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From Bernie’s column:
Sometimes, people who work on a campaign don’t like everything they see. ROB WINCHESTER of Springfield, who was downstate director for the JIM OBERWEIS gubernatorial campaign, is in that category.Winchester, 38, whose father, BOB WINCHESTER, was a deputy governor under GEORGE RYAN and remains on the Republican State Central Committee representing the 19th Congressional District, says he still considers Oberweis a “wonderful man.” However, the younger Winchester said, he was also “completely discouraged with the approach of negative campaigning and the personal attacks at the end that the campaign chose to take.”
Those attacks were mainly pointed toward the eventual winner of the primary, state Treasurer JUDY BAAR TOPINKA, who happens to be the candidate who was backed by Winchester’s dad.
“I think the negative helped bring her favorables down, but it brought our unfavorables up, therefore having a negative effect on us, in my opinion,” Winchester said.
Oberweis didn’t always seek his staff’s advice when deciding on campaign tactics. For example, Winchester said, he didn’t know that at last year’s Illinois State Fair, Oberweis was going to use his time on stage to ask Springfield consultant BOB KJELLANDER, who was also on stage, to leave his party post. Kjellander, who is now treasurer of the Republican National Committee, has represented companies doing business with the administration of Democrat Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH.
“They’re good people, and I think they were unjustly attacked,” Winchester said of Kjellander and Topinka.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 10:13 am
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I guess it is time for some of the Republicans in this state to assume the circular firing squad position! Wouldn’t it be better to ignore the Milkman and discuss issues instead?
Comment by Randall Sherman Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 10:18 am
Awwww, poor baby didn’t like the negative ads.
Comment by Cry me a river Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 10:57 am
Well, given that his dad voted to bring Alan Keyes into Illinois, I’m not sure this kid’s got any room to complain about Illinois politics!!
Comment by Tom Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 11:37 am
This is an outrage! Bob Winchester is the person that got Rob on the campaign… and Bob still supported Judy. Rob was the former travel aide to Treasurer Topinka and had key information that he wouldn’t release. We always knew there was something up with him.
Comment by WINCHESTER = LIAR Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 12:06 pm
Shadow watcher, First of all, I do not appreciate the lies that you are spreading about me and I do consider it Libel. I have asked Rich to remove your post.
Let me address some issues: 1. I never called Judy “the lesbian” and only found out that she may be a lesbian by the Downstate Director, Rob Winchester. 2. Ron Gidwitz– a Jew? So what if he is a Jew? Does this make him less qualified to be Governor? Jesus Christ was a Jew and I definitely love him. 3. Should I really get started about people in the office with Drinking problems? Bernie.. you want to know it all… I tell it merely because of what Rob just did to his “friends” on the campaign!
Nice slap in the face, Rob.
Comment by Jeffrey Isbell Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 12:23 pm
I agree with Rob!
I know the old man and I know Rob, both have been intense smart campaigners for Republican candidates for many years…I’m a long time Republican who supports both Rob & Bob because there straight shooters, hell Bob helped me and my brother get work at IDOC, and for that I will be forever grateful…It’s not uncommon for campaigns to hire national consultants to do media and develop a negative strategy, it’s unfortunate but it happens…I’ve seen and heard Rob advocate for Oberweis and he had a true passion when delivering Obie’s message…I also remember when he was JBT’s Downstate guy, and he worked his butt of for her and won many downstate counties in ‘98 when no one expected…Obie ran a good campaign with good staff lets beat Blago…
Comment by Thomas Whitly aka: Mr. Southern Illinois Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 1:08 pm
Hey, at least the kid did some work, his old man is useless that’s for sure…thanks for Keyes.
Comment by Jamie Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 3:09 pm
I give the kid credit, he did his best with the candidate he had and managed to carry several counties downstate for Jim. 7 months ago, I didn’t expect Jim to go until March, and certainly not as a “reformer” candidate. Someone did a good makeover image. I helped in the Springfield office a few times and I found everyone very helpful and professional..
Comment by Steve R. Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 3:21 pm
Downstate was one because of the field coordinators not because of the director… field coordinators like John Hagen, Mike Schlau, Jim and Joyce Patrick and the many county coordinators.
Comment by ANON Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 3:30 pm
All Bi-Polarweis ™ had to offer was hate and looniness. Hate alone does not work, he needed to say something positive about his plans other than I hate Judy, I hate Bob, Got Milk? If he had not been so obsessive of JBT, he may have won. He deserves it for hanging out with the loonies in carp-entersville. They never have anything positive to say and found a willing puppet in the milkman. I am surpri$ed they were able to get over what he said about pro-lifer$.
Comment by Wumpus Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 4:16 pm
Rob Winchester is half-right. Someone did have to attack Topinka’s record to bring her numbers down, but Oberweis would have been better off letting Roeser do all of the negative ads.
Dring will make a fortune when he leaves Tom Cross’s office, because the GOP media consultants used here in Illinois are the dregs.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Apr 14, 06 @ 9:22 am
The tactics of the Oberweis campaign also disturbed me. The day after the election, when I sent a civil E-mail to this campaign with my point of view that Oberweis continues to be unelectable and unacceptable to most Illinois voters, I received an e-mail response from the Oberweis campaign.
This e-mail, which is traceable to an Oberweis campaign e-mail address, was harshly vulgar and perceived to be reckless, defamatory, malicious, and threatening.
Somehow, I was not surprised.
Comment by NoMilkForMe Saturday, Apr 15, 06 @ 7:32 am
Too bad Rob Winchester was so silent during the campaign. He sounds like someone trying to make up with Topinka now that she’s the nominee.
Comment by Sour Milk Monday, Apr 17, 06 @ 3:31 pm
Winchester is a sleaze! Trying to get a new Job with the Jude by slamming Jimmy. Why would anyone hire a guy like him for anything??
The “Pay to Play Polka” was the greatest commercial of the entire election. Doesn’t anyone have a sense of humor anymore??
Too bad Papa George’s conviction was on April 17th and not March 17th. I’m sure Judy’s got the blades on her shreader sharpened.
Comment by Republican Goddess Tuesday, Apr 18, 06 @ 7:23 pm