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Up or out for Demmer?

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Illinois

* This Capitol News Illinois profile has almost everything…

State Rep. Tom Demmer, of Dixon, is considering a run for statewide office in 2022.

* There’s the recent history…

The 34-year-old Illinois House Deputy Minority Leader has most recently been in the news as the leading Republican on the House Special Investigating Committee of Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan. He’s also one of the House Republicans’ lead negotiators on the state budget and Medicaid legislation.

* Support from his leader…

“Tom, I think, fits the profile of what the Republican Party needs to put forward in this next election cycle,” Durkin said in a phone call this week, praising Demmer’s budget skills and ability to distill the complicated document into “common language.”

* A somewhat prominent financial backer…

Jeffrey Brincat – a political donor who supported Rauner’s two campaigns, was appointed by the former governor to the Illinois Racing Board and served as finance chair on the campaigns of former U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and former U.S. Rep. Bob Dold, both Republicans – said in a phone call this week he will also back Demmer.

* It lacks one thing, however…

Whether for governor, U.S. Senate or another position, he has not decided.

I actually like Demmer a lot and think he would be a good face for his party. Personally, I hope he runs for reelection because I think he’s a highly valuable member of Durkin’s team. But, hey, I get it, people catch the move-up itch. As a friend said today, maybe he’ll wind up running for Congress if Adam Kinzinger aims for governor. The state would be fortunate to have him in DC.

It’s just kinda odd that CNI would expend so much energy on a story about a legislator who hasn’t yet decided what office to seek.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:26 pm

Comments

Rep. Demmer, stay put. Why run a piece when the legislator hasn’t even decided what to run for? hmm..

Comment by Pizza Man Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:32 pm
If he could at least make clear whether he was interested in federal or state office he probably could have taken a bit of a fundraising influx off this news from people who want to encourage him, but the uncertainty (and the limited movement between funds for state/federal office) probably hampers that.

Comment by The Captain Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:34 pm
Stay put. Become Leader. Build name ID statewide. Then run statewide. But I get it if he thinks 2022 is going to be some banner year for the ILGOP. I don’t see it that way.

Comment by BeenThereDoneThat Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:41 pm
Demmer’s challenge: If he stays too long, he is no longer the “young guy” representative and his only opening ends up being Minority Leader (in the face of an increasingly bonkers right-wing faction).

Jumping up to congress is a logical choice, but his statewide expertise would be lost in D.C., where he would be stuck as a back-bencher. However, I’m not sure what statewide office is the best bet for him at this point.

Comment by NIU Grad Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:42 pm
Run for Secretary of State everybody’s doing it it’s cool

Comment by Frank talks Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:42 pm
=fits the profile of what the Republican Party needs to put forward in this next election cycle=

Not a good profile right now given the Eastern bloc et al.

I work in Demmer’s district but do not live there. I have never met him so my opinion to date is formed from a distance.

So far I don’t see much substance. Lots of the usual grandstanding. In his defense the is a political staple and has been for years. I just ma not aware of much substance so far. At 34, he has time to shake the circus stuff and actually do some real work. As an independent voter, I am always drawn toward leaders that can get support from the other side of the aisle.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:43 pm
Really the question we should ask is does he Support taxing retirement? And yes that is snark is the form of a future office.

Comment by Nagidam Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:45 pm
He’s anti-abortion and anti-LGBT rights. And he doesn’t even have Kinzinger’s fig leaf of mild rhetorical opposition to Trump. So, while all this is an interesting thought exercise, there’s no way he’ll be viable in a statewide general election.

Comment by Quibbler Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:46 pm
Rep. Demmer is everything you could want in a legislator. Thoughtful. Substantive. An excellent listener. Respectful. A great colleague.

Demmer has done tremendous work as a member of the medicaid working group and as the Republican’s budgeteer. He would do well in DC or running a statewide office. The issue is getting there. I hope he makes the right decision.

Comment by Wizzard of Ozzie Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:50 pm
Sounds like Comptroller to me. He’d be a good statewide candidate for the party.

