Today, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan’s campaign released its first television ad, “Personal,” which introduces Dirksen Londrigan’s personal health care story. In 2009, her 12-year-old son, Jack, spent nearly a month in the pediatric intensive care unit in critical condition from a rare, life threatening illness during which he was in a medically-induced coma and read his last rites twice before starting his long road to recovery.
Jack’s story drives Dirksen Londrigan to fight to keep the health protections we have in place while working to fix the parts that need fixing, like lowering the costs of prescription drugs and premiums.
The 60-second ad will air in the Champaign-Springfield-Decatur media market as part of a districtwide buy that includes broadcast, cable and digital platforms. It highlights Dirksen Londrigan’s commitment to ensuring access to quality, affordable health care for Central Illinois families.
“I know health care is personal to you, especially now,” said Betsy Dirksen Londrigan. “I’ll fight for every family to have quality, affordable care that won’t bankrupt them if they get sick.”
What I see families going through today reminds me a lot of what our family faced eleven years ago…
A rare infection put my son Jack in intensive care for 21 days, he was on a ventilator and read last rites twice before finally going home.
Without good health care we could have never afforded all the bills.
I’m Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and I know health care is personal to you, especially now.
I’ll fight for every family to have quality, affordable care that won’t bankrupt them if they get sick…
With lower premiums and prescription prices that guarantee your choice of doctors and health plans.
But the drug and insurance industries are standing in the way.
They’ve given millions to Washington politicians to vote their way on health care…
To gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions…
And overcharge patients for prescription drugs.
Corporate special interests can’t buy me. I don’t take their money.
I approved this message, because when your family’s health is at stake, your Congressman shouldn’t be working against you.
* Rodney Davis campaign…
CQ Roll Call has moved the race for Congress in IL-13 towards Rodney Davis and away from Betsy Londrigan. Last week, Roll Call moved the race to “Tilt R” from its previous “Toss-up” rating. And today, in her first TV ad, Londrigan continues to push the false claim that she doesn’t take campaign contributions from corporate interests, even though news reports say otherwise.
“Betsy Londrigan is taking her ‘no corporate money’ lie to the airwaves because she knows this race is moving away from her. Her hypocrisy is stunning. Londrigan’s campaign is funded in part by corporate lobbyists from Madigan’s ‘inner circle,’ ‘Big Pharma,’ and others. Londrigan knows the only way she can win is if she lies her way into Congress.” – Aaron DeGroot, Davis campaign spokesperson
Londrigan pushes “no corporate money” lie in first TV ad
In her first TV ad of the General Election season, Londrigan says “I don’t take” campaign contributions from “corporate special interests,” but news reports reveal that’s not true. Londrigan’s campaign is funded in part by corporate lobbyists and executives to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Londrigan’s campaign is funded in part by corporate lobbyists and executives
From WCIA’s 7/24/20 story titled, Despite corporate PAC pledge, Dirksen Londrigan takes campaign cash from corporate lobbyists:
“…Since launching her bid for Congress, Dirksen Londrigan has accepted at least $82,930 in campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists, including some who have represented pharmaceutical companies, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, gambling companies, red light camera companies, suburban municipal governments, telecommunications giant AT&T and utility company ComEd.
“She’s taken far more from corporate executives, many of whom are also regular donors to Democratic causes.
“The donations from ComEd and AT&T lobbyists in particular came under scrutiny after ComEd agreed to pay a $200 million fine to avoid federal bribery charges last Friday, and federal agents delivered a subpoena to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office searching for documents related to AT&T and its lobbying practices.”
“…Dirksen Londrigan reported $284,278 in household income so far this year, all of it coming from her husband’s salary at his corporate lobbying firm. It represents pharmaceutical clients like Horizon Pharma, which raised the price on an arthritis drug 11 times in seven years, reaching a price point of $2,979 for a 60-pill bottle.
“Another one of his pharmaceutical clients, Kaleo, was flagged in a recent Senate subcommittee report on the increasing prices of opioid overdose reversal drugs. The report found Kaleo contracted with pharmacy benefit managers to hike its prices from $575 per unit up to $4,100 — a spike of more than 600%.
“Londrigan’s campaign declined to comment on how she would handle any real or perceived conflicts of interest that could arise in Congress if she is ever in a position to vote on matters that pertain to her husband’s lobbying portfolio.”
Corporate lobbyists in Madigan’s “inner circle” are funding Londrigan’s campaign
A group of corporate lobbyists associated with Madigan, some of whom have lobbied for ComEd at varying times, have contributed a combined $9,350 to Londrigan’s campaign this election cycle. The Chicago Tribune referred to those lobbyists as members of Madigan’s “inner circle.”
