Posts Tagged ‘Jim McConoughey’
Monday, January 28th, 2008
From a press release:
McConoughey Applauds President’s State of the Union Address
Sees Economic Stimulus Plan, Permanent Tax Cuts, and National Security Focus As Positive
Peoria, IL – Responding to the State of the Union Address by President Bush tonight, Jim McConoughey, Republican candidate for Congress in the 18th, released the following statement:
While many challenges still face our nation as we begin the final year of President Bush’s Administration, The President’s focus on implementing an Economic Stimulus Package to spur the economy, making the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent as well as increased diplomacy in the middle east are all reason for optimism and continued resolve. A strong and growing economy addresses many of our nation’s other problems with strong revenue streams and consumer and investor confidence. Stimulating the economy as quickly as possible and signaling some stability by making the tax cuts permanent sends the right message to the American taxpayer as well as to the rest of the world. These are issues I have been talking about the entire campaign, and I am encouraged by the President’s unwavering commitment to tax cut policies and to strengthening the economy. I am hopeful Congress has the corresponding commitment needed to restraint in spending and to living within our means.
As we focus on the economy here at home, I am also encouraged by the President’s words regarding national security for America. While I have made a concerted effort on the campaign trail to communicate the importance of a diplomacy that would include more coalition-building like we witnessed from President George H.W. Bush’s Administration during Desert Storm, I firmly stand behind President Bush in securing American lives at home and abroad. We share many goals with other countries worldwide; foremost of those is a peaceful coexistence. We should focus on our commonalities to further peace, particularly in the Middle East, while continuing to be vigilant in protecting the United States. The sooner peace is the agreed-upon goal for the region and like-minded nations commit to the achievement of that goal, the sooner growing diplomacies can develop and the sooner we can reduce our presence and the danger to which our troops are currently subjected.
Tags: Jim McConoughey, State of the Union
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 2 Comments »
Sunday, January 27th, 2008
My own thoughts about the value newspaper endorsements are on record. Still, here is a press release from the Jim McConoughey campaign regarding two such endorsement:
Peoria Journal Star Recommends McConoughey for Congress
Jacksonville Journal-Courier says McConoughey the ‘better’ choice to represent the 18th District
Peoria, IL – Citing his maturity, measured approach and ability to make up his own mind, the Peoria Journal Star says Jim McConoughey is ‘ready right now’ to serve the 18th District in Congress and has earned the paper’s endorsement in the February 5th Primary Election.
In the Sunday edition of the Journal Star (January 27, 2008), the Editorial Board said; “[McConoughey’s] forged a career as a consensus-builder. He is especially strong on budget/finance issues. McConoughey also is enough of an independent thinker – he takes issue with pre-emptive military strike as a first-option foreign policy tool, he thinks America should lead on issues like global climate change, both departures from party line – that we can’t discount him.â€
The Peoria Republican was honored to be the Journal Star’s choice; “We have been working non-stop since September, delivering our message throughout the 20 counties in this District,†said McConoughey. “It is humbling to win the endorsement of the largest newspaper in the District. I am thrilled to have the support of the Peoria Journal Star, as well as Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis, Peoria State Senator Dale Risinger, retired Senator Laura Kent Donahue of Quincy and numerous others. But I realize it is the endorsement of the individual voters on February 5th that count the most. With slightly more than a week in this campaign, I will continue meeting voters, listening to them on the issues they care about and working diligently to earn their support.â€
The Journal Star said McConoughey’s opponents are both articulate and intelligent, but one is too extreme and the other has run a campaign with ‘too many red flags regarding his readiness.’ The Editorial clearly states that Jim McConoughey is the candidate who can best carry on the steady, mature approach to leading the 18th District in Congress as Congressman Ray LaHood and his predecessors have done. The full endorsement can be found at this link: www.pjstar.com/stories/012708/END_BFJPBD56.058.php.
