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From the Daily Herald…
That loud sigh of relief you might hear later this morning in the western suburbs will be coming from Congressman Peter Roskam.
Democrat Tammy Duckworth told me a few minutes ago that she won’t be seeking a rematch against Republican Roskam in the 6th Congressioanl District next year.
“I’m not going to run. It was a really hard decision. It just came down to where can I get the most work done. And really a lot of soul searching about why I entered public life. Did I do it because I wanted to win the congressional seat or make things happen and get things done?” Duckworth said in a phone call.
In the end, after talking with her husband Bryan Bowlsbey, before he redeployed to Iraq, Duckworth decided to stick with her job as head of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. Last week, she scored national headlines for a pair of new programs to screen all returning Illinois National Guardsmen for brain injuries and to staff a 24-hour post traumatic stress disorder hotline.
“He and I had this conversation,” Duckworth said of her husband. “He actually said if he were killed, he would want me to run. You have to have that conversation when someone’s going out to combat. Out of the blue, he said if I get killed, I want you to run for political office again. I was floored. I told him I would curl up in a foetal position if you get killed. That was tough to hear from my husband. We talked about it but it wasn’t…he’s with me 100 percent. What we in our conversations came to realize, you’re getting more done in this job than you would as a freshman in Washington.”
posted by Rich Miller
Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 3:19 pm
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She is one of the best Directors Vets Affairs has ever had. She’s right - and she is 100% behind her mission. We are fortunate to have her there!
Comment by A Citizen Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 3:25 pm
She has always been–and continues to be–an incredibly class act.
Comment by Reality Check Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 3:31 pm
This is doing the DuPage Dems a great favor by opening up the competition so soon. Regardless of her reasons, it’s a good move. I’m hoping she will do the unlikely and make her boss look good for appointing her to the Vet Affairs job. Good luck to her husband and to all serving in Iraq.
Comment by DuPage Dave Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 3:36 pm
She probably had her best shot at the seat last year.
This job could put her in a position to be on the
Democratic state ticket in 2010 if she remains
highly visible.
Comment by Esteban Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 3:58 pm
And we are stuck with her predecessor, ex-truck driving school dude Roy Dolgos, who had a high-level “position” created for him at IDOT when Tammy went to Vet’s Affairs. Talk about taking one for the team! At least ONE of the moves turned out well.
Comment by IDOT'er Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 4:02 pm
So why doesn’t she run in her own district? Forget Roskam, he’s untouchable.
Comment by ChiCountryGuy Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 4:23 pm
In this decision she has demonstrated again why she really is head and shoulders among most other Congresspeople. How many do we know who would put her ego 2nd to her desire to perform real service.
And on a separate note, for those that really have a hard time grasping just what this Iraq war means to those that serve, read that last paragraph of the story again. Life and death of your partner and best friend. Those are the stakes. And for what? Well I guess that’s a post for another day. But the wasted sacrifice just makes me want to cry.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 4:43 pm
Damn, I hope someone steps up to run soon. It’s getting late in the game.
Comment by Bridget Dooley Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 5:21 pm
She is the best thing that happend to Vets Affairs. There are some issues at that agency and she has taken positive steps to address the issues. The former director was one of the issues, now he is safe at IDOT.
Comment by Blue Dog Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 5:30 pm
I know her and dan seals could get togeter and run for state office in Indiana they have alot in common past losers who dont know what district they live in.
Comment by Anonymous Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 5:32 pm
Anonymous, if you believe in the rule of law, then living in the congressional district you seek to represent is completely irrelevant.
Comment by Rich Miller Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 5:38 pm
I hope she is doing well in her job. Maybe she will run against Lahood or Shimkus, sh eonly rule dout the 6th if I am reading correctly. Either way, the best to her husband and her. Look slike General Rahmel will have to find someone else to run…maybe her husband? She did as well as anyone should have done against an inept Roskam campaign in a terrible year for the GOP. Honestly, if she had lived in the district, she’d have won in my opinion.
Comment by Wumpus Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 7:52 pm
Rich,
I hope you’ll consider rerunning this item tomorrow. I’m still so struck and moved by her comments about her husband and running. I think it’s something more people should see.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 10:12 pm
Speaking of the rule of law, they have some shady business going on with elections up in DuPage County. Send the DuPage County Elections Commission a FOIA request, and chances are you’ll be denied.
Comment by Squideshi Sunday, Jul 8, 07 @ 10:51 pm
If a Dem wins in 2008, she would be a candidate for SecVA.
If a R wins, she really should still, and probably will, be a candidate for SecVA.
I just hope she avoids getting mud splashed on her from the Guy she works for at the moment. That would be a tragedy if she gets compromised by him.
Comment by Bill Baar Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 7:46 am