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* One reason why Congressman Joe Walsh announced his candidacy last night in Chicago instead of in the new 8th District is that almost nobody is backing him. From the Daily Herald…
[Rival 8th CD Republican, DuPage Regional Superintendent of Education Darlene Ruscitti] is expected to receive the support of several members of the Illinois Republican delegation over Walsh — including Roskam, the GOP chief deputy whip and 6th District congressman, and 13th District Congresswoman Judy Biggert of Hinsdale.
I had heard that Peter Roskam had told Walsh he’d be working against him. Walsh denied the rumor yesterday, but if the Daily Herald is right, then Roskam will be on the other side of this primary.
* From the same article, money played a role…
Illinois GOP officials later revealed that before that meeting, Walsh and [US House Speaker John] Boehner had had a sit-down about the district switch.
[Jack] Roeser said he called Boehner to encourage that meeting and provide Walsh with a financial incentive for doing so. A few minutes into that conversation, he said, Boehner tapped him for a $50,000 donation.
* Boehner’s meeting then translated into NRCC support…
In running from the newly-drawn 8th, Walsh wanted and apparently got some national backing. National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Rep. Pete Sessions said: “Joe Walsh gives Republicans the best opportunity to win the 8th District.”
Cue the “pay to play” howling in five… four… three…
*** UPDATE *** Roeser’s people say he contributed the $50K at a June Boehner fundraiser, during which there was no talk of the Walsh move. The meeting with Speaker Boehner in November did not involve talk of financial support.
* Related…
* Walsh, Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi, Hultgren statements
* Walsh Changes Course, Announces Run In 8th: “We are at war in this country…I went (to Washington) to stop this president. I went to go to war. The media and neither political party get it.” Walsh called his fight a “revolution to get our country back.”
* Walsh to seek re-election in 8th Congressional District
* VIDEO: Joe Walsh Announces in the 8th
* RAW VIDEO: Joe Walsh Announcement of 8th District Campaign
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 6:26 am
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Rixh, I noticed that the Chicago Tribune’s article yesterday practically plagiarized your observation about Walsh’s announcement being in neither district, but close to TV.
Comment by Bush Twins Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 6:42 am
It’s hardly a unique perspective.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 6:47 am
$50,000? But still refusing to pay back child support?
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 7:06 am
Alas certain authorities frown upon using political funds for personal reasons. Also the 50K went to boehner, not walsh.
Comment by Dirt Digger Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 7:55 am
===Also the 50K went to boehner, not walsh. ==
And then the NRCC chairman backed Walsh.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 8:00 am
Just like Duckworth won’t get a free ride against Raja, Walsh won’t get a pass from Ruscitti. A lot of Republicans, conservatives as well as moderates, think Walsh is way past his “sell by” date. Roskam and Biggert have lots of clout among west suburban GOPers and they can help Ruscitti raise respectable $.
Due respect to Pete Sessions, who knows bupkiss about Illinois, but Walsh was a flash in the pan who isn’t raising money and who is rapidly becoming more of a punch line than a political powerhouse.
Comment by E Pluribus Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 8:52 am
Yes Rich, the comment was in regards to the 50K being unrelated to the child support debt.
Regarding pay to play, though- it’s political money for political activity. There is no expectation of honest services to the public from a national party committee.
Comment by Dirt Digger Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:15 am
The 8th District is home to the three strongest Tea Party contingents in Illinois: Schaumburg, Palatine and Hoffman Estates, and includes the money and “leadership” coming from Barrington. Walsh is right in the middle of his party’s activists. We should take him seriously when he says he primarily represents the Tea Party, rather than either of the major parties.
Comment by walkinfool Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:21 am
Great, the GOP establishment is backing an education bureaucrat (and a needless one at that) over an incumbent popular with the base of the party.
Though I can’t find any position papers on the web just yet, it shouldn’t surprise any Republican that an education bureaucrat is closer to Duckworth and other Dems on more issues than with the Republican Party, particularly on never-ending spending for needless bureaucracies.
Comment by Bruno Behrend Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:29 am
I’ve never seen anyone spend so much of their own money to destroy their own reputation as Jack Roeser has. Sad. He used to stand for doing right.
Walsh is toast. But at least the NRCC got 50 grand out of it which they’ll use in states where it might do some good.
Comment by just sayin' Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:30 am
Good for Roskam in taking the lead to drum Walsh out. There might be hope for the Illinois GOP yet.
In that light, I wonder if Roeser got played. It’s one thing for the head of the RCCC to say a nice thing about you for $50K, it’s another to have a top GOP Congressman from your state working against you.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:32 am
Rich,
Has Darlene dropped out officially? I heard a report on the radio today that said Walsh was running “unopposed.” Darlene was still in the race when I saw her on Tuesday, but a lot has changed since then…
Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:56 am
She had a funder last night, so I don’t believe she has. I wouldn’t rely on radio for news.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:00 am
Can’t see Darlene dropping out. Why would she run away from a guy who ran away from Hultgren?
Plus if she does cut and run will give impression she’s part of the shady Roeser/Walsh/Boener payoff scheme.
Darlene’s a good candidate in any case, but a woman running against another woman Duckworth is especially good.
Comment by just sayin' Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:11 am
My first monetary donation to a candidate in four years went to Tammy today!
Comment by from the sidelines Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:37 am
I am looking forward to seeing Darlene crush not only Walsh but every other competitor.
Comment by The NKI Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:52 am
I totally wiffed on walsh beating hultgren. I thought the tea party would propel him back into office.
If I were walsh I’d get the $3.5 million in writing or in the bank. The NRCC usually doesn’t spend more than $2 million on a candidate and that’s only in cases where they think it’s a race they can win. I think they spent maybe $100k on dold last time at most.
Comment by Shore Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 12:25 pm
Congrats to Randy. This assures his re-election.
Fool
== The 8th District is home to the three strongest Tea Party contingents in Illinois: Schaumburg, Palatine and Hoffman Estates. ==
Palatine maybe — they helped Morrison beat Bassi last year. Not Schaumburg or Hoffman in Schaumburg and Hanover Twps, which are the part in the new 8th. The fact is that Walsh got clobbered last year by Bean in the Cook County part of his district. Bean won Schaumburg Twp by a margin of 5,000 votes, so there wasn’t much evidence of the Tea Party there then.
Comment by reformer Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:57 pm
I haven’t read the Raja or Tammy statements yet but I’ll just assume they said “Thank You God! Thank You God! Thank You God!”
Comment by The Captain Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:17 pm
Amazing! The anti Boehener, anti-GOP, anti everything Walsh supporters ultimately beg the GOP for forgiveness and money just to live another day. I hear it now as Walsh try’s to explain to his anti GOP Tea Party supporters - most of which are no longer in his district “Trust me folks I’m not part of the establishment, I didn’t beg for the money-they forced me to take it”. A walking contradiction if there was ever one. Priceless!
Comment by Who is the real Joe Walsh? Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:28 pm
Rich,
The Tribbies, in an article I read today, also failed to mention Ruscitti, as have some other local rags. I’m with just saying’ here, I want to watch this race play out between Darlene and Tammy in a district friendly to both.
Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 4:02 pm