* Last month, the prestigious National Journal gave Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger a 58 percent conservative voting record score. It gave Kinzinger’s GOP primary opponent Congressman Don Manzullo a 74 percent conservative score. Manzullo is now up with a TV ad that yet again claims Kinzinger is a false conservative and drags in Nancy Pelosi, President Obama and Debbie Halvorson. Kinzinger defeated Halvorson in 2010. Halvorson’s National Journal conservative score was 48 percent at the time, so Manzullo’s ad claims that Kinzinger isn’t much different than the Democrat he replaced. Watch the ad…
* There has been much consternation over National Journal’s rankings, according to Politico’s Dylan Byers…
So I took my first foray into congressional rankings last week and noticed some major discrepancies between the list published by the National Journal last month and those published by conservative groups like Heritage Action and Club For Growth — which, I quickly learned, is an ongoing source of frustration among many conservatives here in Washington.
For instance, Representative Justin Amash — who ranks as the most conservative House member on the Club For Growth’s list and fifteenth most conservative congressman on the Heritage list — ranks as the fourth most liberal Republican representative on the National Journal list. Utah Senator Mike Lee, the second most conservative congressman on the Heritage list, is less conservative than Utah Senator Orrin Hatch on the National Journal list. Per the National Journal, Mitch McConnell is more conservative than Marco Rubio, who is more conservative than Rand Paul, and so on down the seemingly backward line.
“In no planet is Mitch McConnell more conservative than Marco Rubio or Mike Lee,” one source at a conservative think tank told me. “Only in bizzaro world is Rand Paul considered the 32nd most conservative senator.”
Erick Erickson, the editor of Red State, made an even more aggressive critique shortly after NJ’s list came out in February: “I think National Journal must hand over its rating of the most conservative and liberal members of congress to an outsourced shop in Mumbai filled with mental midgets,” he wrote. “There can really be no other explanation for this year’s embarrassing list of the most conservative members of Congress.”
However, in this particular contest, both Heritage Action and the Club For Growth rate Manzullo as far more conservative than Kinzinger.
These two guys have been arguing over who is the more conservative candidate since they kicked off their campaigns. But now Manzullo has some statistical support to back up his claims. From a Manzullo press release…
American Conservative Union lifetime scores: Manzullo 96, Kinzinger 72.
Heritage Action for America: Manzullo 84, Kinzinger 63.
Americans for Prosperity: Manzullo A+, Kinzinger B.
National Journal (conservative composite score): Manzullo 74, Kinzinger 58.
* Kinzinger, by the way, was just endorsed by Dan Proft…
The consequence of failing to return Adam to Congress will be to tell other young, bright, diligent, and principled conservatives to again “wait their turn”. If we do that, we will again suffer the corresponding brain drain.
The benefit of returning Adam to Congress will be to signal to the Regressive Left that they are on the wrong side of history for the next generation of conservative grassroots leaders is ascendant and prepared to abide the Burkian contract between ourselves, our ancestors who provided for us and our posterity to whom we owe a responsibility to act responsibly.
The letter is signed thusly…
Regards,
Dan Proft
WLS Radio Talk Show Host*
*Opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WLS-AM 890 radio or Cumulus Media, Inc.
* Meanwhile, if you live in the Chicago area, you could soon be seeing some Republican presidential ads. I’m told the Mitt Romney-backing super PAC Restore Our Future just booked a heavy schedule on the Chicago Cable Interconnect plus AT&T Verse and DirecTV. No Illinois ads are posted on the group’s YouTube site as of yet.
It’s misleading to publish a popular vote poll in this primary, because that’s not how the delegates will be awarded. They’ll be awarded according to the winners of each of the state’s 18 new Congressional districts. This gives Romney a huge advantage, because Santorum isn’t running delegate slates in four districts: the 4th, 5th, 7th and 13th. […]
In addition, Illinois will choose 12 unpledged delegates at the state party convention in June. The Republican National Committeeman and Committeewoman, Richard Williamson and Demetra DelMonte, plus the state party chairman, Pat Brady, will go as “superdelegates.” Romney has the support of Pat Brady, Sen. Mark Kirk and the Illinois Republican Party establishment, so most if not all of those 15 votes will be his.
