Question of the day
Monday, Mar 14, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Kathy Salvi today announced the launch of her campaign for U.S. Senate. Kathy has devoted her career to serving others and will work hard every day to improve the lives of the people of Illinois. Her focus will be on fighting inflation and rebuilding the economy, supporting law enforcement and making our communities safer, and addressing the corruption that has run rampant by the Pritzker/Madigan Machine.
“I am running for U.S. Senate to restore faith in our government and provide Illinoisans the leadership they deserve,” said Salvi. “The policies of the radical left have failed our children in the classroom, made our communities less safe, and forced many businesses to close. Working men and women struggle to make ends meet due to rising costs and high taxes. Partisan politics, corruption, and the radical progressive agenda is prevailing over the best interests of the people of Illinois.”
Salvi’s experience makes her an effective leader who can get things done on the issues that matter to the people of Illinois. She will work to create good jobs, fight to lower costs, make our communities safer, support law enforcement, and end corruption.
“We’ve seen first-hand in Illinois what one-party rule leads to: corruption, out of control spending, and policies that are completely out of touch with the people our elected officials swore an oath to serve,” said Salvi. “We know what works and what does not. Illinois needs a Senator who is willing to challenge the elites, special interests, and progressive agendas to get things done and return sanity to government.”
Kathy and her husband Al have six children, two grandchildren, and currently reside in Mundelein, where they raised their family. She is a partner at the law firm of Salvi & Maher and has managed the firm for more than three decades.
Al won the GOP nomination for US Senate in 1996, defeating Lieutenant Governor Bob Kustra, and then lost to Dick Durbin. Al also won the GOP primary for secretary of state in 1998, defeating state Rep. Bob Churchill, then lost to Jesse White. Kathy Salvi has token opposition , but she’ll need to raise some money or put in her own.
I’ve told you before that both parties’ polling shows incumbent Sen. Tammy Duckworth polling very well.
* The Question: Why do you think Sen. Duckworth is so popular here that the establishment GOP didn’t even bother to field a candidate against her?
- Union thug - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:35 pm:
Combination of two things, she is a wounded combat vet and very effective at communicating throughout the state.
- 47th and Lake Park - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:40 pm:
Are you kidding? Decorated combat veteran, tough as nails, female from the burbs, person of color, moderate liberal, huge war chest? What could you ask for in a statewide candidate in IL in 2022. It will be fun seeing a Salvi on the ticket again.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:46 pm:
===Why do you think Sen. Duckworth is so popular here that the establishment GOP didn’t even bother to field a candidate against her?===
Duckworth, as a candidate and as a Senator, has shown so much of the human side of herself, with her story, and service, even giving birth and being a working mom, she has shown a human side that makes it tough to “dislike” her.
You start with that, tough to dislike her, impossible not to respect her.
It’s not that being disrespectful is a strategy, but you can’t diminish her accomplishments with the usual prongs;
Had it easy, Chosen One, you can’t disrespect her path or diminish her.
She has like this 8% of a Paul Simon thingy where you can disagree with her stance, but I’ve never felt that her goal wasn’t to put above anything her belief it’s best and best fir the country. I can agree, disagree, but the way she goes about things, I feel she approaches things in a perception that it’s her thoughts to a better country. Tough to knock someone who has a lil Paul Simon Teflon like that.
Lastly, her positions, overall, likely poll very strongly with majorities, multiple positions, and can mirror a great deal of a wide electorate of Illinois.
Duckworth isn’t *not* mirroring a great deal of what Illinois thinks or feels… or seen as “out of touch with the folks back home”… and if you do think it, you better contemplate all I had above when going after Duckworth, otherwise you’re probably not going to make much noise or hay.
She’s a good fit for the electorate, good story, tough road to knock to where she is, and she’s relatable.
Can Kathy Salvi find that sweet spot to take Duckworth on?
We’ll see.
- Nearly Normal - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:50 pm:
Adlai Stevenson said it best after losing to Dwight D. Eisenhower twice:”Don’t run against a war hero.”
- Huh? - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:52 pm:
Has the republican’t talking points down. Not much else.
- Give Us Barabbas - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:53 pm:
I got to work with her when she was the IDVA chief, and she’s just a good, competent person.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:53 pm:
Senator Duckworth is an excellent Senator and an amazing person. She has my vote for as long as she wants it
- The Ford Lawyer - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:54 pm:
I second what the previous commenters have to say, but would add that in addition to Sen. Duckworth’s popularity, the state GOP is fractured and inept. They are lucky to field serious candidates for any office above state senator. (See governor’s race, aka putting the goober in gubernatorial).
