* Politico…
Rep. Bill Foster has taken his concerns about the latest congressional map to his supporters. In a fundraising letter, he said, “Last week new Illinois maps were released, and frankly the results don’t look great for me: My existing 11th District was cut into four pieces. The main city, Aurora, which has stayed with me through thick and thin throughout my political career, was cut in two. Our second major Democratic city, Joliet, was transferred entirely into another district. Our third city, Naperville where I live, remains split in two. Conservative rural areas more than an hour away replaced much of the missing population from the loss of these cities.”
He adds, “most worryingly… our Democratic senator and governor only received 48 percent of the vote in this new district — the worst performance of any Democratic district in Illinois.” With that, he says, he needs supporters’ financial help.
* According to Scott Kennedy’s analysis, Pritzker and Duckworth both won the district…
But Foster’s right that his new district won’t be an easy win, so he had better work extra hard and maybe spend less time out of state.
*** UPDATE *** McHenry County Blog…
U.S. Army Major Michael D. Pierce (ret.) of Naperville filed an amended Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to challenge Congressman Foster’s reelection for an 8th term in Congress.
Pierce, who grew up in Elgin, Aurora and Kankakee, established roots in DuPage County when he enrolled in school at North Central College in Naperville in 1983, and voted in his first election in 1984 in DuPage County.
While working his way through school, Pierce was a youth minister in Ingalls Park (by Joliet), Genoa (DeKalb County) and in Aurora.
After graduating from North Central College in 1988, Pierce was an assistant cross country track coach at UIC for a season, and also coached track at the Illinois Math and Science Academy among other employment at that time.
Pierce enlisted in the U.S. Army in the early 1990s. After his first years as an enlisted man, he was recommended for Officer Candidate School, and earned his officer commission.
Retiring from the Army after 20 years, including a 15-month deployment to Iraq, Pierce published a book on organizational leadership and did project work for the Department of Defense.
McHenry County Blog has learned Pierce will be appearing November 14 with On Target Radio Show at 9PM CST to discuss his candidacy with hosts David Lombardo, and co-host Gretchen Fritz.
Other media appearances will be shared as information becomes available.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 9:53 am:
Spot on Rich. Be nice if Foster ever stayed around Illinois every now and then
- Lake Villa Township - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 9:57 am:
The main way the district goes Republican is western kane county trending right eg the old oberweis senate seat, Biden won it by double digits so I’m not too scared personally
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 10:01 am:
The best I can describe this idea for Foster and his grousing (that’s a tasty vocab explanation) is it’s Foster’s to lose, raise money, don’t raise money, be in the state, be out of the state, it’s all up to Foster and his own want and desire to return to Congress.
- Pizza Man - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 10:06 am:
Rep. Foster, the ‘then- state rep. Mike Fortner at the Federal level,’ should consider teaching or consider returning to a science lab instead as his new proposed district will not be a shoo-in.
Many federales legislators got a sour deal while the state’s redistricting committee held so many hearings virtually and in Chicago.
It’s who you are not where you represent…just sayin’
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 10:09 am:
Politicians griping that they may have to hustle to keep their jobs always have me reaching for my wallet.
Dem or Rep.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 10:13 am:
===Many===
Define “many”…
===…as his new proposed district will not be a shoo-in.===
Isn’t that what voters want, competition?
The thing is for competitive districts… if incumbents can control their own destinies by their own fundraising, campaigning, and ground games… that’s more than a fair shake.
Foster might get lucky and get a truly terrible GOP nominee.
It’s not like Foster got “Newmaned”…
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 10:31 am:
===got a sour deal===
This ain’t beanbag.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 10:33 am:
Going to freely admit some mixed feelings here.
It would seem that they decided Bill was the easiest guy to jerk over. Could it be that they think he still has his own money to spend? Could it be he didn’t get the message last time (might have been 20 years ago) they redistricted and he kind of got jerked over?
The question is Bill, do you want it. Do you want to dig into your own pocket again? I am guessing that Bill charisma doesn’t result in a lot of small-dollar donations.
- Almost the Weekend - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 11:18 am:
=But Foster’s right that his new district won’t be an easy win, so he had better work extra hard and maybe spend less time out of state.=
Wasn’t Bill in Springfield everyday about this time ten years ago trying to get drawn into a fair district to run for Congress again in 2012? The pendulum swings both ways.
- John Lopez - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 11:19 am:
=== Conservative rural areas more than an hour away replaced much of the missing population from the loss of these cities. ===
Well that’s a fine welcome to the new constituents in most of McHenry, western Lake, most of Boone, northern DeKalb and Kane counties.
