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Odd political news and a campaign roundup

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* Weirdest campaign story of the weekend…

According to a Fox Chicago News source Former Lieutenant Governor candidate Scott Lee Cohen and House Speaker Mike Madigan had a private meeting Saturday morning on the South West Side. […]

At the 13th Ward Democratic headquarters, where party Chairman Mike Madigan has an office, we were initially told by an office aide that there was in fact a meeting between Madigan and Scott Lee Cohen Saturday. Then we were abruptly told by another office aide that, “No.”, there was not a meeting.

We asked, “Is it a secret meeting? You guys just have no answers? Is Speaker Madigan here right now?” We were told Madigan wasn’t in the office. After seeing his office door open and asking again, we were told he had just arrived. We were then told Madigan had no comment and the office was being closed for the day.

Madigan’s Spokesperson, Steve Brown had this to say about the alleged meeting, “Mr. Cohen resigned from the ballot. I am not aware of any meeting scheduled today. I am not even sure why there would be a meeting.”

* And while not “new” news, this certainly qualifies as runner-up…

After decades as the sharp-tongued, angry outsider of Illinois Republican politics, conservative businessman Jack Roeser is trying to get on the inside.

He’s given $50,000 to the state GOP. He’s seeking a leading role as the Illinois liaison to the Republican National Committee. And he’s even agreed to help with a big fundraiser honoring statewide Republican candidates, including a man he vilified before the February primary, U.S. Senate nominee Mark Kirk.

Ask the 86-year-old Roeser to explain the sudden change of heart, and he cites new party leadership and a desire to stop the circular firing squad the Illinois GOP had become.

“Very simply, the Republican Party is very different than it was a short while ago,” said Roeser, the wealthy founder of Otto Engineering, a Carpentersville, Ill., manufacturing firm.

Hell is freezing over.

* Campaign quote of the day goes to Democratic state Sen. Willie Delgado for this remark about Gov. Pat Quinn…

“Although I will endorse his administration,” Delgado said of Quinn, “I will do so holding my nose.”

Delgado is still fuming about Quinn’s handling of the mess at the Department of Corrections, including the firing of Sergio Molina, whom Delgado said was made into a scapegoat.

* Republican state Sen. Randy Hultgren’s congressional campaign sent out a press release last week touting its fundraising success…

State Senator Randy Hultgren raised $281,000 in the reporting period ending on March 31, 2010. The figure represents the campaign’s best fundraising quarter to date since Senator Hultgren announced his candidacy in August.

The next day, though, Democratic Congresscritter Bill Foster topped him…

Today, the Bill Foster for Congress Campaign continued to demonstrate its political strength by raising $354,840 during the first fundraising quarter of 2010 (January 14 – March 31). His opponent, State Sen. Randy Hultgren, raised only $261,779. […]

With these first quarter results, the Foster Campaign has raised $1,783,537 for the 2010 cycle and has $1,268,889 cash-on-hand. Hultgren’s campaign has raised a total of $446,861 and has $108,097 cash-on-hand.

That cash-on-hand difference is striking, but can be overcome if the nationals dump bigtime bucks into the race.

The cash-on-hand advantage also applies to freshman US Rep. Debbie Halvorson’s race…

Halvorson raised about $420,000 in the first three months of the year and had $1.25 million on hand. Kinzinger raised about $224,000 and had $299,000 in the bank.

Even so, Stu Rothenberg has moved the Foster/Hultgren campaign into the “Pure Toss-Up” category. The 10th CD was also moved into the category. Halvorson is also now on Rothenberg’s radar, although her race is in the “Democrat Favored” category. [Hat tip: Illinois Review.]

* Other campaign stuff…

* Kelly talks Bright Start losses

* Washington: Claypool’s a little late to the party

* Why Young Voters are Lukewarm on Abortion Rights

* Video: Talking Politics: Governor’s Race

* Use of Likely Voter Model Does Not Explain Rasmussen “House Effect”

* Palin speaks in Central Illinois

* Tea Partiers are boiling mad in Illinois

* Tim Kaine: Tea Parties could help Democrats

* Getting on the tea party stage: Who gets in, who stays out

* IL GOP to pick National Committeeman Thursday

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 10:32 am

Comments

The real question is does Jack Roeser go back to being the old Jack Roeser when he doesn’t get his thirty pieces of silver this week (i.e. the national committeeman job).

