Godwin’s law invoked
Thursday, Nov 12, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bernie Schoenburg on November 4th…
Christopher Hicks, who is challenging Republican state Rep. Avery Bourne in the primary for the 95th House District seat next spring, says he’s staying in the race even though he was encouraged to drop his bid.
Hicks, 29, of Sawyerville, said he got a call Oct. 16 from Joe Woodward, the political director of the House Republican Organization.
“He indicated that the Republican Party would appreciate it if I would take the opportunity to reflect upon my candidacy and drop out,” Hicks said. […]
Hicks said he discussed the issue with his campaign manager — Chad Grimm of Peoria, who incidentally was Libertarian candidate for governor in 2014 — and solidified that he is staying in the race.
“Why would I even consider dropping out to support someone that I’m opposing at this time?” Hicks said. “I think this just shows the dirty politics they’re willing to play. Obviously, they want her in there for some reason. But whatever their reason is, they’re going to have to go through me to get there.”
So the guy managing his campaign is the guy whose campaign was helped onto the ballot and funded by unions last year in a deliberate attempt to siphon votes away from Bruce Rauner and he’s upset that the Republicans don’t want him?
Please.
* And what a guy he is. Bernie’s column today…
I heard from both sides that a telephone conversation between Hicks and Christian County GOP Chairman Seth McMillan didn’t go well when McMillan said his central committee is backing Bourne in the March primary. McMillan said Hicks was “confrontational,” which Hicks denies, saying it was McMillan who raised his voice.
“Maybe we both raised our voices,” McMillan said, adding that he hung up on Hicks.
But in an email to me about the situation, Hicks also wrote this: “Joe Woodward and the HRO are trying to run the Republican Party like a Nazi cult. If Avery Bourne does not disassociate herself from the HRO and Joe Woodward this election, she might as well start wearing the HRO swastika on her sleeve.”
Woodward responded, “Mr. Hicks’ comments and choice of words are disrespectful, saddening and extremely unfortunate.”
Such a victim.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 9:58 am:
Mr Hicks lost most people at ==Nazi cult==. Sheesh.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 9:59 am:
===“He indicated that the Republican Party would appreciate it if I would take the opportunity to reflect upon my candidacy and drop out,”===
Is that pretty typical of party politics? Calling the guy your org isn’t supporting and ask him to drop out? Seems odd to me, but I’m not a party person. And yes, Mr Hicks seems unhinged.
- Adam Smith - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 9:59 am:
This fellow represents an all too common element on the fringe of the GOP. Unhinged and hateful with no sense of civility towards anyone.
It must be said clearly, however, that we see exactly the same contemptible behavior among the far left as evidenced by recent university “protests” which are just rage-fueled temper tantrums that are the exact opposite of the discourse that should typify a democracy.
The rage and frustration of both the far right and left do serve a purpose to help the political class stay aware of what is resonating with the public. But, in the end, these kind of over-the-top rants defeat their own purpose.
- cdog - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:07 am:
I should add that I have no idea what Mr. Hick’s politics are, and don’t really care.
Let him speak. Let him run. Let him speak his truth.
We just celebrated Veteran’s Day and it is important to remember the concept behind that national holiday. A lot of people have died fighting for a free democracy. /rant over
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:08 am:
“we see exactly the same contemptible behavior among the far left as evidenced by recent university ‘protests’”
Nonsense.
Mr. Hicks has compared completely run-of-the-mill party politics to a “Nazi cult”. I’ve seen nothing “exactly the same” — or even remotely similar in degree — in the recent campus protests.
– MrJM
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:10 am:
==- Adam Smith - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 9:59 am:==
So, in your world, combating racist hate is as “unhinged” as bankrupt Nazi comparisons?
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:21 am:
If he drops that after a couple month on the trail, what would he be saying after a couple months in the GA?
- walker - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:25 am:
Let’s remember this guy when we hear complaints about how hard it is to get on a Primary ballot. Any fool can run.
- 'Goose - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:30 am:
Well, Rep. Bourne did spend a few days at the Springfield Board of Elections last summer as part of Team Rauner’s unsuccessful attempt to kick Chad Grimm off the ballot. I always assumed that helped her get into Rauner’s good graces enough for her to get the appointment. So now it’s kind of funny that Grimm is managing her primary opponent’s race.
- Blago's Luxurious Grey Mane - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:31 am:
@Adam Smith: This fellow represents an all too common element on the fringe of the GOP. Unhinged and hateful with no sense of civility towards anyone.
