* Lynn Sweet…
A fundraiser for Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., will be headlined by Karl Rove and co-hosted by a who’s who of Illinois Republicans, a show of political strength coming as ex-President Donald Trump vows revenge against GOP House members who voted to impeach him.
The co-hosts — there are more than 150 on the invitation obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times — include two high-ranking Trump appointees from Illinois: Ron Gidwitz, Trump’s former ambassador to Belgium and acting ambassador to the European Union, and Barbara Stewart, the ex-chief executive officer of AmeriCorps.
Kinzinger is one of 10 Republicans to vote with House Democrats to impeach Trump for “incitement of insurrection” for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as Congress was taking the final steps to validate Joe Biden’s presidential election. […]
The list of top Illinois GOP donors co-hosting the Kinzinger funder include John Canning and his wife, Rita; Craig Duchossois and his wife, Janet; Susan Crown and her husband, William Kunkler; David Herro; Michael Keiser; Barry MacLean; John Rowe; and Muneer Satter.
The co-hosts also include Mark Denzler, president & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association; International Union Of Operating Engineers Local 150 PAC; Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce; Grundy County GOP Chair Aren Hansen; former Sen. Mark Kirk; and state Sen. Sue Rezin, whose legislative district turf overlaps on some of Kinzinger’s congressional district.
* From Kristina Zahorik, President of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association…
“Let us not forget that Adam Kinzinger is a tried and true Republican who voted with Donald Trump more than 90% of the time and repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. And now, Adam Kinzinger is teaming up with Karl Rove, one of the architects of the war in Iraq, who helped elect George W. Bush — someone who, after Trump, is one of the worst Presidents in modern history — and to this day still defends the Bush administration’s use of torture.”
“Adam Kinzinger is attempting to rebrand his image so people will forget how extreme his voting record is. But even while Adam Kinzinger is now throwing Donald Trump under the bus, he continues to align him himself with some of the worst members of his party. We can acknowledge Kinzinger for standing up and impeaching Trump, but we can’t forget who he has always been — an extreme Republican.”
Karl Rove has a history of incorrigible behavior and practices, including just last year his use of racially loaded language when he attacked President Obama for speaking at a historically black college and, in Rove’s words, committing a “political drive-by shooting.”
- Dan Johnson - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:42 pm:
It would be nice if the non-violent wing of the federal Republican Party won all the primaries and the violence as a political tactic (shorthand for Trump) wing lost all the primaries.
And then we could argue about health insurance and budgets instead of the rule of law or a descent into mob rule.
- Moe Berg - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:46 pm:
A race-baiter and racist. That’s who Karl Rove is.
But this is who Rep. Kinzinger - and Minority Leader Durkin, who also did a fundraiser with Rove recently - embrace. Shame.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:47 pm:
Pretty pointed statement there by the IDCCA. If it were me, I would keep reminding people what the non-Kinzinger folks are like and save all my shade for them. Something like, “It’s nice to see a fundraiser for a Republican who actually believes in democracy and American values.”
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:54 pm:
===and save all my shade for them===
lol
The object is to somehow tie Kinzinger to them.
- Julian Perez - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:00 pm:
“a show of political strength”
Did Rove or any GOP establishment figure have to headline a fundraiser for Kinzinger over the last decade?
My take? Kinzinger and Rove glanced at the video of the fundraiser that Catalina held last week
- The Ford Lawyer - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:23 pm:
“The object is to somehow tie Kinzinger to them.”
…and that’s why we can’t have a nice democracy anymore. /snark
- dan l - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:24 pm:
——-
The object is to somehow tie Kinzinger to them.
——-
Which honestly isn’t that hard. He’s lock step with them on almost everything - up to and including voting for Trump in the last election.
- Arsenal - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:24 pm:
I don’t really knock on ILDCCA for taking a swipe, but at this moment, all of Kinzinger’s political problems are on the right.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:26 pm:
=== Kinzinger and Rove glanced at the video of the fundraiser that Catalina held last week===
… and saw someone who cheers against our democracy, retweets conspiracy theorists, and is a Trumpkin carpetbagger.
It’s not that anyone fears Lauf, Lauf represents everything wrong right now in the United States.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
Kinzinger is on an electoral island, slightly smaller than the one Tom Hanks was on in Cast Away.
- Bored Chairman - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:42 pm:
Boy, that groundswell of Republican admiration of Kinzinger sure evaporated quick.
- Bored Chairman - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:42 pm:
Democrat
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:44 pm:
*Democratic*
- CMZ - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:45 pm:
=== It’s not that anyone fears Lauf, Lauf represents everything wrong right now in the United States.===
I wonder if Republican voters in Kinzinger’s district will agree with that statement. If not and they elect Lauf at primary I’d bet they basically hand the district to whoever the Democratic candidate is.
