Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., the former Black Panther, ex-Chicago alderman, member of Congress and a minister, told the Chicago Sun-Times on Monday that he will not seek another term.
Rush, first elected to Congress in 1992, said in an interview he intends to stay active in his ministry and find ways to use his remarkable life story — a trajectory from a 1960s radical to House member — to inspire younger generations. […]
Rush told me he finalized his decision not to seek another term in the last several weeks and it came after a conversation with a grandson, Jonathan, 19, who said he wanted to hear more about his grandfather.
“I don’t want my grandchildren . . . to know me from a television news clip or something they read in a newspaper,” Rush said.
…Adding… Also, as I told subscribers this morning, be wary of stories like this one which float endless names of people who may or may not actually be interested. It’s not news. It’s pure speculation, particularly about those who would have to give up their gigs to run in a potentially crowded primary.
Illinois State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), who shares his district with U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Chicago), released the following statement in response to Congressman Rush’s announcement today that he will not seek re-election:
“As a kid on Chicago’s South Side, I had the privilege of growing up with Bobby Rush as an example of a fearless and righteous leader who helped make our city and our country a better place for everyone.
“Congressman Rush – and his impact on advancing racial justice – will endure far beyond his nearly 40 years in public office. He helped found the movement that’s made a half century of progress toward civil rights possible – a movement that has grown across communities, at all levels of government, and continues today.
“With this news, we can all benefit from starting the new year by taking a step back to reflect on – and find inspiration from – Congressman Rush’s lifetime of work toward fairness, and equity. We know the work isn’t done, but Bobby Rush has shown us there’s nothing that we collectively cannot do.”
…Adding… DPI…
Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Rep. Robin Kelly released the following statement regarding the announcement that Rep. Bobby Rush will not run for re-election:
“Bobby Rush has dedicated his entire life to serving his community. An instrumental figure in the civil rights movement, his passion and determination in the fight for justice serves as an inspiration to us all. As a 15-term congressman, Rep. Rush has worked selflessly for the people of the South Side of Chicago and beyond, passing numerous pieces of critical legislation to strengthen public safety and promote equality in American society. On behalf of all Democrats in Illinois, I thank him for his years of service and wish him well as he begins his next chapter later this year.”
* Some of us talked about this on Twitter over the weekend…
* Mary Miller then announced that she’ll run against fellow Republican Rodney Davis in the 15th Congressional District…
“President Donald Trump inspired me to run in 2020 because our country needs principled conservatives in Congress who always put America First,” said Congresswoman Miller.
“Today, President Trump is endorsing me because I am a conservative fighter who is not afraid to take on the DC swamp.”
“I am not a career politician, and running for office is not my life’s ambition,” said Miller. “My life is spent in the real world, on my small family farm with my husband Chris, where we were blessed to raise our seven children and welcome our seventeen grandchildren. I bring those values to Washington, not the other way around.”
Elected in 2020 with President Trump’s support as an America First conservative, Congresswoman Mary Miller received 73.4% of the vote in the 15th District. She has been a strong supporter of President Trump and opposed efforts by Nancy Pelosi, Adam Kinzinger, and Liz Cheney to attack President Trump through the political “witch hunt” January 6th Commission.
“I voted against Joe Biden’s red-flag gun confiscation efforts, which violate the Second Amendment rights of American citizens,” said Miller, who has the most conservative voting record of any member from Illinois. “I was endorsed by the NRA in 2020 and I’m the only member from Illinois with an A rating from the Gun Owners of America for always supporting the Second Amendment.”
“I’m proud to be the only member of Congress from Illinois who is fighting to impeach Joe Biden and the lawless Biden Cabinet for leaving our border exposed to an invasion of illegal immigration,” said Miller. “I am the only member from Illinois who has fought every effort by Joe Biden to use COVID vaccine mandates to fire Americans from their jobs and I opposed funding COVID vaccine databases that share information with the federal government.”
