* I’ve long believed that the best way to beat Sen. Chris Lauzen in the upcoming Congressional race is to poke, poke, poke at him until he loses his temper. His temper is infamous among people in the know at the Statehouse. And that temper was on full display this morning when the Tribbies asked him about scoring Rose Bowl tickets (see below for more on this subject)…

Lauzen called it “horrible” that “you would judge that there is anything inappropriate.”

“If you’re asking a question, it becomes a story,” Lauzen said.

Lauzen said he made a mistake running for office 16 years ago, saying politics is a “crappy business” that has cost his family millions of dollars.

“So I’ll, I don’t want any more trouble for me or my family,” Lauzen said. “This is really a horrible, horrible business. This is horrible.”

Lauzen also referred to his Republican opponent, Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove, in the race to succeed former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) in the 14th Congressional District.

“Just think what Oberweis will do with this,” Lauzen said.

Saying he was a “little bit sensitive,” Lauzen provided his home phone number to a reporter who asked how to reached him with any follow-up questions.

“Why don’t you call me at home and then maybe you can talk to one of my family members who won’t be going?” Lauzen said.

He called back later and softened his approach, but the damage was already done.

* This isn’t the first time that Lauzen has gotten snippy on the congressional campaign trail. Remember his somewhat weird press release after Denny Hastert endorsed Jim Oberweis?

At first, I was very concerned that your health was failing somehow, and I sympathized with you and your family. But, you have assured us repeatedly that there is no health problem and we are relieved on your behalf.

Discuss.

*** UPDATE *** In another congressional race, Billy Dennis has a post this morning on Aaron Schock’s latest poll. The following is from a press release which is posted in full at PeoriaPundit…

1. Aaron Schock has an excellent image among Republican primary voters.

Eighty-six percent (86%) of likely Republican primary voters have heard of State Representative Aaron Schock, with 64% having a favorable impression of Schock and 4% having an unfavorable impression. Encouragingly, Aaron’s name recognition and image have grown since August, when his image was 59% heard of/49% favorable/1% unfavorable.

Even more encouraging is that Schock’s favorables are more than twice that of his nearest Republican opponent. Jim McConoughey’s image is 65% heard of/25% favorable/2% unfavorable, while John Morris’s image is 42% heard of/15% heard of/3% unfavorable. McConoughey and Morris face an uphill battle trying to match Schock’s name recognition and favorables in the final weeks of the primary campaign.

2. Schock holds a commanding lead on the Republican primary ballot. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Republican primary voters back Aaron Schock on the ballot. McConoughey polls 14%, followed by Morris with 4% of the vote. Twenty-three percent (23%) of primary voters are undecided. By intensity, 35% definitely vote for Schock, while just 3% definitely back McConoughey and 1% are committed to Morris.

*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Politico…

Illinois GOP state senator Chris Lauzen declined to commit to endorsing his primary rival, dairy magnate Jim Oberweis, if he emerges as the party’s nominee in the February special election to succeed former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.).

“He should not take anyone’s goodwill for granted,” said Lauzen in an interview with Politico.com. “I believe that both of us need to conduct ourselves in a way that makes easier for us to support each other.”

Sen. Lauzen is really getting into the holiday spirit, don’t you think?