Comment by LC Illini Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:50 pm
Note, also: He comes from a very conservative district and hasn’t had to play in other areas of the state. I think he was able to avoid even mentioning Trump’s name over the last four years. His voting record has been on the opposing side of many popular initiatives. Does he moderate his positions…or just try to avoid specifics and stick with generalities?

Comment by NIU Grad Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:55 pm
Good move for Demmer to float his name at this time. I think Kinzinger makes the statewide move because he lacks seniority to get a good chair position even if the GOP takes the US House. Demmer get nothing more in terms of leadership roles if he continues to stay where he is. He might be able to go from a hopeless minority to a US House majority.

Comment by Chad Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:56 pm
Appears he has one of those cakewalk districts. Does he even know how to campaign?

Comment by Highland IL Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 1:57 pm
Oh for goodness sakes, what has Tom Demmer ever done? Can we stop using young and smart as a trait for higher office?

Comment by Gary Hart Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:10 pm
Jeff Brincat. His Dad John “The Cat” Brincat was my boss back in early finance days. Back in Friendly Bob Adams days. Brings back some memories. When Rauner did the toilet commercial he used the Brincat mansion. It’s a small world.

Comment by Club J Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:11 pm
Young and in an unspecified hurry…. reminds me of Schock in some ways. He’s bright and articulate but being seen as ambitious for the sake of ambition is a bad look. Needed to appear more shermanesque.

Comment by G falkes Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:13 pm
We’ll know Demmer is serious when he asks Oswego Willy to chair his campaign.

Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:14 pm
live and work in Demmer’s district. He has campaigned. First primary needed lots of hard work. Gets a lot done in the district and is a rational guy. He’s been helpful to my employer on a lot of issues. He can work a room as well, good retail political skills. PS, I vote in the other party’s primary.

Comment by 100 miles west Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:18 pm
Demmer should take a lesson from Kane County Treasurer Dave Rickert (R), who lost county board chairman race last month to first Democrat county board chair in modern times. Rickert first elected at 32, and he stayed too long, never taking the risk to move up. Now at 54, just took job as Winnebago County CFO. Demmer may be the next Catalina Lauf-type candidate, who’s tearing it up in Georgia and declared she’s running for IL-14 in 2022 again.

Comment by John Lopez Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:19 pm
=== declared she’s running for IL-14 in 2022 again.===

She will lose, again.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:20 pm
Ultimately, he probably wants to run for president, so he’s gotta start moving up the chain before he gets too old.

Comment by Siualum Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:21 pm
== Oh for goodness sakes, what has Tom Demmer ever done? ==

Well he has experience in State Government and has not been caught up in, or helped to quash inquiries into, Federql investigations and ethics scandals. That alone gives him a leg up on many.

Comment by fs Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:22 pm
Moe: Don’t wake that dog. LOL

Comment by walker Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:23 pm
- walker -

I’m trying to stay asleep…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:26 pm
You mean Tom Demmer the hospital strategic planning director who serves as the lead GOP member on the House Human Services Appropriations Committee?
Can’t wait.

Does seem a bit early for beat sweeteners on superminority members.

Comment by Third Reading Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:53 pm
=== Federql investigations and ethics scandals. That alone gives him a leg up on many. ===

Caterpillar, Caterpillar, Caterpillar.

The investigation that AG Barr put on pause.

Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 2:54 pm
Perhaps the democrats will take the only page from the GOP playbook, “But Madigan” and target any GOP candidate running statewide as “But Trump”.

Come 2022 Trump will still be front page headlines so make the GOP candidate be with him or against him.

Comment by don the legend Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 3:00 pm
Hows she running for 14 again she doesn’t even know what the districts will be? I love rookies

Comment by Frank talks Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 3:02 pm
==Stay put. Become Leader. Build name ID statewide. Then run statewide.==

Why not? It worked for Treasurer Cross. Better try the opposite: the Radogno/Durkin/Brady strategy. Run statewide and lose, then become caucus minority leader. Odds seem stronger going that route.

==Can we stop using young and smart as a trait for higher office?==

Infinitely better than old and stupid, I’d wager.

Comment by John Deere Green Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 3:09 pm
Guessing no one minds the Brincats ran a shady finance operation that got busted. Should be an asset if he runs statewide

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Dec 18, 20 @ 4:12 pm