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From Lynn Sweet’s column:
Christine Cegelis, who lost a three-way Democratic House primary battle last month, said she endorses the winner, wounded Iraq war vet Tammy Duckworth.“I certainly endorse Tammy over Peter Roskam. I hope for a Democratic win in November, and I wish her all the luck in the world,'’ Cegelis said. […]
Cegelis’ post-primary letter to her backers wished Duckworth luck. “She’s going to need it,'’ Cegelis wrote, since the “full force'’ of the Republican Party would be helping her November opponent, state Sen. Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton).
But she never was more explicit and skipped a DuPage County Democrat unity breakfast the Saturday after the election, where a picture of Duckworth with the two rivals she beat could have been worth the proverbial thousand words.
Good for her. Now maybe everybody can move on to the general election. (Hat tip: Austin Mayor in comments.)
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 2:02 pm
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Good luck overcoming that vote deficit. I’ll be walking for Peter R.
Comment by Wumpus Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 2:21 pm
“Good luck overcoming that vote deficit. I’ll be walking for Peter R.”
Why bother. Stay home.
I’m sure that none of the 6th Dist residents who voted for JBT and against Oberweis would ever vote for an Army vet and against the Cheney/Schlafly candidate.
Comment by So-Called "Austin Mayor" Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 2:43 pm
Good for Cegelis. The check is in the mail.
I still hope Cegelis will consider a run for the Statehouse this time around. There’s a temptation to take time off to regroup, but she’s generated so much energy, she should keep up that momentum.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 2:45 pm
S-Com,
You forgot Roskam’s mentor — the disgraced Tom DeLay.
Why does Roskam keep tying so many anchors around his neck? While I’m sure the far right will get out and walk for him because of it (hint, hint Major Duckworth — you *do* need those grassroots workers) that doesn’t mean the moderates in DuPage and NW Cook are going to vote for him (unless he hides from his arch-conservative opinions).
Kudos to both Cegelis for making her endorsement explicitly clear for everyone who didn’t want to recognize it before. Here’s hoping she has enough gumption left to run against State Representative Krause (a very nice woman and able legislator, but the GOP has ‘left’ her ideology behind).
And kudos to Major Duckworth and her campaign staff for reaching out to Cegelis’ supporters by personally calling them to learn what the campaign can do better.
If only she were running in the 10th to give Mark Kirk (The Rubber Stamp Rooster) the scare of his political life. Dan Seals will certainly serve the progressive cause well in that race though.
Comment by NW burbs Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 3:11 pm
Delete “S-Com”.
Replace with “S-CAM”.
Derhhh.
Comment by NW burbs Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 3:17 pm
There really should be a handbook for candidates so everyone avoids just these kind of situations and glad to hear it.
Actually, I’d suggest that besides personal commitments, not running this cycle is the best idea. Use this year to build by supporting other candidates especially at the state level and then look at 2008 if she wishes
From experience, a campaign builds a ton of goodwill by providing volunteers and organization for other candidates and that is something that can be turned into political currency the next cycle. Demonstrating it’s more then just about one candidate and about party building brings respect that can’t be earned in a campaign for one person. It also provides effective demonstration of talents of those involved and can lead to them being incorporated in other races–a great way to spread a message.
Finally, it teaches volunteers more about how campaigns in general work and that further knowledge of seeing other ways to do things brings about better campaigns.
Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 3:17 pm
===Kudos to both Cegelis for making her endorsement explicitly clear for everyone who didn’t want to recognize it before.
I think this is where there is a problem communicating–I’ve seen many, many people use similar language to Christine and not actually mean to endorse. It’s not really anyone’s fault, but once it was pointed out, it points to problems of how to communicate between outsider campaigns and establishment press and party people. That problem is a two-way problem, but when YDD pointed it out, I read it the same way–because I’ve seen it (and been in on decisions how to phrase such statements) done that way.
I know few want to believe it, but the general tenor of this campaign is far less divisive than many intraparty fights that end with far worse conditions—claims of fraud or FEC complaints or seemingly impossible to bridge comments. In this case, there were differences over tactics, some policy, and backers. That’s a lot easier to overcome than actual legal disputes (no Chris “CPA” Lauzen’s here.
Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 3:25 pm
I respect the fact that she is an army vet. My problem is that I don’t want her to be Lester to Rahm Emmanuel’s Willie Tyler. I have no idea what she stands for outside of what Rahmmy thinks the people of the 6th beleive. In other words, she is a puppet of Chicago.
Comment by Wumpus Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 3:34 pm
Roskam’s reputation as an independent reformer who reflects the 6th District will make it hard for a split Democratic Party even get 40%.
Comment by Ted Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 3:38 pm
One of the things I always loved about Tom Harkin was that when he ended his campaign for president in 1992 after a bitter primary, he quickly endorsed Bill Clinton and went on to do everything he could to help Democrats win that year. Christine was quick with kind words for Tammy after the votes were finally counted, and gracious in confirming her endorsement in the Sun-Times today. Having been on that end of the stick before, I appreciate how hard a thing that is to do. The Duckworth campaign is busy reaching out to Cegelis supporters and the thirst for change in the district is palpable.
Anyone who underestimates Tammy Duckworth simply does not know her. Anyone who underestimates the desire in this district for change in Washington doesn’t know the place very well either.
Comment by Pete Giangreco Monday, Apr 3, 06 @ 10:15 pm
Good for Cegelis — maybe Jim Oberweis will be inspired and do the right thing in the GOP by finally endorsing Topinka.
Cegelis seems like a classy woman who wants to help her Party, but I’m afraid Oberweis doesn’t know the meaning of class and will continue to pout, thinking only of himself, and not the best interests of his Party.
Comment by Sour Milk Tuesday, Apr 4, 06 @ 2:04 am
pete: no one underestimates tammy duckworth. what people *have* consistently done is overestimate the trophy team that’s supposed to elect her! supposedly her tracking polling showed her “comfortably ahead” of cegelis — but she only won by 3 points? here i thought it was social conservatives who underpolled!
i am still stunned by roskam having more volunteers on the streets than duckworth (and that’s counting the duckworth “runners” who were supposed to be working for *other* campaigns!). i know, i know, field is unimportant, “this war will be won in the air!” then there’s the cumulative democratic votes vs. roskam’s primary votes. this was supposed to be the easy victory!
let’s face it: what happens now is all duckworth. cegelis (and her supporters) can’t be blamed for whatever happens. it’s all duckworth now.
Comment by bored now Tuesday, Apr 4, 06 @ 6:41 am
Wumpus said I respect the fact that she is an army vet. My problem is that I don’t want her to be Lester to Rahm Emmanuel’s Willie Tyler. I have no idea what she stands for outside of what Rahmmy thinks the people of the 6th beleive.
You might want to pay better attention. Not only does her website list her positions and her principles — on the front page (in general) and the issues section (in particular) — but she also quite clearly, despite how early it is in the general election campaign, beginning to stake out her independence in interviews with the media.
Do conservatives have such a problem with Major Duckworth because she is a smart, accomplished, independent woman?
Wumpus, just because you ignore Major Duckworth’s values (or are too lazy to look them up) doesn’t mean they don’t exist. When will the right stop making such false and misleading statements?
(That said, take a look at Roskam’s sites 1 and 2 … Notice anything missing? That’s right — no position statements. Just some stuff about being part of the I-want-a-free-lunch crowd … I mean being “anti-tax” … and about wanting to send CDs to troops overseas, a valiant effort but CDs don’t stop bullets or protect Guardsmen’s jobs while they’re serving our country…)
Is Roskam lazy or is he hiding his true arch-conservative colors? He’s been running for almost a year now — why can’t he take a stand on the positions?
Peter Roskam “On The Issues”:
Senator Peter Roskam will be outlining his vision to the voters of the Sixth Congressional District. Throughout his 12 years in the General Assembly, Peter Roskam has been committed to upholding the values of the Republican Party - lower taxes, limited government, individual freedom and standing up for the values we hold dear.