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 1:55 pm:
===the establishment GOP didn’t even bother to field a candidate against her?===
I can sing praises of Senator Duckworth and I can deliver criticisms, but I think this has less to do with Senator Duckworth than it does with Illinois. Senator Duckworth seems to be doing a great job as a United States Senator which certainly helps, but the demographics of the State of Illinois and how it has performed recently in statewide votes, especially at the federal level.
The GOP just needs to get to 51 US Senate seats to continue their effort to destroy our country. Presuming limited resources, Illinois would not be the lowest hanging fruit for them to go after just based off of voter performance without even considering Senator Duckworth’s support or popularity.
They also don’t have to consider whether or not JB Pritzker is going to be running a campaign that is a turn out machine. Ken Griffin is an out of touch billionaire playing with chump change as he personally appoints his slate. He has encouraged the Illinois GOP to run a campaign that is detached from reality and at the end of the day he is an arm chair politician who has never run for public office who relies on a principally dishonest financial organization that pays for order flow so it can defraud mom and pop investors and kids on the internet.
GOP Daddy Ken is not making an intelligent or educated choice where he is putting his money unless he’s putting together slates in other states that we haven’t heard of, he’s just making this personal because he doesn’t have a better hobby and he hasn’t been indicted yet.
- well - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:05 pm:
She’s a double amputee combat veteran who is a reliable Democratic vote and an inspiration to many others. Additionally, she has family history dating back to revolutionary war on one side - and is proud of her Asian heritage on the other. She’s as rock solid as it gets for Democrats basically nationwide.
If you were able to create a Republican candidate in a lab to defeat her I’m still not sure you could do it.
- SpiDem - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:06 pm:
Because raising money is hard, and Ken Griffin & Co cannot pledge the same type of financial support to a person running for federal office due to federal contribution caps.
Much easier to file for state office and line up for your helping at the Citadel gravy train.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:06 pm:
===Can Kathy Salvi find that sweet spot to take Duckworth on?===
I am interested to see what kind of campaign Kathy Salvi runs and how she plans to address the Kinzinger Test.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:11 pm:
I’m proud of my memory…the name Salvi was sounding so familiar and I realized that I vaguely remember the Al Salvi run so many years ago.
- Chicago 20 - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:13 pm:
Tammy Duckworth is everything Republicans wish they could be.
- PublicServant - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:14 pm:
=== …run rampant by the Pritzker/Madigan Machine. ===
I mean, I guess they’re saving money by reusing the same mantra over, and over, and over…and over. But that’s about all I can say about her.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:17 pm:
Senator Tammy Duckworth is the female equivalent of Jesse White. Would be very difficult to match her credentials, service in the military, and support in Illinois.
Ms. Salvi has a long, long road ahead to defeat Senator Duckworth.
- Torco Sign - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:17 pm:
Name one issue Duckworth has been a firebrand about. The closest you can get is not really an issue but calling out Cadet Bone Spurs. She talks about service and is the embodiment of it. She isn’t in the weeds on issues or in the partisan back and forth on things half the population, maybe even more if there’s intraparty squabbling, might dislike.
- Nagidam - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:26 pm:
Kathy Salvi’s daughter Mary Salvi worked in the Trump White House. That helps Kathy in a primary but probably not in a General.
- Murph - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:30 pm:
Peggy Hubbard is NOT. “token”. She is a true conservative who did not come in the race last minute. She has been all over the state campaigning and would be the best choice.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:33 pm:
Would also say it’s because Duckworth is a combat veteran who sacrificed as much as she could.
Duckworth is a solid Democrat who can be counted on for votes and to support Biden’s agenda, just like every DC Democrat but a very few. She’s not Sinemanchin or the Squad. She is a strong team player. Republicans have different targets to attack, the chief executives being the most prominent (presidents and governors own, h/t OW). Duckworth, Biden and Pritzker are basically the same, politically.
- Joliet gram - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:34 pm:
YES, what has Sen. Duckworth achieved for IL as a Senator. That’s a statement and NOT a question. She’s a reliable Dem vote. She served in the Military. What has she done to advance anything for the people of IL.
- The Hills 60010 - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:36 pm:
- Murph -
“Peggy Hubbard is NOT. “token”. She is a true conservative who did not come in the race last minute. She has been all over the state campaigning and would be the best choice.”
Best choice for what?
The Illinois GOP is just not serious about fielding electable candidates.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 2:40 pm:
Duckworth is popular but I think the fact that the Republicans have a bunch of nut cases in it their party now plus lots of really odd thinking makes her seem more popular than she really might be. I don’t know much about Salvi I do remember her husband and thought he was very conservative but if he has same thoughts now probably to left wing for republicans. I hope Salvi runs a decent campaign with great ideas. As a Republican I want to vote for someone I like. I wish these super right wing secessionist would just leave.
- Vote Quimby - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 3:07 pm:
Salvi said it best: “return sanity to government.” Senator Duckworth has done exactly that… a smart, competent person serving in a federal office.