Off topic, but I’m a little surprised it isn’t getting more attention that Emanuel named Quinn’s primary opponent to a pretty sweet position yesterday.
Manzullo has ad 20 years. More than enough with so little to show for it. This race isnt’ about who is more conservative, it is do Republicans eat their young?
Manzullo says he is running again because the Rockford area has the highest unemployment in the nation as if a Congressman can do something about that. Well in 20 years Manzullo obviously faliled.
walsh has a 99 percent rating, schakowsky’s rating went from 3 percent to 18 percent conservative and schock is almost as liberal as dold. interesting stuff.
As a political studies major and a political staffer who prides himself on reading all sorts of publications, I will take anything the National Journal writes or puts on a blog before any piece or “assessment” done by the Heritage Foundation or Club For Growth. Both are think tanks and often have very narrow views on national issues. The other thing to consider is the two previous districts. Adam’s district includes a lot of Dem territory. But other than Chuck Jefferson’s portion of Rockford, most of Manzullo’s first district and current district is strongly Republican. Putting that into context - and with Adam certainly not knowing what territory his new district would entail until the end of the lawsuit - I certainly understand why Adam voted the way he did.
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 12:13 pm:
Capt fax
Help!
Who can tell us who the bigest wing nut is?
Not sure the Puffy Proft (Eddie V clone) is our best source
Please tell us quickly
Fran Eaton? Whacky Jack Roeser ?
Who?
BTW if Romney is buying TV in Chicago does that suggest DandyDan The Treasurer Man is falling down on the job?
I reject the current accepted definition of “conservative.” Ronald Reagan was a conservative. Barry Goldwater was a conservative. Dick Lugar is a conservative. Alan Simpson is a conservative.
The current accepted definition allows every mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging ignoramus to claim to be a conservative. In reality, they’re mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging ignoramuses.
The definition of Conservative has shifted dramatically in the past 20 years, and there is little current consensus between so-called Conservative groups. By the standards of some of these groups, Buckley, Goldwater, and Reagan would all be rated “big-government liberals”, based upon their respective writings and redords.
The whole Conservative political movement is fraying at the edges. At the same time, politicians of both parties and many ideologies like to call themselves “fiscally conservative” as a catch-all for not being seen as wasteful.
I get mailers from both these guys. It amazes me that “more conservative” is such a powerful message that it’s the primary/only one for both in their campaigns.
All these ratings are bogus and rigged from the beginning. Right/left, liberal/conservative- none of this means a thing to a real thinker. Orrin Hatch wears a Conservative cloak. Since when is it Conservative to support 7.6 trillion dollars of debt? www.hatchrecord.com
Easy, you crack me up!! The weirdness of the National Journal ratings “system” does not alter the fact that all other well known conservative raters, including Heritage Action, place Manzullo higher on the conservative scale. When in doubt, the voter should consider that Manzullo will shortly retire - how many years might we be saddled with the young and attractive Kinzinger, whom DAILY KOS has categorized as “moderate?”
Compare voting records. Manzullo’s is far superior if cutting government spending is your top priority. Proft is trying to crown the next career politician. Luckily his opinion won’t decide the election-the people will.
- Easy - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 11:35 am:
Proft really gave Kinzinger some awesome mail piece/tv quotes for the campaign.
Burkian contract is polling huge in the Rockford market.
- It's Just Me - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 11:39 am:
Off topic, but I’m a little surprised it isn’t getting more attention that Emanuel named Quinn’s primary opponent to a pretty sweet position yesterday.
- sentinel - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 11:44 am:
Manzullo has ad 20 years. More than enough with so little to show for it. This race isnt’ about who is more conservative, it is do Republicans eat their young?