- filmmaker prof - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:48 pm:
The definition of a moderate Republican today is someone who agrees with Trump on every issue, but doesn’t want to overthrow the government of the United States.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:49 pm:
=== I wonder if Republican voters in Kinzinger’s district will agree with that statement. If not and they elect Lauf at primary I’d bet they basically hand the district to whoever the Democratic candidate is.===
Possibly and likely, but Lauf is about Lauf and the Trump lifestyle and ways, framing her and her connections and retweets with conspiracy theorists and such, shouldn’t be too difficult to make that connection as others take Kinzinger to task.
It’s a hugely uphill fight for Kinzinger.
I wish him the best, I’ll be watching. Lauf should scare enough folks, not because she can win, but because her thinking exists and that thinks it can win, and it not helpful to the country
- Blue Dog - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:00 pm:
My idea of a great candidate centers around a rock solid position on border/immigration,2nd amendment protection,China theft and a fiscal conservative. Not sure Which of the two best fits that criteria.
- Julian Perez - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:06 pm:
“fiscal conservative”
Very few Dems or GOPers will embrace fiscal austerity today.
We’ve gone from debt/gdp of 35% in 2008 to 95% today. Establishment economic textbooks indicate that this should have resulted in 15%+ annual inflation. And it hasn’t.
You want inflation? We need more babies. And, regrettably, I don’t see that on the horizon
- Numbers matter - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:12 pm:
$1.5 in the bank for his campaign, a similar amount In his PAC and the support of a whole bunch of the check writers in Illinois– Kinzinger is just fine. Kinzinger beat Trump by 14 in his District last time around and Trump becomes more irrelevant by the minute.
- Louis G Atsaves - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:15 pm:
Jerry Reinsdorf? Of White Sox and Bulls fame?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:17 pm:
===Establishment economic textbooks===
Which tells you everything you need to know about them.
- Fav Human - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:31 pm:
rock solid position on border/immigration,2nd amendment protection,China theft and a fiscal conservative
If that is your criteria, Lauf is your candidate.
AK seems to be “growing” on a number of these issues. His immigration record was average at best, 2nd Amd. going downhill recently.
You need Diogenes to find a fiscal conservative these days.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:33 pm:
Does the GOP base have a taste for “Republican classic,” respectful pro-democracy candidates like Kinzinger and Romney, after the former president lavishly feasted it on its prejudices and grievances? That was quite a rush for many people, being stoked so. He really knows how to read the room, so to speak. Can they go back to a “boring old” Republican?
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:44 pm:
Sorry, meant to post this link:
https://www.axios.com/eu-sanctions-china-human-rights-abuses-bd8159de-1806-419a-a362-4b58f6ea02a7.html
- SuburbanRepublican - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 5:12 pm:
More voters are looking back at President Bush more favorably today , Trump no doubt helped there. Attacking Kinzinger over Karl Rove appearing at a fundraiser for him shows they think he could be a threat to the Governor if he ran. He clearly has strong appeal after the impeachment vote. Winning a primary is another story though.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 5:14 pm:
===… could be a threat to the Governor if he ran.===
Kinzinger ruled out a statewide run.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 5:20 pm:
“The object is to somehow tie Kinzinger to them.”
But what is the point? Safe R district. And if he is drawn out, do Dems prefer Lahood or Davis vs Kinzinger? No. There is no point in dumping on one of the few pro-democracy Republicans.
- Unconventionalwisdom - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 6:08 pm:
Kinzinger is toast.
He will probably not even survive a primary challenge.
- Chicago 20 - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 6:31 pm:
If someone is buying what Karl Rove is selling, Trump is more of what they really want.
- Joe - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:13 pm:
When I look into my cracked and fuzzy crystal ball; I see Kinzinger’s 16th disappearing - possibly adsorbed in 2, 11, 14, & 17? If so, where will he go with these funder $ ?
- Amalia - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:22 pm:
Loving the Dem County Party Chairs Pres coming out swinging.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:29 pm:
=== When I look into my cracked and fuzzy crystal ball; I see Kinzinger’s 16th disappearing===
No.
It’s Mary Miller who will be without a chair.
- Frank talks - Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 12:54 am:
Lauf by 5 if not more. Kinzinger is the next Eric Cantor
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 23, 21 @ 6:27 am:
=== is the next Eric Cantor===
This is comical purely in its face.
Kinzinger knows he’s has troubles. Cantor never did.
Just because you know a name doesn’t mean you know anything about the history.