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JBT is said to be one of the top five to eight targeted races.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Monday that getting Judy Baar Topinka elected this fall is a top priority for the Republican Governor’s Association.Romney, chairman of the national group, said during a news conference with Topinka that the Illinois race is among the “five to eight” gubernatorial races deemed most important because they offer a chance for a Republican to unseat an incumbent Democrat.
“We recognize that this is a key race. This is a winnable race,” said Romney, who also was in town to attend a biotechnology convention. He mentioned Michigan and Wisconsin as other key governors’ races among 36 this year.
Romney would not say how much money the group would spend on Topinka’s campaign. He said the association raised about $16 million last year for races around the country.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 4:42 am
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Gee. I wonder who has the brighter political future? Mitt Romney or POA?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 6:23 am
Considering the healthcare package that was just passed in MA it seems that Romney believes, as does Blago, that healthcare is an important issue. The fact of the matter is that if Judy were Gov. she would most likely do away with All Kids so the question to both Mitt and Judy is where do they stand on All Kids. Judy can say that “sometimes you have to say no” however would Judy say “no” to All Kids? Judy talks a lot of trash but she really does not tell us what the heck her vision for the state is. So with Mitt’s endorsement of Judy’s race and Mitt’s support of healthcare Judy needs to be pressed. Does she support All Kids? Will she continue the program? Will she end the program? Someone needs to ask the question to her, its a yes or no answer.
Hey Judy, what will you say no to? The voters of Illinois deserve to know!
Comment by wndycty Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 6:25 am
All Kids is phoney. It’s a commitment Illinois is making that it can’t keep and I suspect at’s a core its a bet outreach to those most in need will fail… a deliberate failure.
JBT ought to express a lot of interest in what Mitt is doing with Healthcare…it should be a model for Illinoize and she should say she’s paying a lot of attention to it.
Romney just came out with a column on Education reforms too. She should talk about those.
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 7:27 am
Mr. Romney, report to undisclosed location. Leave money.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 7:54 am
Well, I’m glad JBT is getting money from somewhere. However, does she have a money chairperson yet. I haven’t seen a lot of heavy fundraising activity.
Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 8:00 am
This is more interesting for what it says about Gov. Romney than about JBT. He is pretty clearly trying to make a play for ILGOP support in 2008, and he’s a guy who can do it. He has a solid social conservative record and a track record of winning where Republicans usually do not win.
The question is whether supporting JBT will be seen in the ILGOP as a nice move to support a Republican, or whether the ILGOP will do the usual and reject him for being tainted by contact with a moderate.
My money is on “taint him as a moderate” since the ILGOP is just so good at ignoring candidates who can actually win elections.
Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 8:46 am
I cant imagine Topinka gets any serious help. I say this because the republicans have close races in swing states (Iowa, Florida ect) and it would not make sense for them to pour resources into Illinois.
Comment by Mike J. Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 8:48 am
Of course the Illinois Governor’s race is a top priority for the Republicans. Given the sorry state of their party elsewhere, a Topinka win on November 7 might be the highlight of the night for the GOP. It could be the ONLY highlight for them (which shows what a pitiful piece of political dreck Rod Blagojevich is).
Comment by Randall Sherman Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 10:46 am
Its easy for Romney to do what he did. You fly in, tout your candidate, then fly off. It is what every presidential candidate does to earn credentials. Thats all there is with this story.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 11:39 am
Sorry, Vanilla, but there is much more to it.
Romney is going to be a strong GOP candidate is maybe the one social conservative that has a chance in 2008 against what is looking to be a very strong Dem field.
The issue is whether giving to JBT is going to annoy people like Stanek, and Roeser and the wing-nuts who have taken over the ILGOP.
Romney could use their support (and any fundraising they can do) and it would seem like a natural fit since Romney is pretty far tro the right. The support for JBT may stop that though. The end result may be that the ILGOP is going to end up backing a weaker candidate in the 2008 primary because of this donation.
Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 12:06 pm
Has Romney made any statements about support in MN, IA & WI? I wonder how competitive the national party feels the rest of the region will be.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 12:56 pm
I think JBT’s help is going to come from the grassroots i.e. people the gov. has thru under the bus or made angry with his ego or indefference.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 12:59 pm
Gee guys! The polls show Topinka in the lead, or at least a statistical dead heat and you can’t believe the national party won’t pour money into this race.
This is politics 101. Back a winner, and if you are leading in the polls it’s definitely a sign you’ve got a chance.
Also, on health care. Bill’s right. AllKids is a joke, a bad one that taxpayers will be finding out about in the new few years.
Check out Romney’s plan for Massachusetts. He’s got a column today at OpinionJournal.com that outlines the basic points.
It manages to provide or require insurance for all without smelling a whiff like socialized medicine.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 1:11 pm
Skeeter, the wingnuts have not taken over the ILGOP. They very much want to, but can never seem to get the job done. That’s why they are so angry, and attack internally.
Comment by Bubs Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 1:26 pm
Romey wont win a primary, he isnt far right enough to win. Illinois is not a priority for the GOP, it is ridiculous to say otherwise. Illinois plays no strategic role for the GOP nationally. Individual candidates may visit for a national primary but the party knows they wont win Illinois in ‘08 and that is why we are not a priority.
Comment by The Hankster Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 1:37 pm
This sounds like good news. If a national GOP organization can recognize a winnable race here then that’s a good thing. I just hope they don’t blindly support Topinka.
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Apr 11, 06 @ 3:50 pm