There’s the truth, and then there’s the whole truth.
Abdelnasser Rashid is attacking Mike Zalewski for being too close to former Speaker Madigan. The Whole Truth? Rashid took $50,000 from Madigan. That’s a lot of money.
And here’s the rest: Rashid’s now funded by an insider who bankrolls right-wing politicians determined to deprive women of their right to choose and attack common sense gun laws. He doesn’t even live in the district. The Sun-Times has called Rashid, disappointing and out of touch. And now you know why.
But Othman also has a long history of contributing to Democrats and has mostly contributed to Democrats for nearly the past 20 years, including to the campaigns of former President Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Durbin, and congressional representatives Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Sean Casten, Marie Newman and a host of other Democrats.
Othman told the Landmark that he grew up in a Republican household and used to be a Republican, but that changed about 20 years ago.
“I did switch from being a Republican to a Democrat, because the Republican Party over the last 20 some years has pulled to the right so far that they’re over the cliff now,” Othman said.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a Zalewski slams an opponent over ties to Madigan. Wow.
-Abdelnasser Rashid is attacking Mike Zalewski for being too close to former Speaker Madigan.-
Not sure why you need or want to repeat the attack in a counterattack ad. If Rashid’s $ from Madigan is the “whole truth,” does that make Zalewski being too close to Madigan “the truth?” Ad’s a C. Could be tighter.
And here we were all hot and bothered in Illinois for the Democratic attacks on Republicans for wanting to end Social Security. That seems so quaint in today’s hits.
D+. Z isn’t going to get another ad on broadcast, so he’s using his one shot to give play to Rashid’s attacks. And as we’ve seen with the Irvin campaign, there’s limited utility in “I’m rubber and you’re glue” messaging. Z really doesn’t want this election coming down to “which candidate is closer to Madigan.” The Republican hit is a little stronger, but it comes at the end and muddles the Madigan counterattack.
===== Z is constantly referred to in his campaign flyers as 100% pro-choice, despite voting with Republicans against repealing the PNA. =====
This has been the crux of Rashid’s campaign, at least at the start of it. The district has gotten a lot of “Z is anti-choice” mailers earlier in the year, and I can’t help but think had he voted differently on PNA repeal, Rashid’s campaign might not have gotten nearly as much traction.
Lately we’ve been getting a lot of “Z is Madigan’s puppet” mailers in the district…with pretty pointed messaging and imagery. Clearly it’s having an impact if they’re running this on broadcast.
“I’m rubber and you’re glue” worked exactly right in Irvin/Bailey Vern. Proft and JB made Irvin out to be a Democrat all along. The attack lands if Rashid has an authenticity problem similar to Irvin’s. We are about to find out.
Riversidian: 100%! I imagine Z wholeheartedly regrets that vote, though he was super proud of it at the time and was dismissive of community outcry afterward.
It’s about time someone made the point that everyone in the Democratic Party has some connection to Mike Madigan, whether it was his money, his army, or his staff. Democrats smacking Democrats for Mike Madigan is ridiculous and isn’t going to help the party in November.
All of these hypocrites. It’s tooooooooo funny. Rashid is unqualified, and deserves the attack, but oh boy, how do these people look themselves in the mirror. It’s no wonder the public has such a low opinion of politicians.
C+ or maybe a B- on a good day. Well produced, but the attacks are weak. The Madigan connection is not very strong, and does anyone even believe the line about Republican support? Didn’t know Rashid lived out of the district though. Could be something there.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:02 am:
The Dem version of because of Madigan - plus love the irony of the criticism of Rashid having GOP money trash Z, when JB does the same to Irvin.
- NotRich - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:15 am:
Politics. !!!!!!!
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:19 am:
-Abdelnasser Rashid is attacking Mike Zalewski for being too close to former Speaker Madigan.-
Not sure why you need or want to repeat the attack in a counterattack ad. If Rashid’s $ from Madigan is the “whole truth,” does that make Zalewski being too close to Madigan “the truth?” Ad’s a C. Could be tighter.
- BWA - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:21 am:
@ron the finer point is to make it seem like his campaign has hypocrisy problems.
- T - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:23 am:
Attack must be working and polls must not be pretty. Thankfully.