Manzullo says he is running again because the Rockford area has the highest unemployment in the nation as if a Congressman can do something about that. Well in 20 years Manzullo obviously faliled.
- phocion - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 11:57 am:
Agree with sentinel. Time for Manzullo to be put out to pasture. Plus, the man is an embarrassment.
- Shore - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 12:01 pm:
walsh has a 99 percent rating, schakowsky’s rating went from 3 percent to 18 percent conservative and schock is almost as liberal as dold. interesting stuff.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 12:06 pm:
As a political studies major and a political staffer who prides himself on reading all sorts of publications, I will take anything the National Journal writes or puts on a blog before any piece or “assessment” done by the Heritage Foundation or Club For Growth. Both are think tanks and often have very narrow views on national issues. The other thing to consider is the two previous districts. Adam’s district includes a lot of Dem territory. But other than Chuck Jefferson’s portion of Rockford, most of Manzullo’s first district and current district is strongly Republican. Putting that into context - and with Adam certainly not knowing what territory his new district would entail until the end of the lawsuit - I certainly understand why Adam voted the way he did.
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 12:13 pm:
Capt fax
Help!
Who can tell us who the bigest wing nut is?
Not sure the Puffy Proft (Eddie V clone) is our best source
Please tell us quickly
Fran Eaton? Whacky Jack Roeser ?
Who?
BTW if Romney is buying TV in Chicago does that suggest DandyDan The Treasurer Man is falling down on the job?
- too obvious - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 1:00 pm:
I was undecided between Kinzinger and Manzullo.
But if Dan Proft, the guy who did his best to loot Cicero for his personal gain is with Kinzinger, I’m with Manzullo. End of story.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 2:01 pm:
I reject the current accepted definition of “conservative.” Ronald Reagan was a conservative. Barry Goldwater was a conservative. Dick Lugar is a conservative. Alan Simpson is a conservative.
The current accepted definition allows every mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging ignoramus to claim to be a conservative. In reality, they’re mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging ignoramuses.
- mark walker - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 3:28 pm:
The definition of Conservative has shifted dramatically in the past 20 years, and there is little current consensus between so-called Conservative groups. By the standards of some of these groups, Buckley, Goldwater, and Reagan would all be rated “big-government liberals”, based upon their respective writings and redords.
The whole Conservative political movement is fraying at the edges. At the same time, politicians of both parties and many ideologies like to call themselves “fiscally conservative” as a catch-all for not being seen as wasteful.
- Earnest - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 4:22 pm:
I get mailers from both these guys. It amazes me that “more conservative” is such a powerful message that it’s the primary/only one for both in their campaigns.
- mikey - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 6:45 pm:
All these ratings are bogus and rigged from the beginning. Right/left, liberal/conservative- none of this means a thing to a real thinker. Orrin Hatch wears a Conservative cloak. Since when is it Conservative to support 7.6 trillion dollars of debt? www.hatchrecord.com
- wishbone - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 7:19 pm:
” If we do that, we will again suffer the corresponding brain drain.”
The most scientifically illiterate party in history (see Climate Change, evolution, etc) is worried about a brain drain? Precious.
- Jane - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 9:22 pm:
Easy, you crack me up!! The weirdness of the National Journal ratings “system” does not alter the fact that all other well known conservative raters, including Heritage Action, place Manzullo higher on the conservative scale. When in doubt, the voter should consider that Manzullo will shortly retire - how many years might we be saddled with the young and attractive Kinzinger, whom DAILY KOS has categorized as “moderate?”
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 6, 12 @ 9:59 pm:
Romney’s superpac had three spots on Channel 7 news at 6 pounding lumps on Santorum. Based on tonight’s results, looks like we’ll have a primary here.
- Diane - Wednesday, Mar 7, 12 @ 8:55 am:
Compare voting records. Manzullo’s is far superior if cutting government spending is your top priority. Proft is trying to crown the next career politician. Luckily his opinion won’t decide the election-the people will.