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6th District roundup

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Strange days on the campaign trail.

The 6th Congressional District race took a pair of strange turns Thursday with flaps over an erroneous endorsement and a campaign contribution from controversial talk-show host Rosie Oâ€™Donnell.

The endorsement flap came as Republican state Sen. Peter Roskam of Wheaton watched a police union endorsement he prematurely claimed was his in campaign literature instead go to Democratic opponent Tammy Duckworth.

The Fraternal Order of Police, which represents 34,500 officers in Illinois, announced on Thursday itâ€™s backing Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran from Hoffman Estates.

So Roskam campaign fliers being distributed touting him as getting the police union endorsement are wrong. Roskam campaign manager Ryan McLaughlin said the police union endorsed Roskam in the primary and the mail piece touting it was old. But the piece certainly appears new â€” it also lists Roskamâ€™s endorsement by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which also was announced Thursday.

Oops.

From the Pioneer Press, Tammy Duckworth’s spokesperson accuses Peter Roskam of “hiding behind the national party.”

The tone of rhetoric between Democrat Tammy Duckworth and Republican Peter Roskam, candidates in the 6th Congressional District, escalated last week when a mailer accused Roskam of “lying” landed on voters’ doorsteps.

The ad was in response to a series of more than 10 mailers sent by the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) that Duckworth says mischaracterize her views on taxes and immigration, said Christine Gluntz, a Duckworth campaign spokeswoman. Above a picture of Duckworth in her dress military uniform, the piece reads, “Peter Roskam is lying about Tammy Duckworth again.”

The Roskam campaign responded last week, saying Duckworth was “unhinged.’

By federal law, the Roskam campaign is not allowed to coordinate its local campaign with the national party, meaning the Roskam did not sign off on the ads before they were sent out. Ryan McLaughlin, a Roskam campaign spokesman, said Duckworth showed poor form when she fired the first verbal salvo.

And Hiram writes about the lack of substance from Roskam’s campaign. Also check out “Duckworth also counting on party big shots” from the Suburban Life chain.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 8:23 am

Comments

So Rich Miller highlights a mere common mistake on one piece of literature. The Roskam campaign says that it has proposed at least four debate opportunities to Duckworth, all of which she has “ducked”. One was to have been sponsored by the Mayor of Addison, who is apparently incensed by Duckworth’s refusal to debate. According to Roskam, he even offered to debate the Iraq war (her apparent money issue) with her, but she has “ducked” that as well. Why hasn’t Duckworth’s refusal to debate been noted?

Comment by Conservative Republican Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 11:05 am
CR, I think I have noted the debate thing. One instance that comes immediately to mind was how her rating dropped when one analyst noted her refusal to debate. And I didn’t write that story, the Daily Herald did. I think you should complain to them.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 11:15 am
Maybe you guys dont know about the debate next week with WBBM or the debate at the College of DuPage in October.

Comment by HANKSTER Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 12:04 pm
The sad thing is… anyone that reads Capfax, newspapers, and is out observing or helping the campaigns knows who the morons are. Moron #1. Pete Roskam. And he is still probably going to win. Moron #2. Rod Blagojevich. And he is also going to win. Moron #3 Alexi Giannoulias. And he will also win. Moron #4. David McSweeney. Thank God, finally a moron that is going to lose. Where are the parties? They certainly have some poor candidates representing them. Most partisans are always upset with the other party. But I hold the GOP to a stricter standard. It’s disappointing….

Comment by Lovie's Leather Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 3:29 pm