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Vitriol continues in Durkin’s primary race

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* Here’s a new Liberty Principles PAC ad on behalf of Mickey Straub, the GOP primary opponent of House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…

* ILGOP responds…

“Mickey Straub isn’t a ‘proud Republican’ as he says. He’s a phony Republican who makes Mike Madigan proud. After missing three consecutive Republican primaries, Straub is teaming up with Mike Madigan’s union allies in an attempt to hijack the Republican Party and keep Madigan in power. Madigan Mickey doesn’t share our Republican values and can’t be trusted.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Mickey Straub says he’s “proud to be Republican,” but it’s all a ruse designed to trick voters and keep Mike Madigan in power.

This morning, Politico Illinois Playbook reported that Straub hasn’t voted in a single Republican primary since 2010 - not even one. There’ve been two consequential presidential primaries and a critical gubernatorial primary, yet “proud Republican” Mickey Straub was AWOL.

Now, an outside group backing Mickey Straub is running an ad featuring testimonials from “neighbors,” but their Republican credentials are just as spotty as Straub’s:

Jorie Peirce - voted in 2016 GOP primary, no other recent primary elections
Peter Smolka - voted in 2016 GOP primary, no other recent primary elections
Gail Demory - voted in 2012 GOP primary, no other recent primary elections (Liberty Principles PAC misspelled her name - Gail De Mory)
Keith Lutz - Chicago resident and voter (can’t vote for Straub); voted in 2010 and 2012 Dem primaries, 2014 and 2016 GOP primaries

That’s why it’s no surprise phony Republican Mickey Straub is teaming up with Mike Madigan’s union allies in an attempt to hijack the Republican Party. It’s all a coordinated effort to keep Madigan in power.

It’s clear - Madigan Mickey doesn’t share our Republican values and can’t be trusted.

* From one of Dan Proft’s newspapers…

A suburban community is taking on the Illinois Republican Party and state House Republican Leader Jim Durkin.

Campaign pieces on behalf of Durkin have been hitting mailboxes in Burr Ridge and other parts of the 82nd state House District, claiming that Burr Ridge has enacted “four unbalanced budgets,” “hiked property taxes 16 percent” and “raised fees to funnel money for a Chicago bailout.”

Burr Ridge has written a letter to the party and Durkin insisting that they “cease and desist from any further distribution of false information pertaining to the village of Burr Ridge and that you immediately provide a written correction and apology for false information.”

The village’s mayor, Mickey Straub, is challenging Durkin of Western Springs in the spring Republican Primary for his state House seat.

The mailers have linked House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Democrat, with Straub. The pieces have even pegged Straub as Mini-Me, the clone of Dr. Evil, Austin Powers’ nemesis, in the “Austin Powers” movies. Madigan is depicted as Dr. Evil in the mailers.

“I got sick over it,” Straub told the Chronicle, regarding the mailings that have been hitting southwest suburban homes for the past two months. “The lies about the village and me could not be further from the truth.”

* I asked the ILGOP for a response and this is from Aaron DeGroot…

Hi Rich,

Unfortunately the Cook County Chronicle did not reach out to the state party for comment. Contrary to what Mickey Straub told the reporter, a written and dated response was sent via email from the ILGOP’s general counsel to the Village of Burr Ridge this past Friday [letter attached], sufficiently rebutting the claims made in the Burr Ridge letter, which was written by taxpayer-funded village officials.

Sadly, but not surprisingly, the Burr Ridge letter is yet another example of Madigan Mickey using public resources for political purposes. Mickey Straub should not be authorizing the use of taxpayer resources to prosecute his own personal political grudges.

This isn’t the first time Mickey Straub has misused taxpayer resources. As you know, Village records show Straub previously used taxpayer funds to attend political events. You reached out to him three times on that topic. Has he ever gotten back to you? My guess is he hasn’t.

It’s clear that “Madigan Mickey” Straub is just another politician playing the ultimate Madigan insiders game.

Thanks,

Aaron

The state party’s legal response is here.

* And spotted on the campaign trail…

Background is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:02 pm

Comments

Madigan Mickey? I like it!

And this is a fun primary to watch…for a Democrat.

Comment by Ch Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:18 pm
Yep, keepin’ Illinois politics classy

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:18 pm
Is “Pole Dancers for Durkin” supposed to discourage me from voting for him? Quite frankly, it’s having the opposite effect.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:27 pm
I don’t have a dog in that fight, but when people claim to be loyal party members, their claim rings hollow when they rarely vote in party primaries.

Comment by anon2 Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:59 pm
Straub found a few people to say he’s a nice guy?

Well, that settles it! Vote Straub!

In all seriousness though, it is a terrible ad on many levels.

First, this sort of thing would be good at the very end as a closer, particularly after a negative campaign.

Worse, none of it seems real. They all looked like they came out of casting and were reading their lines.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:59 pm
Degroot just spouts nonsense

Comment by Serious Joe Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:00 pm
All this Republicans bashing republicans is dumb..Get Rauner, Bourne, and all his other appointees out of there

Comment by Serious Joe Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:07 pm
That Fogarty letter is a magnificent work of art. The whining over politics from the Burr Ridge village attorney made me laugh out loud and the response was perfect.

Comment by The Captain Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:29 pm
Serious Joe,
==All this Republicans bashing republicans is dumb..Get Rauner, Bourne, and all his other appointees out of there==

One of these statements is not like the other. Do you get the contradiction in what you just wrote?

Comment by Concerned Father Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:43 pm
=Is “Pole Dancers for Durkin” supposed to discourage me from voting for him? Quite frankly, it’s having the opposite effect.=

Maybe Durkin could use it for some real events?

More seriously, seems like the rolling billboard is a waste, since most people probably won’t even get what they’re talking about.

Comment by m Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:43 pm
The moving pole dancer sign???? Ugh. Too cute by 200%. That one backfires.
The Mickey Ad? Someone needs to show these people how to make an ad. They truly don’t know.

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:44 pm
Did anyone notice the union bug on the tour sign?

So. Whoever is responsible for this sign, what have you done to create jobs for women or to protect them in the work place? Some women feel the need to work at a gentlemen’s club in order to pay the bills. I also wonder how male union cardholders or republican voters frequent gentlemen’s clubs?

This is a tacky hit piece and I urge the people/organization(s) responsible for this sign to donate the same dollar amount OR MORE to a women’s center.

Comment by Pole Tax Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 2:25 pm
==I wonder how male union cardholders or Republican voters frequent gentlemen’s clubs.==
They walk through the front door, I reckon.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 3:02 pm
Da Big Bad Wolfe—thanks for catching my typo- should read how MANY male union cardholders or republicans frequent gentlemen’s clubs?

Comment by Pole Tax Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 3:40 pm