Comment by just wonderin' Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 10:45 am
I’m amazed that Fox Chicago TV or WLS Radio haven’t teamed up Blago and Cohen for a “political” show. Cicero Betty could do the weather and traffic.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 10:52 am
I’m tired of the old guard that goes for edgar as well as roeser. Fresh blood please. Thanks.

I realize washington is not your thing, but the NRCC does not have a lot of money and the RNC is struggling. They also have a cost benefit analysis which they weigh that starts with winnability and cost. If a race in alabama which is much less expensive is just as winnable as illinois, alabama will get the money because ads are cheaper and the damage that can be done is greater. The DNC and DCCC will also have a lot more money and remember we don’t know what kind of fundraising obama will do for local democrats which the republicans can’t match and which I bet will bring in 2-3 million bucks if and when he decides to have a “2010 support the Illinois congressional democrats night”.

Comment by shore Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 10:58 am
wordslinger, very amusing. who will play Sybill the Soothsayer?

Comment by Amalia Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:01 am
Anyone in the media want to follow up and ask question about why there indeed was a meeting between MJM and SLC this weekend or is that not a story?

I still find it impossible to believe that someone would spend $2M on a campaign, win the election, and then disappear into the night WITHOUT some kind of quid pro quo deal being made.

Comment by Logical Thinker Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:03 am
Amalia, it has to be Sneed, based on her batting average.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:06 am
Wordslinger….hah! and I’m giving you the “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore” role.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:10 am
–I’m giving you the “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore” role.–

No, I don’t get too rattled about things. There are no shortage of Howard Beale’s out there, though.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:20 am
I feel the same way Willie does about the upcoming gubernatorial race. It is too bad Illinois voters don’t have a better choice. Cohen could probably pull a few much needed votes from Quinn. Delgado and I are not the only disaffected Dems out here.

Comment by Bill Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:22 am
“Very simply, the Republican Party is very different than it was a short while ago,” said Roeser, the wealthy founder of Otto Engineering, a Carpentersville, Ill., manufacturing firm.

86 Year Old Man Discovered Livelier Than Illinois GOP - Now Feels Sorry For His Years Of Abuse Towards It

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:23 am
Regarding Jack Roser, as was once said during the Blagojevich administration, “I think something in my brain just popped, look there goes a kitty.”

Comment by Living in Oklahoma Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:50 am
Do not give Roesser a job,. That man has been poison for years and his last minute conversion does nothing to convince me that he is not the same burro that he was twenty five minutes ago. He is a hateful little man. But hey, the ILGOP loves them a rich man, a sugardaddy. He is basically making the same conversion Bi-Polarweis ™ tried to make.

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 11:50 am
Isn’t Roeser one of the guys that abandoned Topinka in her hour of fundraising need because she wasn’t red meat enough? And said something along the lines of “we should just let Blago win, the backlash afterwards will help us over the long run”? THAT Jack Roeser? Or did I mix him up with Uberweis? Or some other guy that is just as “good” for the republican party?

Comment by Gregor Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 12:38 pm
But hey, the ILGOP loves them a rich man, a sugardaddy.

Yeah - the Illinois Democrats are not like that at all. There are no rich men or women at all there. Just humble working class people barely making ends meet.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 12:50 pm
Willie Delgado used to be my state rep. A charming fellow who talks a blue streak–about himself. Under Miguel del Valle’s tutelage, he initially won an open seat from a candidate allied with Joe Berrios, but once elected, he quickly attached himself to Rod, Emil and Bill Daley, sponsoring legislation that led to higher rates for Com Ed and exclusive liquor distribution privileges for Arthur Wirtz. The reformer of old is unrecognizable. If PQ threw him some patronage, he’d go from holding his nose to sniffing the roses.

Comment by rudy Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 4:24 pm
VM, I mean that the GOP always semes to find some self funding candidate who has no experience and loses.

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Apr 19, 10 @ 6:29 pm