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Candidate encouraged by physicists’ response

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* George Gollin, a 60 year-old University of Illinois physicist from Champaign has announced that he’s running for Congress. Gollin will be up against former Judge Ann Callis for the right to take on Congressman Rodney Davis in the fall, or Erika Harold if she somehow manages to win the Republican primary.

Tom Kacich reports…

Gollin, who has been exploring a congressional race since April, said he has been encouraged to run by his academic colleagues.

“What I’ve been doing is talking to my colleagues in higher ed and mostly physics. Everybody has said that this is great,” he said. “There’s been nobody I’ve spoken to who’s a scientist who’s been anything other than wildly enthusiastic about this.”

Um. Ok.

Callis has the support of the DCCC and Sen. Dick Durbin, she has a big fundraising head start and, most importantly, she’s not relying on physics teachers to pump her up with smoke.

* Meanwhile, National Review takes a look at Congressman Davis’ GOP opponent Erika Harold…

Thus far, her fundraising numbers have been underwhelming, according to Roll Call. Abby Livingston writes that Harold “should have been prepared for a stronger showing against Davis, a prolific fundraiser, to show her force in this potentially competitive primary. Davis raised $455,000 for the quarter and reported $702,000.”

A We Ask America poll from June has gloomy numbers for Harold: Of 1,178 likely GOP voters, only 16.38 percent said they’d vote for her if the primary were held that day. And though three times as many respondents had never heard of her, 6.98 percent say they disapprove of her, while 6.16 percent disapprove of Davis.

Actually, that was a Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll which I shared with subscribers only. Not cool on National Review’s part at all.

* But since it’s out there, here are the results…

If the Primary Election for your Member of Congress were held today, for whom would you vote?

Rodney Davis 53.55%

Erika Harold 16.38%

Undecided 30.07%

Please tell us your general opinion of Rodney Davis.

Never heard of 20.67%

Approve 50.61%

Disapprove 6.16%

No opinion 22.56%

Please tell us your opinion of Erika Harold.

Never heard of 61.29%

Approve 19.75%

Disapprove 6.98%

No opinion 11.98%

Those are solid numbers for a freshman. I just don’t see Harold’s path to victory.

The poll of 1178 likely GOP primary voters was taken June 10th and has a margin of error of ±2.86 percent. Subscribers have crosstabs.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:22 am

Comments

“There’s been nobody I’ve spoken to who’s a scientist who’s been anything other than wildly enthusiastic about this.”

Um, Rep. Foster (D-IL) is kind of a big deal physicist. Guessing he’s something other than wildly enthusiastic.

Comment by Anonymiss Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:31 am
How exciting! Over 61% never heard of Ms. Harold, so there is some wiggle room for growth!

Those Ex-Johnson Staffers, they know how to ruin things, they keep proving that.

Solid polling for Davis in his negatives being so low and manageable, and the monies raised shows the support is there to make a mockery of the Ex-Johnson Staffer’s belief that the financial aspect and the polling aspect of Congressman Davis’ beginning needs to be challenged.

Embarrassing for Ms. Harold, but more embarrassing for the Johnson Crew assisting in her embarrassment…

——-

I hope the physicist campaigns in a tweed jacket with patches … or even a lab coat and goggles, that would be fun! You can’t base your idea on a run solely on the talking to colleagues…. well, you can, just don’t tell anyone who will print it to make you look like a Dope…

——-

National Review - Bad Form … Nothing like borrowing, and faking the credit, but missing the whole point to where credit needs and should be given. Bad Form, indeed.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:32 am
So yesterday NBC-Wall Street Journal relases a poll that says 83% of Americans dissaprove of the job Congress is doing, and that 57% of voters would vote to replace every single member!!

Yet Davis has a 50% + approval raiting.
Same as it ever was–hate Congress, but keep election ‘our guy’ as long as he does nothing out and out stupid. What a good gig–if you can get it!!

Comment by train111 Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:35 am
I don’t see this as a competitive race at all. I’ve been voting D more often than not lately but, as far as I can tell, Davis has been doing a solid job with regular communications/engagement and a moderate stance on issues. I’d vote for him if the election were today.

Comment by thechampaignlife Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:45 am
Of course, the Dems might already have held the IL-13 seat if Durbin and the DCCC had ever bothered to put in any resource to Gill’s campaign. But then again the DCCC and Durbin are only interested in electing conservative, corporate Democrats who’ll do Wall Streets bidding.