As a Pro-Life mother and grandmother, Congresswoman Miller serves as an advocate for the unborn, giving a voice to the voiceless in the womb. “When Democrats pushed for taxpayer-funded chemical abortion, I led the fight to ban taxpayer-funded chemical abortion with the Protecting Life on College Campus Act,” said Miller.
Congresswoman Miller is in a strong position to win re-election in the new 15th Congressional District, which gave President Trump 68 percent of the vote in 2020.
“I won’t allow corrupt Democrats like JB Pritzker to cut backroom deals to draw me out of the district I represent, because conservative voters who stand with President Trump deserve a Pro-Second Amendment, Pro-Life, America First voice in Congress,” said Miller.
“With hard work, prayer, and faith in our country, conservatives will take back the House and Make America Great Again.”
* There were some problems with some of her claims. For instance…
Mary Miller is claiming she's the "only Republican from Illinois" to vote against red flag laws for military members. Except even the NRA says that never became law, and the bill Reps. Davis, Bost, LaHood, and Kinzinger voted for on 12/7 did not include it. https://t.co/ozqagryrNa
* Anyway, Rep. Davis seemed to be ready for this and fired off a blistering response…
Rodney Davis’ campaign for Congress released the following statement after Mary Miller announced she’s running for Congress in the 15th District. The statement is attributed to Davis campaign spokesperson Aaron DeGroot:
“Mary Miller is only an outsider in the sense that she doesn’t live in the 15th District. She’s a carpetbagger and Chicagoland native. Miller is so desperate to stay in Congress she’s running in a district she doesn’t live in, just like her husband. The Millers are taking a page out of the Springfield political insider playbook. Politics is their family business.
“Even worse, Miller supports the Never Trump ticket for Illinois Governor and refused to vote against Nancy Pelosi’s sham, partisan 1/6 Select Committee. All Mary Miller has to show for her time in Congress is quoting Hitler and voting with Democrats like AOC and the far left squad to defund our military and block a pay raise for our troops. That’s shameful. It’s clear that Mary Miller is all talk, no action.
“Rodney Davis is a conservative who gets things done. He’s already been hard at work highlighting his conservative accomplishments and work with President Trump during his time in office. That’s why he’s earned support from countless grassroots Republican leaders in the district. Our campaign looks forward to educating voters on how Rodney is an effective conservative member of Congress and Mary is not.”
Um, Rodney has been involved in Illinois/US politics most of his adult life. Politics is definitely his business. And what’s he gonna do in the fall if the “Never Trump ticket” of Darren Bailey and Stephanie Trussell wins the primary? One campaign at a time, I suppose.
A “conservative who gets things done” with the endorsement of almost every major elected official in his new district means he’s going to run a traditional Illinois Republican race. He’ll work it hard. She has Trump. Should be interesting to watch.
* News media roundup…
* Controversial Downstate freshman GOP Rep. Mary Miller to primary veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis after Trump endorsement: Davis has already been endorsed by 32 of the 35 GOP county chairmen in the new 15th District, as well as by two of his neighboring Illinois Republican congressional colleagues, Darin LaHood of Peoria and Bost, and more than a dozen GOP state lawmakers in the new district. Davis also has been a strong supporter of Trump and co-chaired his 2020 reelection campaign in Illinois. Davis also has backed House Republican leadership under Kevin McCarthy of California.
* Trump endorses Rep. Mary Miller against Rep. Rodney Davis despite pleas from leadership not to get involved in primary: Miller, a member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, recently caused a stir within the Republican conference for spreading misinformation about a vaccine records bill and an annual defense policy bill that many House Republicans voted for. As CNN first reported last month, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — another controversial firebrand who is close with Miller — had been lobbying Trump to throw his weight behind Miller, while House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had urged Trump not to get involved, concerned it could make things even messier for party leaders.
* Trump endorses Illinois Rep. Mary Miller over Rep. Rodney Davis: Trump’s move comes as he is looking to spark intra-party primaries in order to increase the numbers of Trump-loyal MAGA Republicans in the House in advance of his anticipated 2024 White House comeback bid.