She’s not out there screaming for attention, she just goes about her job. Wish we had more in Washington like her.
- Steve - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 3:08 pm:
The GOP has people that could run for Senate but what is the compelling reason to run in Illinois ? In 2022 , this is a Democratic state. The GOP can win in other states because there is a different voting base. Kim Foxx won her last election without even debating her GOP opponent in the most populous county and won by a landslide. Not exactly encouragement with GOP candidates when you do need some votes from Cook County.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 3:13 pm:
=== The GOP has people that could run for Senate but what is the compelling reason to run in Illinois ?===
They can’t beat Duckworth.
That’s the point.
That’s the point of this exercise.
It’s not that it’s a “Democratic” state as much as Duckworth is tough to beat.
See: Mosley-Braun v Fitzgerald
- The Velvet Frog - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 3:16 pm:
==We’ve seen first-hand in Illinois what one-party rule leads to: corruption, out of control spending, and policies that are completely out of touch with the people our elected officials swore an oath to serve==
That description sounds a lot more like how it was when Rauner was governor. At the very least the financial situation of the state is improving for the first time in ages.
- Pundent - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 3:39 pm:
=In 2022 , this is a Democratic state.=
Tammy Duckworth became a U.S. Senator by beating a Republican incumbent. To the extent this is currently a democratic state, it is due, in part, to the quality of candidates fielded by the ILGOP.
- Actual Red - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 3:49 pm:
I think most people, whatever their political leanings, vote as much based on emotion and gut instinct as on considered policy positions. I can admit I’m not immune to this either.
I think a lot of the right’s more successful emotional appeals target Democratic candidates alleged lack of toughness, lack of patriotism, and sanctimonious elitism.
I think those attacks just don’t work on someone like Duckworth, for all the reasons people have mentioned. It just doesn’t hold up, and you can’t pretend it does. Jesse White is kind of the same, and maybe someone like Mark Kelly from Arizona fits that bill too.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 4:35 pm:
===and return sanity to government.===
Suppose it’s fair to ask her when she thought government was last sane?
- Amalia - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 4:54 pm:
Tammy Duckworth is normal. She feels like someone you would know in your own life. No nonsense, nice, doing average things AND being a true hero. Who else gets her name in a national magazine talking about her thrift store finds? Tammy Duckworth is a gem.
- Highland, IL - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 7:00 pm:
I thought the lady collecting signatures last weekend was smoking something when she came to my door for Irvin and Salvi.
- Suburban Mom - Monday, Mar 14, 22 @ 9:34 pm:
This may be naive, but I feel like in this sort of case — where the incumbent is the very clear favorite — the GOP’s goal should be to run an articulate, centrist candidate who will talk about issues, avoid attacks, and lose gracefully. It’s a statewide platform to begin rehabilitating their image in the suburbs, to provide some distance from the Eastern Bloc. I don’t want to hear about the “radical left” and Madigan corruption; I want to hear about what constructive things the IL GOP can actually offer me as a middle-aged mom concerned about her kids and their future.
I see the culture-war framing that she immediately goes to, and I’m just not interested. The GOP culture war has been bad for my family, and bad for my community, and bad for the state. But if she could talk about what the GOP *CAN* do for me, instead of only telling me what it’s against, I would be willing to listen. If we were hearing from a GOP that was concerned about healthcare costs for families, that was determined to protect disabled children, that wanted to help ensure my kids could go to college without bankrupting me, those are things I want to hear about. I don’t want to hear about MORE policing — as a middle-aged white suburban lady, EVEN I am afraid of the police at this point. But I would be very interested in hearing about BETTER policing, that makes my community safer while protecting minorities and the mentally ill from police violence.
The GOP should use statewide races it can’t possibly win to begin shifting the Overton window back towards the center, and to air policy proposals that are actually friendly and helpful to Illinois families. But it goes right to Fox News culture-war talking points, and that just turns me off, and turns off everyone I know.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Mar 15, 22 @ 7:07 am:
=Peggy Hubbard is NOT. “token”. She is a true conservative who did not come in the race last minute. She has been all over the state campaigning and would be the best choice.=
Who is she and what is she running for?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 22 @ 10:06 am:
===What has she done to advance anything for the people of IL.===
What an odd question/statement. You can go to her website, scroll down to legislation and look up all the bills she sponsored/cosponsored. The number of the bill is on the left.
First bill at the top: “S.3797 Cosponsored - A bill to amend title V of the Social Security Act to support stillbirth prevention and research, and for other purposes.”
Saving the lives of unborn babies, pretty important, don’t you think?
There are 51 pages so have at it.
- Da big bad wolf - Tuesday, Mar 15, 22 @ 10:06 am:
Sorry anonymous was me.