Likewise, the Jacksonville Journal Courier today (1/27/08) has editorialized on the 18th District Congressional race. According to that newspaper, Jim McConoughey “probably holds the most traditional Republican values of the lot and is the most mature.†The Journal –Courier said of McConoughey rival Aaron Schock that he has ‘potential in time,’ but “Jim McConoughey would be better from the get-go.†The editorial in full can be accessed at this link: www.myjournalcourier.com/articles/government_17096___article.html/candidates_area.html
Jim McConoughey is a business leader and economic development professional with 26 years of experience creating jobs and opportunities for communities in a region serving 350,000 people. His values of hard work and integrity started during his childhood on the family farm. Today, he and his wife Gina are raising their two teenagers in Dunlap in addition to balancing professional careers. Jim is not a professional politician; he is a leader in public service waging his first campaign for elective office. He is a Republican running for Congress in the 18th District; the Primary Election will take place on February 5, 2008.
Tags: endorsements, Jacksonville Journal-Courier, Jim McConoughey, Peoria Journal Star
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 5 Comments »
Saturday, January 26th, 2008
From a press release:
Retired Western Illinois Senator Laura Kent Donahue Endorses McConoughey for Congress
Quincy, IL – Less than two weeks before the February 5th Primary, Jim McConoughey has received the valuable endorsement of retired State Senator Laura Kent Donahue. Donahue served several terms in the State Senate covering much of the western portion of the 18th Congressional District.
“I met Jim late last year, and I was impressed by his knowledge of the job of Congressman and his realistic view of what he’s getting into in this contest, his determination as a business leader to come from outside the political system to get to work on difficult challenges we face as a nation, and his overall thoughtful, well-articulated vision of what he wants to do for Central Illinois,†said Donahue. “Jim’s resolve and steady leadership is exactly what we need in these uncertain times.â€
McConoughey has steadily added respected leaders from throughout the 18th District to the list of those endorsing his campaign for Congress. In addition to Sen. Donahue, Sen. Dale Risinger, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis, Toulon Mayor Kyle Ham, former Springfield Mayor Mike Houston, 18th District State Central Committeewoman Mary Alice Erickson, and Woodford County GOP Chairman Bill Christ have already endorsed McConoughey.
“One of the most humbling parts of this campaign has been the support I have received from respected leaders like Sen. Donahue,†McConoughey said. “Her confidence in me to best represent the needs of our part of the state means a great deal, and I am grateful for that support.â€
Sen. Donahue emphasizes how important she thinks this choice is. “This is an extremely important election. This congressional seat has not had a wide-open race for a half-century, and who we elect in this primary could very well be our Representative in Congress for many years to come,†she added. “Jim McConoughey has my support to carry on the tradition of leadership and statesmanship we have seen in Ray LaHood.â€
Jim McConoughey is a business leader and economic development professional with 26 years of experience creating jobs and opportunities for communities. His values of hard work and integrity started during his childhood on the family farm. Today, he and his wife Gina are raising their two teenagers in Dunlap in addition to balancing professional careers. Jim is not a professional politician; he is a leader in public service waging his first campaign for elective office. He is a Republican running for Congress in the 18th District; the Primary Election will take place on February 5, 2008.
Tags: endorsements, Jim McConoughey, Laura Kent Donahue
Posted in Overset, Statehouse & Capitol | 6 Comments »
Saturday, January 26th, 2008
In the 92nd District state house race, I’m wondering if Jehan Gordon just assumed the Allen Mayer camp would reveal her shoplifting conviction or if she was tipped off somehow. Mayer’s campaign manager says they knew about it, but weren’t going use it. Well, how did they know? Why do opposition research if it’s not going to be used? The graduation/college transcript thing (explained to my satisfaction) and now the shoplifting conviction (a bit harder to explain, as she was an adult) are minor events separate. But for both to come out within weeks of each other seems to be asking voters to overlook a lot of red flags at once.
Look at it from the typical Democratic voter’s point of view. Right over here in another corner, they have a guy with no such issues, who is a member of the county board, and job in state government working for a guy who enjoys a ton of good will here, Comptroller Dan Hynes.
On the other hand, Gordon is getting her name in the news a lot these days, and in some voters minds, this could all look like persecution by the media.
