* Davis is getting a heckuva big jump…
Republican Rodney Davis raised about $440,000 in the six weeks since he became his party’s new nominee for the open 13th district in Illinois.
Davis, a former top aide to Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), will report just more than $400,000 in cash on hand to kick off his bid, according to a source close to the campaign.
* His Democratic opponent isn’t much on fundraising…
Gill’s aides did not return an email request seeking comment on the campaign’s fundraising numbers. But as of March 30, online records show Gill’s campaign had $20,000 in the bank — and the same amount in debt.
* And the Illinois Republican Party piled on today in an e-mail…
Three time losing Congressional candidate David Gill is showing once again just how far out of step he is with the views of Central and Southwest Illinois.
Monday, just minutes before President Obama announced he wanted to extend Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans making less than $250,000 per year, Gill told Champaign radio station WDWS (http://www.wdws.com/audio/2012-07-09/07-09-12-drdavid-gill.html) (20:46), “I certainly think we need to allow the President George Bush tax cuts to expire. I think that’s, at the least, a starting point.”
“If we needed any more proof that David Gill is far outside of the mainstream of Central and Southwestern Illinois residents, this seals the deal,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady. “David Gill wants to raise taxes on all of us. Residents of the 13th District are already having a hard enough time making ends meet, and David Gill wants to send more of our tax dollars to Washington. That’s the definition of a radical agenda.”
“Friday, we learned the national unemployment rate is above eight percent for the 41st month in a row,” said Brady. “David Gill’s radical and dangerous economic plan, combined with his plan for socialized medicine is an extreme combination for Central and Southwestern Illinois.”
Actually, if you listen to the interview, Gill was responding to a question about the top ten percent of income earners, and goes on to talk about taxing the wealthy. But he wasn’t specific and clear, so he left himself open to this shot, cheap as it may be.
The GOP has a new attack website up called DrRadical.com. There’s not much to it as of yet.
* Other stuff…
* Dold, Biggert, Schilling first up in DCCC ad attack
* If Jesse Jackson Jr. Were to Resign
LIVE session coverage...
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 1:20 pm:
“…top ten percent of income earners…”
That is vastly broader than the President’s current proposal, which excludes only the highest two percent. It’s a very legitimate hit IMO, not a cheap shot.
- Crime Fighter - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 1:39 pm:
It’s unfortunate that some of us in the new 13th have only had corporate and plunderer sponsored reps via Schock & Shamekus. Now it appears the shoot, pollute, and swindle constituency will continue to own the district with corporate candidate Davis.
- Sour grapes - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 1:48 pm:
Crime Fighter-
Just sounds like more whine that the Democrats can’t win in their own map because the winner of the primary, Commander Coathanger, is a losing candidate. Maybe the President can get Gill out of the race so you guys can select your own champion who isn’t a Berkeley liberal.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 1:52 pm:
Historically Gill hasn’t been a big fundraiser. In 2006 his total budget was about $230,000, when he ran again in 2010 he was only able to muster about $140,000.
If Gill wants to be taken seriously he has to prove he can compete instead of just being a vanity candidate.
- Jake - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 1:54 pm:
Rodney Davis is one of those wonderful Republicans who is all about making government so small he can drown it in a bathtub except when govenrment spending involves his more than a decade on the government payroll with gold plated health insurance and a defined benefit pension to boot. Dr. Gill is a physican who has served his community and knows all the difficulties of living in real America, outisde the bubble of our political elite and their enables among the wealthy.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 2:01 pm:
Doesn’t take much to be a radical these days, according to Brady. He must be scared a lot.
- so.... - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 2:10 pm:
Gill is way too liberal for that district and the Democratic fundraisers know it. Why waste limited funds?
- Chambana - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 2:24 pm:
The best chance Democrats had was to nominate a moderate like Matt Goetten. Now its a guy who’s so liberal he makes Nancy Pelosi look like Jim DeMint.
- Endangered Moderate Species - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 2:25 pm:
Dr. Gill is not a good fundraiser and may be a challenged politician. He is a good man and has been on the front line of healthcare for most of his career. The views he has formulated as an emergency room doctor should at least be given a respectful ear. It would be nice to have a real debate about healthcare rather than having to hear the same old negative buzzwords from the same old talking heads.
- Jim - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 3:03 pm:
don’t be so foolish as to expect a real debate about health care during an election year. will never happen.
- just sayin' - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 3:11 pm:
How many times have Rodney Davis’ contributions been through the washer?
- too obvious - Tuesday, Jul 10, 12 @ 3:49 pm:
There is something seriously wrong with Pat Brady and his hit squad at the IL GOP.
Another immature attack, this time on one of the few remaining surgeons who has chosen to stay in this state and serve patients in downstate IL.