Suburban residents of Crystal Lake, McHenry, Woodstock, Island Lake, Huntley, Belvidere all rural now.
ICYMI, this morning, first Republican filed with FEC his candidacy for IL-11, fellow Naperville resident for decades Mike Pierce, a retired Army Major, PhD and author to challenge Foster next year.
Fortunately for Foster, he’s just to the left of Congressman Henry Cuellar (D, TX) as far as ideology.
Foster may be having echoes of 2010, the year he lost IL-14 reelection bid to Randy Hultgren.
- Regular democrat - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 11:29 am:
If he is out of state so much where is he going? People notice these things and if he is not engaged with his constituents shame on him. That might be the reason they chopped up his district.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 11:33 am:
=== ICYMI, this morning, first Republican filed with FEC his candidacy for IL-11, fellow Naperville resident for decades Mike Pierce, a retired Army Major, PhD and author to challenge Foster next year.===
Still Foster’s to lose.
===Foster may be having echoes of 2010, the year he lost IL-14 reelection bid to Randy Hultgren.===
Hultgren had 10 years in Springfield when he took on Foster, not some person who arbitrarily decided “I think I’m going to run for Congress”… and Foster was lazy, and went on to live and learn “a bit” but it’s Foster’s to win, no one is on the horizon like a Hultgren… today.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 11:46 am:
That’s the other side of the 14-3 map. If you want to maximize the number of Dem representatives, you need to spread the Dem vote over more districts.
Foster knows that. So, this is a nice fundraising appeal that also puts out a message downplaying the gerrymander that seeks another seat for the Dems.
- Johnny Tractor - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 11:49 am:
“… the results don’t look great for me.” And here I thought that legislative maps were supposed to be focused on the makeup of the people living in the districts, as opposed to the personal needs of the legislators currently in office. My bad./s
- Lunchbox - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 12:15 pm:
Just curious, where is Foster doing out of state? Vacations, Congressional work trips, fundraising trips, all of the above? I am not in his district so hadn’t heard.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 12:24 pm:
-Just curious, where is Foster doing out of state?-
Some might say he has “gone Washington,” a common affliction among members of Congress, where they like the Beltway so much they just don’t come back to the district very often. Rodney Davis for one has been previously accused of the same.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 12:26 pm:
===Some might say he has “gone Washington,”===
Some might also say that he sings this song a lot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEjq8ZoyXuQ
- John Lopez - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
=== Still Foster’s to lose. ===
Of course it’s Foster’s to lose, and the fundraising email part of how he’s shaping the message, in spite of citing inaccurate data of Pritzker and Duckworth both losing within the new IL-11 in their respective first elections which Rich and IL Election Data shows they won, but by small margins.
Foster must convince voters, including a significant number who haven’t voted for him in the past ever, or recent past, he should be returned to DC for an 8th term.
Metrics will be used, like in spite of introducing 163 bills and resolutions, only 2 of his bills signed into law since Foster arriving in DC in March of 2008.
And both those laws renamed post offices, and Foster/Dems were in Majority during 4 of his 7 terms.
IL-11 could be the 2nd most competitive congressional race in IL a year from now, behind IL-17.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 1:07 pm:
===IL-11 could be the 2nd most competitive congressional race===
Can’t beat someone with no one.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 1:11 pm:
=== Foster must convince voters, including a significant number who haven’t voted for him in the past ever, or recent past, he should be returned to DC for an 8th term.===
Meh. You have a conspiracy theorist running against him and is a supporter of Trump, it then becomes a referendum on Trump. Like I said, can’t beat someone with no one.
Right now, Foster needs to actually *run* a race, that’s about it.
- theCardinal - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 8:35 pm:
Boo hoo Bill ….he has been mailing it in for a long time. Maybe if he did anything for the district (or in DC) he would have a following.
- Frank talks - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 8:50 pm:
This is how you raise money. Is today the first day of class? Complain about Trump, complain about Jan 6, complain about Socialism, complain, complain, complain, play victim, play victim, play victim, play savior, play savior, play savior. Nothing new it’s how DCCCand NRCC plays the game now. Pity party or “Merica, same song same dance.
- Blue Room Curtains - Tuesday, Nov 2, 21 @ 11:33 pm:
Foster is a big come-down from Lauren Underwood, especially among all those Kane and McHenry women who campaigned for her so hard in the last two cycles. I don’t see that same level of enthusiasm for a guy many of them have never heard of. I was hoping we’d get mapped into Raja’s district, but alas, no. At least I’m not on Foster’s email list yet.