Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Trump becomes issue in Bost’s district as race may be heating up
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Trump becomes issue in Bost’s district as race may be heating up

Wednesday, Jun 8, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As we noted yesterday, Democratic U.S. House candidate CJ Baricevic called on GOP Congressman Mike Bost to denounce Donald Trump. He got his answer

“Maybe I should ask my opponent if he wants to support a socialist or a person who wants to close every coal mine in Illinois,” Bost said, referring to Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

“If my opponent wants to play guilt by association, then he should take responsibility for Hillary Clinton’s promise to put Southern Illinois coal miners out of work,” Bost added.

* Baricevic shot back via press release today…

“Racism is not a policy issue. This is unbelievable that a sitting Congressman equates racism with differences in energy policy. While I disagree with Hillary Clinton’s position on coal and strongly support Illinois’ coal mining industry- these differences are to be discussed. There can be no discussion with regards to racism. The people of this district deserve better from their Congressman; Bost is truly lost.”

* You’d think Baricevic would lay off the Trump card because it’s a Downstate district with lots of rural turf. However, his campaign has some recent polling

Voters prefer Clinton over Trump by 47%-43% and prefer a Democrat over a Republican in Congress 47%-41%. 52% of voters have negative feelings towards GOP leaders in Congress; while Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has a 70% negative job rating. […]

For almost seventy years, the district has voted Democrat at the presidential and congressional level. In presidential years, the district has had a strong Democratic registration advantage. In 2012–when Democratic Congressman Bill Enyart beat Republican Jason Plummer by 52%- 43%–100,000 more voters were cast than in 2014. In 2014, with Republicans sweeping nationwide, including the Illinois governor candidate winning the district by 20 points, Bost won election to Congress beating Democratic Congressman Bill Enyart.

With a hotly contested U.S. Senate race, and with major races to protect Democratic majorities in the Illinois House and Senate, the 12th CD will be a battleground district in 2016. […]

[Congressman Bost has] voted for bad trade legislation, including fast-track authority for the Trans Pacific Partnership; voted to give tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas; voted against increasing college tuition assistance for middle- class families; opposes the Affordable Care Act; supports turning Medicare into a voucher system; has repeatedly voted against collective bargaining, and has opposed raising the minimum wage and equal pay legislation.

The polling and Baricevic’s fairly impressive first quarter fundraising have reportedly impressed the DCCC, which tried and failed to find a candidate to run against Baricevic during the primary.

* I’ve seen the entire Garin Hart Yang poll and it appears legit. They threw some very, very tough shots at their own candidate (including the issues that scared off the DCCC - mainly his criminal defense law practice) and still switched the results from the initial 50-37 Bost lead in the initial trial heat (without leaners of 2 points each) to Baricevic leading 48-40 after all the push questions. The poll was taken May 20-22 of 400 likely voters.

Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not saying that Baricevic is gonna win this. He has a long way to go and will need to raise a giant pile of money to get on St. Louis TV. Bost is also one heck of a campaigner, he’s been a responsive congressman and is always underestimated.

But the national and state trends may not be Bost’s good friends like they were two years ago. So, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

       

23 Comments
  1. - John Reynolds - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:03 pm:

    What should be most offensive to Republicans is Trumps threat to use the power of the Presidency to do something about Curiel, and not just the fact what he said was a textbook definition of racism.

    Conservatives wrap themselves in the Constitution, except now.

    The silence is deafening.


  2. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:04 pm:

    Mike Bost shot a dog and still got elected. He’s going to be very hard to beat.


  3. - Liberty - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:09 pm:

    Leftists freak out easily.


  4. - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:10 pm:

    Wow, a guy that obviously has a problem with his brain is more popular than our governor. I’m not making this up.


  5. - illini - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:10 pm:

    This race is just getting interesting - keep watching folks! Wishing I could participate in this election, but I live 12 miles outside the district.

    Just wishing I could be talking about the Shimkus “race” with as much enthusiasm!!!!


  6. - How Ironic - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:12 pm:

    @ Liberty-

    I wasn’t aware being against racism was just a ‘leftist’ ideal?