Comment by BrianG Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:51 am
===Of course, the Dems might already have held the IL-13 seat if Durbin and the DCCC had ever bothered to put in any resource to Gill’s campaign. ===

You’re insane. The DCCC spent a bunch of money there to bolster a complete goofball, who, had he not been a complete goofball, prolly would’ve won.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:54 am
there are 2 physicists in congress I think, Rush Holt in new jersey and foster. That community has a thing right now in its head that their nerd deal is politically cool that I think is in this guys head.

Comment by shore Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:56 am
I think the physicist needs to quickly form a fundraising nucleus or this fission expedition will quickly implode.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:57 am
Maybe these physicists have some kind of quantum campaign strategy. Maybe the candidate both won and lost until the box is opened?

Comment by Elo Kiddies Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:58 am
Great Quote, Elo Kiddies @11:58

Comment by downstate hack Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:03 pm
Which of Rodney Shimkus’ positions are moderate?

Rich, you’re objecting to not getting the poll’s name correct, not that they shared something sent to subscribers, right?

Comment by Marty Funkhouser Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:11 pm
@FakeJasonPlummer:If being a physicist makes you ready to be a CongressRep then I’m good. I got “A’s” in Physical Ed almost every time! #SmartandStrong #FavoriteClass

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:13 pm
His science background should come in handy now that he’s caught between an immovable object (primary day) and an unstoppable force (Callis).

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:20 pm
Let’s not forget our own home-grown physicist in the GA, Mike Fortner!

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:21 pm
===Rich, you’re objecting to not getting the poll’s name correct, not that they shared something sent to subscribers, right? ===

Actually, I object to both.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:23 pm
Gil may or may not be a ” Goofball ” but I feel like the main reason Davis was sent to Washington and not Gil was the number of votes that went to the third person in that race. I think a strong argument could be made those votes may have fell in the D side had that person not ran.

Now that Davis is there it will take a lot to get him out.

Comment by Bemused Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:32 pm
Callis will be the odds on favorite to win the (d) primary, but she will have to chew up valuable campaign dollars. She will need every penny to be able to beat Davis. He has done a terrific job in communicating with the district voters.

Comment by Downstater Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 12:50 pm
The National Review is not exactly a bastion of ethical journalism. Case in point, regardless of what you think of the verdict, their reaction to Eric Holder’s remarks on the Zimmerman trial was appallingly stupid.

Comment by OldSmoky2 Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 1:10 pm
@BrianG, the national Democratic party put more resources into IL-13 than just about any other district in America last cycle. Eight different independent expenditure ads. Sorry that doesn’t mesh with your world view.

Comment by Jason McGrath Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 1:37 pm
In the N-G story Gollin also talked about how Rush Holt wasn’t the DCCC candidate either. Who knows what will happen. Callis is known as much by the people as Gollin is.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 1:48 pm
I also wanted to add that while Callis has some reform/improvement of the Madison County judiciary on her record, Gollin was a major player in picking apart internet diploma mills.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 1:49 pm
Concerning IL-13, The DCCC and Durbin backed Matt Goetten in primary. The DCCC and other New Dem PACs such as JOEPAC also donated to him. Here is the url of Steve Israel’s RED to Blue list after the primary. http://dccc.org/blog/entry/dccc_chairman_steve_israel_announces_illinois_red_to_blue_candidates/

Whose name was left off the list? It wasn’t until August that he got any from Israel and the DCCC. Compare that level of support with that of the extremely conservative Illinois freshman class who are to the right of the congressional caucus.

Comment by BrianG Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 1:55 pm
===Compare that level of support with that of the extremely conservative Illinois freshman class who are to the right of the congressional caucus. ===

Yeah. You know the difference? Those folks won, some with far less DCCC money than your guy got.

The real issue is the Champaign-Urbana left is still crying their little eyes out over a guy who didn’t want DCCC money to begin with. Deal with it. Perhaps seek counseling. Your view of reality just isn’t real. Gill got tons of national Dem money. He lost because that district extends far beyond the C-U borders.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 2:01 pm
Seriously, BrianG, you sound like a left-wing version of the Illinois Review.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 2:04 pm
“You’re insane.”

Let’s keep it civil people. Oops, its our leader.

Comment by wishbone Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 2:17 pm
As one of the Champaign-Urbana Dems, I see the Callis-Gollin race as significantly different than Gill-Goetten in 2012.