Jim McConoughey is rumored to running second in the polls behind Aaron Schock in the 18th Congressional District race. But McConoughey’s campaign is the one in debt, thanks to personal loans made to his own campaign. John Morris, on the other hand, seems to be doing well, but not as well as Schock. Since neither Morris nor McConoughey are releasing their own polls, one can only assume the news is not good.
The only question I have is this: Are there hard, reliable numbers showing Schock with less than 50 percent support? The answer would affect two possible scenarios of interest to those who want anybody but Schock to get the GOP nomination. Let’s say McConoughey drops out, citing money issues. Would enough of McConoughey’s support go to Morris to help him beat Schock? I don’t see Morris dropping out, as he doesn’t have the money worries, and nothing to loose by staying in. But if the aggregate “not Schock” vote is polling at less than 50 percent, nothing changes, really, by either one dropping out.
Another scenario is for current 18th District Congressman Ray LaHood to finally decide he wants to make an endorsement, and if so, that almost certainly would go to McConoughey. I don’t see LaHood making an endorsement this late in the game, especially with his likely pick getting no traction on his own. Ten days between now and election day is just too little time for that.
So, short of a scandal — a photograph of Aaron Schock training with the Taliban, perhaps — I don’t see either Morris or McConoughey winning. Had Schock been facing only one other opponent, there was a chance that Aaron could have been defeated. With two opponents, there was no one single person for the anybody-but-Schock supporters to lend their support. In a crowded ace, the safe bet is to support the front runner.
Tags: Aaron Schock, Allen Mayer, Jehan Gordon, Jim McConoughey, John Morris
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 18 Comments »
Thursday, January 17th, 2008
McLean County Pundit says one of his her readers feels pushed by a poll on behalf of Jim McConoughey.
Tags: Aaron Schock, Jim McConoughey
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 11 Comments »
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008
From a press release:
McConoughey Listens to Veterans Concerns in East Peoria
East Peoria, IL — Saying that he wants to hear first-hand the issues and concerns of area veterans, 18th Congressional District candidate Jim McConoughey met with Veterans from Central Illinois to simply “listen and learn.”
“While I believe that my 26 years of business and public service experience help qualify me for this position as it relates to job creation, economic development and community assistance, I think it is important to note that I am not a veteran and do not pretend to fully understand the complex issues that veterans face when they return to civilian life,” McConoughey stated. “It is important that I talk to as many veterans in this district as I can and make a concerted effort to listen and understand the needs they have of the federal government.”
The ‘Veterans Listening Session’ was held at the East Side Sports Complex in East Peoria. Veterans from throughout the 18th Congressional District were invited to the event.
“American veterans who served during foreign conflicts and during peace time are our
true heroes,” said McConoughey. ” These individuals were promised health care and benefits and deserve to have what they were promised – the very best we can offer.”
Throughout the campaign, McConoughey has made an effort to visit with Veterans while traveling the District as well as stopping in Veteran’s Halls. It was over the course of that time that he decided he would launch ‘Veterans Listening Sessions’ as he found a very engaged and active sector of the population that needs to be heard.
“I understand that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will dramatically increase the number of veterans in America, and our Federal government must be prepared to provide the necessary support,” added McConoughey. “It is important that wounded veterans and those who have served in combat have access to a comprehensive GI bill that provides full tuition, books, fees, and living expenses at any institution to which the veteran is accepted.”
Jim McConoughey is a business leader and economic development professional with 26 years of experience creating jobs and opportunities for communities. His values of hard work and integrity started during his childhood on the family farm. Today, he and his wife Gina are raising their two teenagers in Dunlap in addition to balancing professional careers. Jim is not a professional politician; he is a leader in public service waging his first campaign for elective office. He is a Republican running for Congress in the 18th District; the Primary Election will take place on February 5, 2008.
Tags: 18th District, Jim McConoughey, veterans
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | Comments Off
Monday, January 14th, 2008
I managed to catch the debate on 18th District Congressional debate tonight. Jim McConoughey, John Morris and Aaron Schock were grilled on issues ranging from earmarks to the growing power of the presidency.
Again, most of the time, the three gave remarkably similar answers to the questions. That’s not unusual, since most of the time, they are trying to position themselves as the true conservative candidates.
