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Betsy Dirksen Londrigan concedes to Rodney Davis

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Illinois

* Press release…

After a hard-fought campaign in the 13th Congressional District, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan congratulated Rodney Davis on his win in last night’s election. Londrigan released the following statement on Wednesday afternoon, following the tallying of absentee and provisional ballots:

“This afternoon, I called Congressman Rodney Davis and congratulated him on his win. While this outcome was not the one we had hoped for, it has been one of the greatest honors of my life to spend the last 16 months in this race. I put over 60,000 miles on my car, traveling across Central Illinois and meeting with thousands of hard working people. We focused on issues that matter most to our neighbors and communities — like access to quality and affordable health care and protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

“During this campaign, big promises were made about protecting people with pre-existing conditions. Those making the promises must be held accountable, and the fight for access to affordable health care must continue. Again, I want to thank my family, staff, volunteers, and our supporters across Illinois’ 13th Congressional District for a hard-fought and meaningful campaign.”

She’s right about Davis’ promises. He promised over and over that he wouldn’t harm pre-existing condition coverage. Speaking as someone with a pre-existing condition, I’m gonna remember that and hold him to it. Hopefully this will be a lesson for him and he can finally be the congressman I always thought he could be - someone who was eager to work across the aisle to get good things done for his district and his country. He went native out in DC. He needs to get back to being Rodney Davis.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 2:53 pm

Comments

Purple thinking.

Comment by Radical Trolling Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 2:58 pm
I’m not gonna hold my breath on Davis not being a rubber stamp with cotton in his ears and blinders over his eyes.

Comment by Fish magish Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 2:59 pm
She had one message and one story, but millions in outside help to broadcast it endlessly. Sheesh.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:00 pm
This is his seat until redistricting, he faced a perfect storm and survived.

Redraw the district with Danville, Champaign, Decatur, Springfield, and the Dem part of Peoria excluding Taylorville. Saint Clair County is a blue dot in a red sea, leaving Davis and Bost to battle for the seat.

Comment by Almost the weekend Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:04 pm
Was not surprised by the outcome. She wasn’t very charismatic and really didn’t have anything outside of her talking points. You have to relate to rural voters and I think she struggled.

Comment by Southfarmllama Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:05 pm
===She had one message and one story, but millions in outside help to broadcast it endlessly.===

It’s called being focused, on the single biggest issue this election. She faced an uphill battle from the start, but for a first-timer she did incredibly well. I hope she tries again in two years.

Comment by Nick Name Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:07 pm
We’ve seen absolutely no evidence to believe that Davis will be anything other than a rank and file rubber stamp for his DC party bosses.

I hope I’m wrong but his repeated votes tell the story.

Comment by slow down Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:12 pm
This was my district, and it hurt. Stuck with milquetoast Davis for the forseeable future. Wonder if he’ll ever have town halls again, since ducking his constituents proved to be a winning strategy for him.

Comment by Wpeac Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:19 pm
- Almost the weekend - Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:04 pm:

This is his seat until redistricting, he faced a perfect storm and survived.

Redraw the district with Danville, Champaign, Decatur, Springfield, and the Dem part of Peoria excluding Taylorville. Saint Clair County is a blue dot in a red sea, leaving Davis and Bost to battle for the seat.
———–

In addition to Dem South Peoria, perhaps throw in at least northern Fulton County (including Canton) and into McDonough County to include north side of Macomb and the WIU campus. Plus a strong Hispanic population in Beardstown too (Cass County).

Shimkus could get a red western/southwestern Illinois vote sink that includes Quincy, Jacksonville, suburban Springfield (e.g., Chatham, Rochester), Monmouth, and even the south parts of Knox (except Galesburg, stays in 17th) and enough of Peoria County (e.g., Elmwood, Kickapoo, part of Peoria) to knock on the door of LaHood’s district.

Comment by Leatherneck Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:22 pm
Redistricting will fix this.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:30 pm
Davis won’t be able to stop towing the party line more. He brought in the VP, the Speaker, and Marco Rubio, and he kissed the ring of POTUS (and got name drop acknowledgement for it) in order to barely win. He called in big favors and now he owes. My guess is he’ll be rewarded with a position in House leadership soon.