Ted wrote Roskam’s reputation as an independent reformer who reflects the 6th District will make it hard for a split Democratic Party even get 40%.
Sure Ted… an independent who rides the coattails of Tom “I’m indicted so I’m resigning” DeLay, Denny “Running the Government is Hard Work” Hastert, Dick “I shoot my friends in the face” Cheney and the like…
What a goofy thing to claim. Roskam has been cleaning up all those arch-conservative “kudos” — see here and here, and I’m sure there are others — precisely because he does *not* think independently but is rather a prime example of the right-wing’s rubber stamp mentality and groupthink.
Comment by NW burbs Tuesday, Apr 4, 06 @ 9:04 am
Look at Melissa Bean. She won with huge party support but she is very independent. The reason is if the winner in a swing district isnt careful to the needs of his/her district they wont be reelected. This is the main reason I dont buy the argument of Duckworth being controlled by anyone if she is elected.
Comment by A.I. Tuesday, Apr 4, 06 @ 12:50 pm
I’ve been impressed with the way Christine Cegelis has run her campaigns and concentrated on the issues important to the congressional district. As a resident of Mt. Prospect I look forward to her continued participation in the local political scene.
That being said, I must strongly disagree with the suggestion that she run against St. Rep. Carloyn Krause just to keep ‘momentum’ going or for ‘campaign building’.
First, given Rep. Krause’s stand on the issues, Christine would find it extraordinarily difficult to attack her there. She would have to manufacture some kind of goofy phony campaign themes, and the district’s voters are a bit too savvy for that.
Next, she would quickly find a surprisingly large percentage of her supporters fading away once she took out after a figure as popular as Carolyn in our district (so much for the ‘momentum’ and ‘campaign building’ arguments).
But most importantly, I doubt that two defeats within 10 months of eac hother would be a great career move on Christine’s part. Krause’s campaign has the ability to organize more volunteers, knock on more doors, raise more funds and ultimately win QUITE HANDILY against any candidate silly enough to try to make a run at her in November, 2006.
Comment by Jeff B. Tuesday, Apr 4, 06 @ 3:06 pm
Jeff B. said “Krause’s campaign”
Krause hasn’t had an opponent in … how many years? I lost count. The Dems always give her a free pass so who knows what kind of campaign she actually still has going for her.
Doesn’t her husband want her to retire anyway? My guess is if she goes unchallenged into November she’ll retire the day after the election, so the GOP can appoint someone (Arlene Mulder? Craig Johnson?) to sit in the seat for a full two years.
Comment by NW burbs Tuesday, Apr 4, 06 @ 3:19 pm
“My problem is that I don’t want her to be Lester to Rahm Emmanuel’s Willie Tyler.”
Nice analogy. Nostalgic and accurate.
Comment by T.J. Tuesday, Apr 4, 06 @ 5:29 pm
Don’t make the mistake of underestimating that ‘very nice woman’, Carolyn Krause. Not only has she proven herself to be a formidable campaigner, but her popularity across the entire political spectrum of the 66th makes it a snap to recruit volunteers for her re-election bids.
And do be aware that her campaign knows very well how to channel these good volunteers into an effective re-election organization.
As to anyone’s uninformed ‘guess’ that Carolyn Krause is running for re-election just to resign and allow the R-committeemen to fill her seat… ‘Bull Feathers!!!’ would not be a strong enough rebuttal.
She is a straight shooter and far too honorable a public servant to engage in such nonsense.
The scenario mentioned previously (ie the D-Committeemen belatedly appointing Cegelis as the heroic standard bearer in a jihad against Krause) would not turn out to be the ‘momentum’ or ‘campaign building’ exercise some here envision.
None who understand the dynamics of this district and its incumbent representative would predict any result other than a good old fashioned rout.
Obviously, I’m a Krause partisan, but I’m also an admirer of Christine Cegelis. I would hope she looks to the future and picks her battles carefully.
It would be a shame to see her make a suicide run this fall just so others could attempt to build their own organizations around her canidacy.
Comment by Jeff B. Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 5:37 pm