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*** UPDATE 1 *** Here’s Ald. O’Connor’s new cable TV ad which is mentioned below. The campaign claims to have raised $200K in the past couple of weeks and say they’ll be expanding the buy…
*** UPDATE 2 *** A Democratic candidate is getting some very conservative endorsements. From a press release…
National Taxpayers United Illinois (NTUI) announced here today that it is endorsing Cary Capparelli, candidate on the Democratic ballot to fill Rahm Emanuel’s seat representing Illinois’ 5th Congressional District.
Cary received the news from Jim Tobin, president of NTUI, the largest and a highly effective taxpayer group in Illinois. Founded in 1976, the group takes credit for saving Illinois citizens more than $74 billion in income, property, sales and other taxes - both at the state and local levels. NTUI has defeated proposed income tax increases every year since 1993, and has helped taxpayers defeat 190 local property tax increase referendums since 1977.
“Cary has made a pledge to protect taxpayers by opposing any effort to increase taxes,” said Mr. Tobin. “By making this endorsement, we are recognizing his integrity and commitment to fighting taxes.”
The NTUI endorsement is the second one in just a few days’ time. He received the endorsement of Family-Pac Federal last weekend. Family-Pac Federal is a bi-partisan group that has endorsed candidates who are or have been committed to upholding family values.
That’s quite interesting.
[ *** End of Updates *** ]
* As of February 6th, Democrat Paul Bryar’s relatively uncovered, unknown congressional campaign claimed to have raised $250,000 in contributions. That’s pretty darned good and in the top tier of all candidates if true.
But, as they say on the teevee, that’s not all.
Check out the independent expenditures in the district as of today. The American Academy of Opthalmology PAC has spent almost $59,000 in the district so far. According to his website Bryar plays a “leadership role” with the American Academy of Opthalmology. Bryar says he had a volunteer post to help streamline electronic health records.
Bryar said today that my call to his campaign manager asking about the IE was the first he had heard of the expenditure, and pointed out that he’s not on the board of directors and wouldn’t know of its activities. By law, he’s not allowed to coordinate his message or activities with the group. Coordination complaints are sometimes filed even if there’s no actual wrongdoing (just for a press pop, in other words), but Bryar is so unknown (his first poll showed him at 0 percent) that nothing will likely be said or done.
Bryar said he’s running about 1,100 cable TV ads a week, which he claims is more than anyone else in the race. He didn’t know how many ratings points that translates into, and it’s tough to figure that without knowing which channels and programs are running his ads. It’s not a huge amount. Cable requires big buys over a long period of time to work most effectively.
Here’s his ad…
He’s also doing mail. He has the money to be competitive, but this special election will require a serious, seasoned ground game. “Normal” people just won’t vote. Campaigns will have to physically drag their identified supporters to the polls.
* Also, if you clicked on that IE link above, you saw that Emily’s List has spent about $11K on behalf of Rep. Sara Feigenholtz’s congressional campaign. Expect that to grow. Also, expect SEIU to jump in as well. If both groups take the big leap, these independent expenditures could turn out to be the real story in the campaign.
* Ald. Pat O’Connor has also hit the cable TV “airwaves” with a new ad. He’s spending $25K over five days. A commenter reported last night that O’Connor is also now doing robocalls.
* Meanwhile, the Sun-Times has a piece about Rep. John Fritchey getting hammered for defending Roland Burris during the House impeachment committee…
State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) said he had no interest in protecting Roland Burris when the now-senator appeared before the Illinois House impeachment committee last month.
Here’s the exchange in question…
Burris, who was then trying to be installed as a U.S. Senator, faced a question from Durkin about whether Gov. Blagojevich asked him for any quid-pro-quo in exchange for naming Burris to the senate. Burris said “No.”
“If you were aware of a quid pro quo, what would you have done?” Durkin asked.
Fritchey spoke before Burris answered, saying, “Mr. Burris had already stated that he was not aware of any quid pro quo, which answers that question and puts it to rest.”
Burris eventually volunteered that he would never accept a quid pro quo.
When Durkin asked Burris, “What were your thoughts upon the arrest of the governor?” Fritchey interjected, “Our mission today is to investigate Rod Blagojevich, not Roland Burris.”