Comment by lollinois Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:32 pm
Rich, agree with you on holding Rodney’s feet to the fire on pre-existing conditions.

I thought Betsy ran well for a first-timer and hope we see her again. JB should have her on a list somewhere, too.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:37 pm
Huh,

We’ve got one post on National Results talking about how bad the Geryymandering is and this one where the majority seems to be wait till we can re Gerrymander our previous Gerrymandered maps to get rid of the guy we don’t like.

Everyone hates Gerrymandering unless their side is drawing the maps.

Comment by Just Sayin Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:40 pm
I don’t expect Davis to be as harmful now that he’s not part of the belligerent GOP majority. He and his voters are pro corporation I expect him to stay the same for them.

Comment by Deadbeat Conservative - held Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:49 pm
I congratulate Betsy for her very well done campaign. For those of you who dismissed her, did you listen or watch the debates? She definitely held her own against Davis’ half tellings. Remap may finally take him out of the picture.

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:54 pm
==This was my district, and it hurt. Stuck with milquetoast Davis ==

Cheer up. you could have Lahood.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:55 pm
I was watching CNN and they originally called it for Londrigan, that’s gotta be tough. 2020 could be even bigger for Dems, so maybe next time.

Comment by TopHatMonocle Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:55 pm
–I was watching CNN and they originally called it for Londrigan, that’s gotta be tough.–

That bothered me as well. I don’t know anyone on the Londrigan team, but as a former campaign staffer I felt terrible for them having a national media outlet tell them they won, when they really had not. Do better, CNN.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 3:58 pm
=Wonder if he’ll ever have town halls again, since ducking his constituents proved to be a winning strategy for him.=

He might have town halls if his leftist constituents were actually interested in a conversation, instead of violently shouting down anyone that they disagree with. Way to keep that laughable talking point alive though.

Comment by INI Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:03 pm
The truth is a “laughable talking point”? How? He doesn’t hold town halls. If he can’t face his own constituents, he’s in the wrong job. So what if they shout? His job is to LISTEN.

Comment by Because I said so... Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:06 pm
God forbid a constituent hurts his fee-fees. What a snowflake.

Comment by Fish magish Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:07 pm
” Do better, CNN.”

I watched for hours and never saw them announce Pritzker won. Just kept droning on endlessly about Florida. Finally switched to PBS.

“

Comment by a drop in Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:07 pm
‘Violently shouting’

Lol.

In any case she ran a good campaign and came closer than most of the media and pundits expected, but still fell just short in the end. Rodney at least will remember now that his 2014/2016 margins weren’t gonna last forever.

Comment by Nick Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:11 pm
===I was watching CNN and they originally called it for Londrigan, that’s gotta be tough.===

I was watching that too. CNN owes Dirksen Londrigan and her crew a huge apology.

Comment by Nick Name Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:16 pm
@INI

Leftists. Lol. I’m sure there are whole lotta leftists here in Taylorville.

That coward only shows up for photo-ops and you know it.

Comment by TaylorvilleTornado Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:17 pm
He lied.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:22 pm
He needs to stop being a Trump supporter and start being a Congressman.

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:22 pm
“He might have town halls if his leftist constituents were actually interested in a conversation, instead of violently shouting down anyone that they disagree with. Way to keep that laughable talking point alive though.”

I agree with this and can’t help but laugh about it. You don’t like him. We get it. Your person lost and you still want to try to tar and feather the guy. Even if he held your hands and agreed with your views the “town hall crowd” would never support him. Why try to appease you at all. Politics is a give and take and when you just take…. You won’t get anymore give. But hey, you get to complain.

Comment by Uh, OK Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:36 pm
They did blow it. However, her staff should have been more adept to know they had trouble brewing when she only won Sangamon by 10%. Hometown gal couldn’t bring them home with the health care talk. Davis seemed to do well with his hometown crew.

Comment by CNN Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:40 pm
What on earth makes you think we wouldn’t support someone who agreed with our views? Even if he just listened with an open mind, we’d be a lot less upset. Instead he treats us with open contempt. He literally sneers at people who disagree, and whines about how unfair his “opponents” (we call ourselves constituents) are when he’s asked a question he doesn’t want to answer. He just doesn’t give a damn about the half of the district that doesn’t vote for him, and he can’t be bothered to pretend otherwise.