You’re correct, though I would add this. Many of these individuals are NOT Republicans. They are using the Party as a vehicle, but they also will happily tell you that they aren’t really Republicans. It’s just the best course of action for their aim: Trump, right-wing zealot, Libertarian, etc. They care nothing about the Party, won’t raise money or take any tough votes to support the Party, etc. Certainly their right, but Primary voters need to understand the goods being peddled.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:34 am:
It only takes 500 valid signatures to get on the ballot. Of course, the problem for someone like Mr. Hicks is that his area most assuredly leans “D”. Since voters can’t sign petitions for one candidate once they’ve signed a petition for an opposite party candidate, there’s likely no way to know who to target and there’s a strong likelihood that either Mike Mathis or Peyton Bernot has already hit southern Macoupin County with petition blitzes.
- Tikkunolam - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:41 am:
Good for Grimm. Avery Bourne was one of the Rauner interns who worked the Libertarian challenge for the Rauner campaign and the ILGOP. She was part of an effort to undermine democracy that included armed thugs intimidating senior citizens.
Politics ain’t beanbag. If she’s gonna make the jump from dirty political operative to officeholder, she shouldn’t have a comfortable ride to re-election.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:43 am:
Good to see candidates coming out of the woodwork like this.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:47 am:
===dirty political operative===
That’s hilarious.
She checked petition signatures.
Don’t be a moron.
- Tikkunolam - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:53 am:
whoops, auto-correct- they received visits, not “hotter rifting”
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Tikku - so anyone who challenges petitions is a dirty political operative?! I spent a few days of my life looking over and challenging the Constitution Party’s and Libertarian Party’s petitions in 2010. I may not be the best person on planet earth, but I hardly consider myself to be a dirty political operative. I was worried about what Randy Stufflebeam, Lex Green and their pals would do to both Bill Brady’s and Mark Kirk’s chances. And, in the case of Lex Green, those votes may well have cost Bill Brady the election. So no crocodile tears on petition challenges, okay?!
- Adam Smith - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:57 am:
Kids, it’s about civility.
Calling people Nazi’s (and/or racists as out left wing friends so love to do), and the speech-squelching actions on campuses are uncivil, rage-fueled acts that both contribute to the poisoned atmosphere of the public square.
And if you can only see fault on one end of the philosophical spectrum, maybe you are part of the problem.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:08 am:
==Is that pretty typical of party politics? Calling the guy your org isn’t supporting and ask him to drop out?==
Yes.
- A guy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:11 am:
He’s got a Grimm temperament, that’s for sure. If you gotta run against someone; I pick him.
- Paul Kemp - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:15 am:
Chad Grimm and company sure have a lot of nerve talking about dirty politics. That campaign took hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from labor and used the money to run a mailer claiming that Grimm was the “only pro-life candidate running.” Please. Not only does that stand diametrically opposed to the party’s platform, but it reeks so badly of “dirty politics” that a skunk would be offended at the odor. Open mouth and insert foot, Mr. Grimm. Yah ain’t fooling anyone.
- Ben Franklin - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:04 pm:
What is an “HRO” ?
- Jake Leonard - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:43 pm:
Ben Franklin - HRO is the House Republican Organization.
Oh - and for the record, Chad Grimm has publicly stated that he has never, in any capacity, served as Mr. Hicks’ campaign manager. If you really want to speak to the person running the Hicks campaign, track down Ben Vargas. That’s the main person in charge of getting signatures on Hicks’ petition.
Honestly, I don’t care what happens to Hicks in this campaign. He’s obviously making Bourne look good to the point where Dennis Scobbie doesn’t have a chance in hell winning the primary. But the primary idea is Hicks definitely doesn’t behave like a Republican. Keep in mind this is the same guy who declared back in June as the Libertarian Party candidate for state representative, which obviously lasted until mid-October. (I know - I spearheaded the campaign in Christian and Montgomery counties as the chairman of the Tri-Counties Libertarian Party.) And as for those of you who stated he is a very unstable person, you would be correct - try explaining to a fellow Millennial who wants to be elected to public office that in order to reach voters in the district, they have to strike early, not wait until after the primary election. Look where that got him - jumping ship to the GOP as a RINO, citing it would be less pressure to get 500 signatures than waiting until after the March primary to collect 1,500 (which is not one bit impossible) AND the fact that I’m now running for the Libertarian Party.