That ain’t exactly felonius, but we’re in the middle of a bona fide media feeding frenzy and Fritchey is getting munched. He hasn’t gotten a whole lot of good press this cycle anyway. Witness this Tribune hed about Fritchey’s latest TV ad: Fritchey airs attack ad in race to replace Rahm Emanuel. Oof. As I told you yesterday, the Tribune’s endorsement of Mike Quigley included a whack at Fritchey.
* Fritchey has said he’d support a special election, but Rep. Feigenoltz just called for Burris to resign. From a press release…
“Three months ago I called for a special election to fill President Obama’s seat because I believed voters should have had the right to choose their Senator, not politicians in Springfield. This appointment has been under a dark cloud since the day this seat became vacant. And look where it got us. These disappointing disclosures on the part of Senator Burris mean only one thing: he must resign. It’s time that we hand this decision over to the voters and have a clean break. Let them decide.”
* Related…
* Political newcomers vie for Congress
* The Fritchey Defense Returns to Bite Him
* The Paul Bryar Interview
* Tribune: Democrats’ best: Quigley
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 11:35 am
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The Fritchey thing is interesting. He’s not done well the past few months (failing to stand up to Geraldo, and then standing up for Burris). Too bad, since Fritchey is a nice guy. He may need a bit more seasoning though.
Comment by Skeeter Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 11:41 am
I saw the Bryar ad three times and was wondering what the story was there. The ad itself is very lame. If we had six months, it might make a difference. But in a special with two weeks of active time, it won’t amount to a hill of beans.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 11:41 am
Bryar’s ad is just plain goofy. Rich, is Quigley’s operation solely local-based? Any politico pros from DC involved in that campaign?
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 11:45 am
yuk, that Bryar ad is awful. drove to friends in the 5th CD on the long weekend. lots of Bryar signs but also what is up with the Forys signs that have, i kid you not, a giant capsule on them? very strange view from the street. on the plus side they are red and white going for the Polish vote. the report on the mail from the west end is lots of Quigley, lots of Bryar, Sara to women only, one Fritchey. and O’Connor signs appearing more frequently. it’s an amazingly hot race with lots of money in it.
Comment by Amy Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 11:53 am
How influential are the city’s two major newspapers? We may have a measure in Quigley’s performance, now that he’s snagged both endorsements.
I still have no idea who will turn out in this election, which makes observing the results fascinating.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:19 pm
Jerry, don’t post unsubstantiated rumors here. Thanks.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:24 pm
Saw Fritchey at the massive EFCA rally last night over at Plumbers Hall. Fritchey was told he couldn’t speak to the crowd and abruptly left the hall. He looked quite dejected. Like someone took his ball away from him in the middle of the game.
Comment by laborguy Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:27 pm
So Feigenoltz would rather the State, 9 billion in debt, spend 50+ million on a special election which realistically probably shaves only 1 year of time from the scheduled election just to get a talking point.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:30 pm
I saw the Bryar ad the other night flipping channels and thought it was a gag.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:32 pm
RRW-
The best thing Quigley has going for him are the “local political people” helping him. The DC “political…cough…pros” are dragging the other campaigns into the gutter. March 3rd can’t come soon enough…go back to the Beltway!
Comment by Belden Ave Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:44 pm
In all seriousness, doesn’t it look like Bryar is wearing eyeliner in that ad?
Comment by Obamarama Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:45 pm
I think that Mr. Fritchey is the best candidate, he work very hard, did accomplish many and he is sincere !! He has many years of experience !!!
Comment by anon Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:50 pm
I saw Bryar’s ad the other day. I don’t get it. Who is the guy in the car? Drug dealer? Vote fixer? And why is he eating a hot dog?
Comment by JonShibleyFan Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 12:58 pm
Bryar looks like a silent movie star in his ad. I think the guy is the SUV is supposed to be a “regular guy” from the district. The ad is just plain bad and has very low production qualities. The buy is too small to breakthrough anyway.
Comment by laborguy Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 1:15 pm
O’Connor’s ad is solid. The Daley reference won’t hurt a bit. If he could get any points behind it, it could make a difference. A small cable buy, at this point in the race, isn’t going to cut it though.
Comment by laborguy Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 1:18 pm
The O’Connor ad does have some good hooks. even though it is on cable and a small buy, his numbers in one poll detailed on this site were not too bad so this will only push them higher. his large family and D.C. lobbyist brother can’t hurt either.Quigley should get on tv. dueling Irish names….and, no, i don’t think Tom G. counts, although forgot to say that he and Victor (D-Solidarnosc) have mail out.