Comment by TooManyJens Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:43 pm
(Sorry, should have said “doesn’t care about the half of the district…” etc.)

Comment by TooManyJens Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:47 pm
Really wanted this to land in the D column. I have family in this district who would have been out knocking doors and phone banking against Davis had they not had their little girl diagnosed with cancer in the spring and their world hadn’t been turned upside down to focus everything on her treatments. They have been living in desperate fear of what will happen to their little girl’s life and family finances if Republican efforts to let insurers eliminate essential health benefits gut pre-existing conditions protections and bring back lifetime caps on benefits becomes a thing again. At least the national House results give some relief but who knows what mischief Republican judges might do on this with the still-pending GOP lawsuits on this.

As for the politics, as I said in other posts today, the Dems really need to rethink their Downstate map strategy for 2020. JB got twice as many Dem votes in McLean County as in Macon County but because McLean County is split between being a Davis district and a vote sink for LaHood I think there were lots of votes for Londrigan wasted where McLean County like Champaign county has suburban type educated professional types now voting Dem for the same reason people in DuPage County are voting Dem in larger numbers.

Meanwhile, Macon County is still on the Trump train due to cultural issues, immigration and trade and they put Davis over the top along with similarly socially conservative MadCo.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 4:57 pm
It’s always interesting trying to watch people defend Davis on his lack of availability.

He’s 48 years old. Elected to the House of Representatives. Federal Office. And somehow we’re supposed to feel sympathetic because some mean ole constituents had the audacity to yell at him. And some of them don’t, gasp, like him. How will our democracy survive. Because expecting your congressmen to meet basic standards as far as availability is concerned is now too much.

But lets be serious to these people it has nothing to do with whether or not he actually makes himself available. Because he won. And to them winning makes everything OK.

Comment by Nick Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 5:02 pm
==Your person lost and you still want to try to tar and feather the guy. Even if he held your hands and agreed with your views the “town hall crowd” would never support him. Why try to appease you at all.==

Do you think it’s unreasonable for a Congressperson to actually listen to his constituents? Do you think being called out for not listening to his constituents constitutes “tarring and feathering”? Because I Said So is right…his job is to listen to the concerns of his district…even the 48% of the population who don’t agree with him.

Comment by LakeCo Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 5:04 pm
I’d like to believe that a Dem congressional district can be made out of central Illinois, but Rauner won almost all of the counties other than Champaign, so there will remain lots of liberal voters in Champaign that will be forgotten, especially if Davis remains. He acts as if we don’t exist, yet remains “affable” and “bipartisan”. How, exactly?

Comment by JIbba Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 5:06 pm
I imagine some the 2020 census if we only lose one congressional seat they’ll jettison having two swing districts down state and just go for one. It’ll be ugly as sin but it isn’t impossible to get something stretching from the St Louis suburbs to Champaign which is more democratic.

Comment by Nick Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 5:12 pm
== CNN owes Dirksen Londrigan and her crew a huge apology.==

CNN owes everyone who was watching all across the country at that time an apology for the bad information they broadcast on this race.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 5:18 pm
== Even if he held your hands and agreed with your views the “town hall crowd” would never support him. Why try to appease you at all. ==

Because Davis likes to bring up the need for bipartisanship often, and that doesn’t jive with a refusal to even meet with partisans on the other side of the aisle. He could have cruised to an easy reelection like Bost if he had actually walked his talk and tried to address some of the concerns of the Dems in his district. Unsurprisingly when you ignore people and shut them out they’re more likely to oppose you.

Comment by lollinois Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 5:18 pm
Betsy ran a north shore, liberal race in conservative central/southern Illinois. Her message doesn’t fly and she was a flawed candidate.

Rodney is personable and more bipartisan than any member (Dem or GOP) of the IL delegation. Just because you don’t agree with his politics doesn’t make him an ideologue. The same people bashing him for being a “partisan” are more than happy to back candidates who toe their own party line, hook, and sinker.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 5:30 pm
” Do better, CNN.”

“I watched for hours and never saw them announce Pritzker won. Just kept droning on endlessly about Florida. Finally switched to PBS.”