Betsy is still holding onto corporate lobbyist cash from Mike Madigan’s cronies, and 16 days after she was called out for being a corporate money hypocrite, she remains SILENT as to whether or not she will return the money.
NRCC Comment: “No amount of television advertising can change the fact that Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is a corporate money hypocrite whose campaign is funded by Mike Madigan’s corrupt cronies.” -NRCC Spokeswoman Carly Atchison
Most of the 10 most vulnerable House members are still Democrats, who are defending their majority. But with six months until Election Day, two Republicans join the list. […]
Republican newcomers include Illinois’ Rodney Davis, who clung to his seat during the 2018 Democratic wave and faces the same, well-funded opponent this year. […]
Davis held on by the slimmest of margins during the 2018 wave that swept Democrats into the majority, so he’s no stranger to tough races that attract a lot of outside money. His bid for a fifth term once again finds him up against Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and offers Democrats one of their few opportunities to oust a Republican. The race will be hotly contested, with health care taking a prominent role in the messaging. Dirksen Londrigan had a slight fundraising advantage with $1.6 million on hand on March 31 to Davis’ $1.5 million.
* Rodney Davis fundraising email…
***Urgent: Please read!***
Friend,
Today, Rodney Davis’ seat was listed as a “Top 10 Most Vulnerable” and Democrats are circling the wagons saying that they expect to flip it in November.
Our opponent Betsy “Leftwing” Londrigan wants to win here. If elected, she would be a key ally for Nancy Pelosi and the far Left. We can’t allow this to happen.
We wouldn’t be calling on you if this wasn’t urgent. Londrigan is using the Pelosi’s campaign arm, the DCCC, and its digital fundraising machine to outraise us by bringing even more national attention to this race.
Our team knows that nobody will fight for Downstate Illinois more than Rodney. Even during these unprecedented times, he is working across the aisle to make sure that Illinois has the resources it needs to help its citizens get through this pandemic.
Meanwhile…. Nancy Pelosi is eating ice cream in her kitchen and pushing a partisan, far Left agenda that is stalling much needed action in Congress.
It couldn’t be any more clear who the problem is. The far Left would rather watch America suffer than work with President Trump and GOP leadership to do what’s right.
Our opponent has already been endorsed by the far Left in D.C. and if she were to win this seat, it would mean that Nancy Pelosi would have another vote in her hands.
We need your help in this fight, Friend. Can you rush in $25, $15, $10, $5, or even just $1 to help us fight back against the unlimited resources of the far Left?
Rush in $45 to help Rodney Davis fight back! >>>>
Rush in $25 to help Rodney Davis fight back! >>>
Rush in $15 to help Rodney Davis fight back! >>>
Rush in $10 to help Rodney Davis fight back! >>>
Rush in $5 to help Rodney Davis fight back! >>>
Rush in Another Amount to help Rodney Davis fight back! >>>
Thank you,
Team Rodney
Downstate Illinois is the #1 target for Democrats this year, can we count on you to rush in $15, $10, $5, or even $1, to help Rodney win this race?
Donate Today!
P.S. Make sure you are following the CDC’s guidelines to protect yourself from Coronavirus!
* Betsy Dirksen Londrigan fundraising email…
We know that so many in our community have been impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19. We greatly appreciate you being a part of this incredible team, and please only consider contributing to our campaign if you are able to do so. Stay safe and healthy!
Richard — We have HUGE breaking news to share: Roll Call just named Rodney Davis one of the top 10 most vulnerable members of Congress and IL-13 the one seat in the entire country most likely to flip from Republican to Democrat in 2020.
Flip IL-13 blue
In 2018, Betsy came within less than one point of beating Rodney Davis and her rematch this November is poised to be just as close. Roll Call is calling our race one of Democrats’ “few opportunities to oust a Republican.”
Bottom Line: Protecting and expanding our Democratic House majority starts right here in Central Illinois.
With Rodney Davis now being named one of the most vulnerable members of Congress and a pure toss-up race by several election forecasters, Washington Republicans and their corporate and special-interests backers will amp up their efforts to protect Rodney Davis — and we need to be ready, Richard.
We’ve relied on this grassroots team every step of the way to ensure we have the resources we need to flip IL-13 blue. Will you step up with a contribution of $3 or more to help us raise $5,000 by midnight so we can build on this incredible momentum?
* DCCC…
“It’s no surprise that Congressman Davis ranks high on the list of ‘most vulnerable’ incumbents,” said DCCC Spokesperson Courtney Rice. “Between Davis’ continued attacks on Central Illinoisans’ health care and his record of putting special interests first, come November, Rodney Davis will find himself on a one-way, first-class flight back to Illinois.”