Comment by Amy Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 1:23 pm
The Trib and S-T sure took cheapshots at Fritchey. Keeping the focus on Blago is hardly the same thing as protecting Burris.
O’Connor’s ad hits the mark but Bryar’s ad makes him look (1) like a dilettante and, (2) freaky.
Yikes!
Comment by CheapShot Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 1:34 pm
I am not certain how valuable the National Taxpayers United of Illinois endorsement if any longer. The group seemed to lose some of its luster when Jim Tobin attempted to affiliate himself with the Libertarians a decade ago. George Ryan’s goons at the State Board of Elections wacked Tobin that year. Cary Caparelli is using robocalls to request GOP voters to cross over and support him in the Democratic primary. Some of Tobin’s people were also supposedly coaching Rosanna Pulido during her petition challenge (which she won).
I am out of this! I availed myself of an opportunity to visit an early voting location!
Comment by Honest Abe Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 1:47 pm
Oops!
I am not certain how valuable the National Taxpayers United of Illinois endorsement IS any longer.
Comment by Honest Abe Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 1:50 pm
The said there were a number of good candidates like Feigenholtz and Wheelan. But Quigley rose to the top for a number of very good reasons. They just plain ignored Fritchey, which I’m sure infuriated him more than anything.
Bryar is creepy and strikes me as not a nice guy.
Comment by CC Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:00 pm
The Sun Times said . . .
Comment by CC Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:01 pm
I went to a Paul Bryar event and this is what he handed out to people:
“I have spent the last ten years of my life telling people the truth and educating our younger generation to do the same. I do not walk away from tough decisions and I know how to prevent future problems. I have helped people deal with terminal illness, helped others recover when they believed a situation is hopeless, and given people solutions to avoid future problems. Acting with honesty and integrity for people I serve is not something I need to improve on or learn - it is how I have lived my life.
Sounds refreshing to me.
Comment by Clear_Air Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:01 pm
“In hindsight, my only mistake was perhaps I should have been more political and less like a former prosecutor,” said Fritchey Tuesday night at a fund-raiser for his Congressional candidacy at Tavern on Rush thrown for him by his brother-in-law, zoning attorney James Banks, who has a stake in the restaurant.”
Another mistake might be not getting quoted about Burris from Tavern on Rush at a funder full of zoners thrown by Banks. Oh well.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:05 pm
furthermore,
Most people don’t know Bryar’s background but I pulled this from a letter I received from the campaign:
“Most of you don’t know who I am. I was born in Chicago, am one of seven children and went to St Ignatius High School. I then went to Georgetown University where I was a government and international relations major. At Georgetown I was a volunteer paramedic and found out there were two things in life I loved, medicine and teaching. For a year after college I was a high school teacher and while I enjoyed every moment of it, I was still missing out on my other passion so I went to medical school at University of Illinois in Chicago. From there, I did my residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital the VA in Chicago. Upon completing a fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, I returned to Northwestern where I am able to do both of my passions. I am a practicing physician and also a teacher of medical students. I became fed up with the problems that many of us face with access to health care, so for the last ten years, I have also worked one day each week at a medical clinic in Cabrini Green that serves the under an uninsured.”
Comment by Clear_Air Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:05 pm
I checked out the FEC independent expenditure reports (24hr notice) and OPHTHPAC spent $16,500 on a poll with Cooper & Secrest and then decided to buy $40k worth of cable ads on behalf of Paul Bryar. With the mainstream media is practically ignoring this race, an outsider with message and money can steal this race if his message is sticking. Obviously it is because OPHTHPAC doesn’t spend money foolishly – they have a 90% success rate with the candidates they support. C & S is the nation’s largest polling firm and the fact that OPHTHPAC put this kind of money in shows that Bryar is viable.
Comment by Land of Lincoln Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:11 pm
Enough with the cut and paste, please. That’s not allowed here.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:11 pm
Bryar’s ad is a spoof of the Sonic commercials.
Comment by Cosmic Boom Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 2:17 pm
Hey laborguy, Fritchey was dejected? By being in a room of 3,000 people, most of whose unions are supporting him? Yeah, okay.
As the endorsed candidate of the AFL-CIO, Fritchey was the only candidate introduced to the crowd. He was never supposed to speak, he then worked the crowd of 3,000 union men and women before leaving to go to another event.