Goetten and his staff made some mistakes. For example, he showed up at the Fall dinner in 2011 and made an unimpressive speech about how he wasn’t going to run. Shortly thereafter, he announced that he was. I came away from it wondering if this guy knew what it was that he wanted. Goetten didn’t seem to have much presence in Champaign County, and I wondered how much his team was reaching out to the locals.

Callis and her team are doing a better job than Goetten did, and a lot of Dems in Champaign County like her. She didn’t make any speech at all when she came for the spring dinner (which was a lot smarter than telling people she wasn’t going to run), and she’s reached out to the county parties.

Gollin seems like a great guy too, and I expect the Champaign County Dems to be neutral in the race.

Comment by wayward Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 2:23 pm
Jimmy Piersall is over 80, but I’ll bet his defense smarts are still better than what I’ve seen lately. get him in to teach.

is the new hitting instructor cutting it? or was Greg Walker actually not the problem. are we on our way to Thome as the hitting instructor.

trades. lots of trades.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 2:24 pm
Rich,

Have you or will contact the National Review?
If you do contact, what is their most likely reaction?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 3:12 pm
Look, until I know if it was Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, or Raj that endorsed this move, I don’t think its worth twenty Parsecs!

Bazinga!

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 3:47 pm
very good numbers for Rodney, Although harold is going nowhere in this race, Gollin and Harold are now pursuing the same base. Yikes!
Callis will be a tough, but losing, opponent for Rodney.
Oswego did not have enough cannoli to make Gill a winner folks; however if Ann would have waited a cycle…she might have beat rodney in a presidential cycle.

Comment by Madison Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 4:49 pm
“Gollin and Harold are now pursuing the same base”

I don’t think so. Gollin is probably the most liberal of the four candidates and Harold the most conservative.

Comment by wayward Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 5:00 pm
===Oswego did not have enough cannoli to make Gill a winner folks===

Um, I bet Cannoli …ON …Rodney …

Know of what you speak, please …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 5:10 pm
For the record …

===- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 21, 12 @ 11:48 am:

===For what its worth, Gill will win, and it won’t be close.===

I’ll take a piece of that … Box of Cannoli for the winner, ….?

Davis will win, win big, and with the GOP downstate delegation behind him, Davis will be able to keep the seat thru the next remap.===

Questions?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 5:20 pm
- Madison -,

If what you posted was snark, apologies …that snipit is too short, so I just wanted to make clear I have been a big backer of Rodney winning the seat and keeping it for a long time, given him as a person, and that district.

Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 5:46 pm
I hope Gollin wins, as we need more scientists in Congress to counter all the anti-science kooks already there, such as Broun and Akin.

Comment by G'Kar Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 7:50 pm
I’d say the National Review would probably correct the poll title. But it is unlikely to be very sympathetic that the results were shared in their story because doing so clearly falls under the “fair use” doctrine in copyright law and the Capitol Fax blog itself exists because of fair use, subscriber paywall or not.

Comment by Marty Funkhouser Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 7:51 pm
Willy…Rodney will win,but I believe it will be closer than you do; however, in a presidential cycle Callis could win. After all, Rodney did not beat Gill convincingly.
As to the cannoli…I don’t believe that Gill could have pulled that race off if Oswego bill personally served cannoli at every polling place. Gill is…not what the district expected. i still believe that with 2 candidates coming from Champaign area yes the candidates will be pulling swings from the same area.

Comment by Madison Wednesday, Jul 24, 13 @ 11:07 pm
- Madison -,

Hey! Only my Mom calls me Bill. lol

Sorry for the misinterpretation on my part, glad I now understand your meaning.

To Rodney,

Agreed that Callis would have a better shot in a Presidential Cycle, but her baggage on the Bench and her location where she had served as a judge might scare off more people than had she been living anywhere else.

Callis is better than Gill, but that bar very low for Callis to hurdle. Even the very short time Rodney has been in Congress, beating an incumbent is tough, no matter who you are, or where you live. If I were her, specifically, I would use this race to set up the next one, in 2016 …

Good points, - Madison - and apologies. OW.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 25, 13 @ 7:02 am
Thats a good solution for 2016. My understanding is that Callis had pretty good advisors whom tried to discourage her in this cycle. i suspect she is angling for a judicial nomination as a consolation prize. I know both as intelligent and talented; however, Anne bit off more than she can chew.

Comment by Madison Thursday, Jul 25, 13 @ 7:58 am