  7. - Moe Berg - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:19 pm:

    Perhaps we’re getting an inkling of not just the negative effect that Trump may be having down ballot, but also Rauner. Lot of institutions in that district that are reliant on state funding. Two years into the rage and shakin’ it up with nothing to show for it, and voters growin’ impatient.


  8. - Winning - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:28 pm:

    Baricevic will beat Bost handily in the MetroEast. If Bost loses Jackson County, he can easily lose this seat. This seat will live and die by the SIUC college campus- which is funny because if SIUC doesn’t get Baricevic (an alumnus) elected; it will most likely close because of 20 years of Bost and 2 years of Rauner. Enough to kill any college.


  9. - Winning - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:30 pm:

    And did Bost really equate Racism to energy policy? Seriously? Those RNCC folks may think the 12th district is living in the 19th century, but it is not.


  10. - Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:30 pm:

    The state Senate race featuring S. SIMON ,SHOULD be the most telling in the state. If, as OW says, labor and higher education what ya gonna do come November, fails to be a rallying cry. Then Rauner may in fact survive.


  11. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:33 pm:

    Plenty of Republicans have expressed disgust over Trump’s racism. A long-time GOP state senator in Iowa has quit the party over him.

    Given that, it’s not unreasonable to assume that Independents might be swayed by an anti-Trump message.

    And no, Rep. Bost, racism is not a policy difference.


  12. - The Captain - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 1:45 pm:

    If you’re looking for another state spending angle in this race don’t forget the Sparta World Shooting Complex.


  13. - AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 2:52 pm:

    Trump is a poo dollar, and anyone who picks him up will not be able to wash his or her hands of him.


  14. - Federalist - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 3:39 pm:

    If this district has been Democratic for 70 years at the national level and Clinton has only a 4 point lead over Trump, then Bost still must be feeling pretty good.


  15. - Apocalypse - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 3:49 pm:

    Maybe, Bost should ask Baricevic to denounce his father John Baricevic’s statement years ago, when he referred to a black Television reporter in St. Louis, as “Rufus”. The reporters name was Elliot Davis, a well respected journalist. Davis asked John Baricevic a question and John Baricevic got flustered and agitated and made the statement to Davis.


  16. - Old Shepherd - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 3:58 pm:

    Bost in 2014 got fewer votes than Plummer in 2012. That statistic alone proves that anything can happen in the 12th CD.


  17. - Biography - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 4:06 pm:

    ==There can be no discussion with regards (sic) to racism.==
    True totalitarian colors showing. This is what we want in a government official? Big Brother is this guy’s idol.


  18. - Pyrman - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 4:28 pm:

    Elliot Davis is well respected??? That’s a good one!!


  19. - downstater - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 4:36 pm:

    - Old Shepherd - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 3:58 pm:

    Bost in 2014 got fewer votes than Plummer in 2012. That statistic alone proves that anything can happen in the 12th CD.-

    Are you really comparing a midterm cycle to a presidential cycle?


  20. - downstater - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 4:37 pm:

    This is a non-issue for Bost, and forgive me if I’m not buying Baricevic’s internal polling info released without cross tabs.


  21. - Amalia - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 6:50 pm:

    jeez. Hillary is not against coal. she’s not promising to put miners out of work. she’s trying to figure out how to help them transition to other jobs as their industry faces extreme pressures to continue.


  22. - Rusty the Dawg - Wednesday, Jun 8, 16 @ 10:11 pm:

    #NeverForget that Mike Bost shot a defenseless beagle back in the 1980s. He should be a convicted felon instead of in Congress. Then again, felons fit right in in Congress. That’s probably why Bill Enyart stuck out like a sore thumb. His integrity.


  23. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 7:05 am:

    This racims charge is a bit warmed over. If I remember correctly, the left called Bush a racist, Romney a racist, any one who doesn’t embrace leftist ideology as racist… Why should anyone care Trump is called a racist. I think the left has called wolf a few too many times.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Trump border czar pick has message for Pritzker: 'Game on'
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today's edition
* Unsurprisingly, Pritzker continues to bat away presidential questions
* Republicans upset about Pritzker's 'You come for my people, you come through me' comment
* Pritzker, Welch talk Trump
* New rules (Updated)
* Madigan trial Roundup: Defense cross-examines ex-ComEd executive
* It’s just a bill
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller