOP disliked about Lee A. Daniels? Wasn’t THAT type of “Caucus Dysfunction” one of the reasons the “Coup” took place?
Madigan has nothing to fear in Minority Leader Cross. Cross will lower his own caucus, one member at a time.
- JustJest - Thursday, Jan 26, 12 @ 10:07 pm:
Rosemary simply bowed out because she didn’t want to take a loss at end her career. Even before she submitted the bad petitions, she raised no money for her campaign or for the Maine Township GOP organization she leads. Along with the thought of going head-to-head against Moylan’s political organization which is one of the strongest local organization’s in the state, Mulligan had no other choice but to bow out. Having her domain address (www.rosemarymulligan.com) hijacked and replaced with that crazy web page probably didn’t sit well either. She bowed out with grace.