PBS called Pritzker in seconds, I swear. It was crazy. As to Betsy, I am so disappointed for them. That was awful seeing them think they won, and then not to have really won. It doesn’t get much more disheartening than that for all those that worked so hard (and for her kids even though they’re nearly grown). I thought she was great and really did the absolutely best she could. Sad for her and for what she could have brought to D.C.

Comment by it'smyopinion Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 6:18 pm
Anonymous 5:30

What makes you think Davis is bipartisan other than the fact that he says he is? The hypocrisy is what bothers me most. Don’t tell me you are bipartisan then refuse to meet your constituents.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 6:33 pm
==Betsy ran a north shore, liberal race

No she didn’t.

==Rodney is personable

No he isn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he’s affable with some people. But you know that saying about how if someone is nice to you but not the waiter, they’re not a nice person? Half of his constituents are the waiter.

Comment by TooManyJens Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 6:36 pm
== Rodney is personable and more bipartisan than any member (Dem or GOP) of the IL delegation. ==

Can you please explain why you think this is so? What has Rodney done or voted for that would appeal to Dems?

Comment by lollinois Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 7:05 pm
Could Andy Manar win this district?

Comment by Roman Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 7:54 pm
The folks on this blog have always been very pro-Rodney, which I assume is related to his experience and relationships as an ex-aide. But in 2012, Davis’ first race, he already was a robotic, walking GOP talking point. That’s why the SJ-R that year endorsed David Gill of all people that year.

Comment by Chris Wetterich Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 8:33 pm
Chris Wettrich, if I remember correctly, Where’s Rodney only won by about 1000 votes in 2012.

And if my memory holds, the first media interview he did after that election, he stood up there and said, “my constituents have given me a mandate”, and I’m watching the TV, going “seriously, dude? You barely won the election, perhaps you should be talking about how much you appreciate everyone’s support and hope to earn their trust over the next two years.”

And to the folks defending Rodney, are you on his payroll? I live in Champaign, and Rodney is only interested in talking to donors and people with his yard sign or bumper sticker. He is indeed openly contemptuous of almost half the people in his district.

He’s been lucky so far, but at some point that luck is going to run out. That day can’t come soon enough.

Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 9:26 pm
Pre existing conditions. Yes. A must. But so is the cadillac tax.you cant have one without the other.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 9:37 pm
Andy Manar could win this district.

Frankly if I’m the DCCC I’m calling him starting today to run in 2020.

Especially because, frankly, I think Democrats have a better shot here than they do or will in IL-12.

Comment by Nick Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 10:13 pm
@Roman - If Andy Manar were to get through the the Dem primary, yes he would win this district as it is currently drawn. The overlap between his Senate district and this Congressional district is there. But I don’t think it makes sense to try to keep the district drawn the same way under a re-map. Champaign County Dems and Madison County Dems are just such different animals that it is very hard to run a Dem candidate that appeals to and energizes both the way you need to win a swing district.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Nov 7, 18 @ 11:33 pm
Andy Manar would have beaten Davis in a heartbeat. So would Gill and Erik Jones. Gill came within 0.3% of of Davis in 2012 and if you add in the 7% the like minded independent got, Gill would have trounced Davis if the independent was out of the race.
Betsy’s problem was she took the same position as Davis…mandate coverage of pre-existing conditions. Only difference…Betsy said Davis was lying, so issue was not pre-existing conditions, but rather who do you believe. Betsy should have differentiated herself by backing Medicare For All, far cheaaper than our current medical system. But she’s too much of an establhisment/corporate Dem to do that.

Comment by tellitlikeitis Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:26 am
David Gill is a perennial failed candidate who got close on in an open seat and would have been utterly trounced this year had he gotten the nomination. No one from this district who knows what they’re talking about thinks he’s the answer to defeating Republicans.

Comment by Nick Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:37 am
The CLF ads against manar would be fatal.

Comment by Ouch Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 6:23 am
Being represented by Davis, the most maddening thing about his 15 minute notice telephone meetings is he was a House GOP staffer when they came up with the 2009 Town Hall confrontation strategy over what became the ACA. Won them the House in 2010. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander …

Comment by Smitty Irving Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 8:48 am
Well, the 6th and 14th Congressional Districts were flipped this year, we’ll revisit the 13th in 2020. Fundamental issues still remain.

Comment by VerySmallRocks Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 9:42 am