- Nagidam - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:25 am:
And here we were all hot and bothered in Illinois for the Democratic attacks on Republicans for wanting to end Social Security. That seems so quaint in today’s hits.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:25 am:
-the finer point is to make it seem like his campaign has hypocrisy problems.-
Yeah but you’re also amplifying the original attack to people who didn’t see it.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:33 am:
That’s some short memory Z has. Rashid could fire back with the fact that Madigan recommended JB hire Carrie Zalewski for a plum job.
- Politix - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:33 am:
Z is constantly referred to in his campaign flyers as 100% pro-choice, despite voting with Republicans against repealing the PNA.
- vern - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:36 am:
D+. Z isn’t going to get another ad on broadcast, so he’s using his one shot to give play to Rashid’s attacks. And as we’ve seen with the Irvin campaign, there’s limited utility in “I’m rubber and you’re glue” messaging. Z really doesn’t want this election coming down to “which candidate is closer to Madigan.” The Republican hit is a little stronger, but it comes at the end and muddles the Madigan counterattack.
- Zoned out - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:42 am:
Nah, Politix, Nas calls himself the 100% pro choice candidate because it suits him, Peter Fitzgerald’s donor buddy notwithstanding.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:43 am:
===Peter Fitzgerald’s donor buddy===
Fitzgerald left office before many Illinoisans were born.
- Riversidian - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:46 am:
===== Z is constantly referred to in his campaign flyers as 100% pro-choice, despite voting with Republicans against repealing the PNA. =====
This has been the crux of Rashid’s campaign, at least at the start of it. The district has gotten a lot of “Z is anti-choice” mailers earlier in the year, and I can’t help but think had he voted differently on PNA repeal, Rashid’s campaign might not have gotten nearly as much traction.
Lately we’ve been getting a lot of “Z is Madigan’s puppet” mailers in the district…with pretty pointed messaging and imagery. Clearly it’s having an impact if they’re running this on broadcast.
- Exhale - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 9:56 am:
“I’m rubber and you’re glue” worked exactly right in Irvin/Bailey Vern. Proft and JB made Irvin out to be a Democrat all along. The attack lands if Rashid has an authenticity problem similar to Irvin’s. We are about to find out.
- Politix - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 10:30 am:
Riversidian: 100%! I imagine Z wholeheartedly regrets that vote, though he was super proud of it at the time and was dismissive of community outcry afterward.
Zoned out: My post was about Zalewski.
- olden days - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 10:52 am:
B+ Kudos to Z for finally going after Rashid
It’s about time someone made the point that everyone in the Democratic Party has some connection to Mike Madigan, whether it was his money, his army, or his staff. Democrats smacking Democrats for Mike Madigan is ridiculous and isn’t going to help the party in November.
- ;) - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 11:07 am:
All of these hypocrites. It’s tooooooooo funny. Rashid is unqualified, and deserves the attack, but oh boy, how do these people look themselves in the mirror. It’s no wonder the public has such a low opinion of politicians.
- ;) - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 11:08 am:
Amen, olden days. Amen.
- MyDaddyGotMeAJob - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 12:53 pm:
LOL calling someone “unqualified” to be a state rep in Illinois. Now THAT is tooo funny. Do you even know half the state reps in IL?
- Tough scene - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 12:55 pm:
@Politix - Meh, at least Z asks people before using their images in mail.
https://www.rblandmark.com/2022/05/12/riversiders-queasy-about-appearing-in-campaign-mailer/
Let us know when the ax your grinding is sharp enough for you.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 12:59 pm:
It’s a “B/B-“
I’d like to think the closing argument isn’t a way to look at “because Madigan” with whstaboutism.
I have a great deal of respect for Rep. Z, this closing argument type of ad, going negative is a way to end, and I graded as such,
- Politix - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 2:31 pm:
Tough Scene: That was a weirdly personal response. You good?
- low level - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 3:00 pm:
Wow. Didnt realize the race was that close. IMO Mike should have talked about his positives.
- Young Timer - Thursday, Jun 16, 22 @ 3:11 pm:
C+ or maybe a B- on a good day. Well produced, but the attacks are weak. The Madigan connection is not very strong, and does anyone even believe the line about Republican support? Didn’t know Rashid lived out of the district though. Could be something there.