Comment by a little truth please Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 3:24 pm
At least Bryar’s ad isnt boring…It’s something different than the uninteresting political commercials we usually see.
Comment by Mel Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 3:41 pm
Somehow it’s tough for me to stomach a NTIU endorsement. I got a flyer from them in the mail today asking for money to fight off Pat Quinn’s proposed 67% tax increase. It went on to say that the only reason that Blagojevich was removed from office is that he would have vetoed a tax increase put forward by Madigan etal. It went on to praise Blagojevich for keeping his promise to not raise Illinois income taxes. It also claimed that the state is now totally controlled by Chicago machine Democrats now that Blagojevich was removed and Quinn installed as Governor.
Jim Tobin has bought into Rod’s story hook line and sinker and is now parrotting it in letters asking for donations!!
Now I’ve been home from work sitting in bed for the past 2 days sick. Jim please pass some of what your smoking over so I can feel better too!!!
train111
Comment by train111 Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 3:58 pm
Capparelli also did robo calls to Hispanics using world lightweight champion David Diaz as voice. It was good.
Comment by ElectMike Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 5:03 pm
and Capparelli is using former heavyweight champion Andrew Golota as voice on robo calls to the Polish community. Nice touch using celebrity talent.
Comment by ElectMike Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 5:22 pm
EM, unless you’re talking low blows, Golota was a champion only by the most liberal definition of the word, with a couple of minor belts.
He’s also not universally beloved in the Chicago Polish community due to some pretty wild behavior both here and in Poland.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 6:01 pm
he would of used John Paul if he was available
Comment by ElectMike Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 6:24 pm
O’Connor ad is effective. Direct. No nonsense. Great visuals. Good choice of topics. The bit where he brought in money for his district struck a nerve in that I don’t live in the district and thought that his record probably means less for us. I agree Daley reference can’t hurt.
Bryar ad might have had potential, but there were probably three points that blew it big time. The splash at the end re: his name actually made me wonder whether it was real or something someone grabbed off of youtube. Ditto on the comments re: eyeliner and it is a bit “freaky” overall.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 10:08 pm
What can say, IP, besides I hope I’m wrong and you’re right? I think, though, that the retro thing might be the way to go right now because of some of the other garbage that’s been out there and is still out there.
The statements were clear and “fact-based” enough to research from ALL angles if someone wanted to verify or dispute them.
Heck of alot better, I think, that a bunch of “colorful, flashy” nonsense about “I’m not going to offer you anything except for I’m better than the rest of them just because….well, I am. Trust me.”
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 10:48 pm
I admit I don’t read as much as I should but I seem to have missed some of those attempted income tax increases that Tobin stopped each year since 1993. Jim Tobin, a legend in his own mind.
Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 11:02 pm
With absolutely no disrespect to Bryar–because he’s probably a good man, a good doctor, and might even make a good elected official–but why do doctors seem to believe that the public will trust that they’ll be able to “solve problems” in elected office just because they’re doctors?
We’ve seen this before; it doesn’t work and here’s my thought as to why: more than half of the MD offices I’ve been to are now staffed with MD family members who are constantly bickering with each other on the other side of the glass window or counter.
If you’ve ever had such an experience, wouldn’t you think that while doctors (like some lawyers and other professionals) may be good at what they do, perhaps they’re not the greatest business people?
And, if forced to choose between “business” and “medical” know-how as qualifiers for most public offices, what do you think most Voters would believe counts the most?
That’s not to say that doctors can’t make good elected officials, but I think they have to be a bit more careful with they offer up as qualifiers.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 18, 09 @ 11:38 pm
Wordslinger, Capparelli went to some Polish stops with Golota and both were well received. Time to go to work and it’s snowing. Wonder if this will slow things down today.
Comment by ElectMike Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 3:22 am
Yes,
Doctors like Paul Bryar are strong and will get things done with hard work and integrity. Its people like Bryar that we need in office, who we can trust and depend on to be doing the right things for our families. My wife and I had the opportunity to meet Bryar at a social the other day and it was truly a blessing. When I first started talking to him I instantly could feel his honesty and hear his determination.
Bryar is who we need, who we can depend on, who can lead, and who will fight endlessly and selflessly to make changes. That is why he will get my vote.
Comment by Family of Four Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 10:08 am