The difference was in style and tone. Morris is by far, the best public speaker of the three. McConoughey is the worst. He’s gotten better as the campaign has progresses, and he’s better able to think on his feet. And Schock has surprised me. He’s a far better debater than I have seen from him in the past. He spoke with more authority than the other two in his dislike of the No Child Left Behind Act.
And kudos to McConoughey for actually trying (as well as he could within time restraints) answering the questions he was asked. Morris hot on my last nerve by almost never answering a questions without some anecdote about his eight years on the council, or some dig at Schock. Asked about what he would do to improve the care given to returning Iraq veterans, Morris repeated an often-retold story about how he once escorted a group of gold star mothers, and then took a dig at Schock for joking about national security matters. The pattern repeated itself throughout the night.
Asked again for an answer to the question, Morris said he would continue to employee a veterans liaison in his office if elected, as does current 18th District Congressman Ray LaHood, which is something the other two agreed to do as well.
McConoughey’s answer demonstrated that he’s some research on the issue. VA hospitals, he said, operate under an old model of admitting most of its patients for overnight stays, which most of the services they need are on an outpatient basis. He’s also like to see more transportation for vets traveling back and forth to get the health care they need.
McConoughey also didn’t get caught flatfooted by the question (and I’m paraphrasing) ‘Well, what spending programs WOULD you cut?’ Note to Morris: “taxes” is not a spending program. McConoughey said it isn’t a matter of eliminating programs, but reducing the size of the ones we already have and by limiting the growth of entitlements.
Schock came away from the debate having not said anything to embarrass himself or otherwise turn off voters. Being the front runner, this is all he needed to do. Morris came out swinging. But I think he got caught being a politician one too many times, and his lack of direct response to direct questions seemed almost stereotypical of a politician. Granted, this has always been a problem with hearing Morris on the stump, but it was even more noticeable tonight.
While McConoughey lacked flash, he didn’t lack substance. I think any viewer looking at Morris and McConoughey for an alternative to Schock probably would choose McConoughey.
Kudos to WEEK’s Mike Dimmick and Christine Smith of the Journal Star editorial board for their excellent questions, and for following up on each other’s questions to force some answers out of these guys.
UPDATE: C.J. Thinks Schock won the debate. But he also called out Morris on a contitutional gaffe.
Tags: Aaron Schock, debte, Jim McConoughey, John Morris, WEEK
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 19 Comments »
Friday, January 11th, 2008
C.J. Summer’s — because he doesn’t work 2nd shift — has more time to watch and listen to 18th District candidates’ debates than do I. He’s really liking Jim McConoughey’s answers:
McConoughey isn’t the perfect candidate. He was a little weak on the education question, not seeming to understand “No Child Left Behind†very well. He either forgot to answer or evaded the same-sex marriage question. But of the three Republican candidates, I would trust him the most to represent me in Congress. He has the best understanding of economic and agricultural issues of the three, he’s strong on national defense, and he’s conservative on social issues.
Schock thinks Morris’ answers are too shallow and thinks Schock can’t be trusted.
Tags: Aaron Schock, Jim McConoughey, John Morris
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 6 Comments »
Thursday, January 10th, 2008
From a press release:
Senator Dale Risinger endorses McConoughey for 18th District seat
PEORIA, IL (January 10, 2008) – Senator Dale Risinger of Peoria today issued his endorsement for 18th District Congressional candidate Jim McConoughey.
“This is an exciting time for central Illinois because a number of good people have come forward and expressed interest in serving the citizens of the 18th Congressional District,” Senator Risinger said. “The candidates all bring something to the table, but I am endorsing Jim McConoughey because of his extensive experience in economic development and creating jobs.”
The 37th District State Senator cited McConoughey’s work in Central Illinois as President and CEO of the Heartland Partnership, his background in similar jobs development positions, and his commitment to community service.
“As a business man, Jim knows what is needed to boost our economy. He has a track record of jobs development. And his involvement in civic organizations shows that he cares about our region and its citizens,” Senator Risinger said. “His work ethic is important at a time when our state economy is not keeping up with neighboring states, and he will make sure that issues unique and important to central Illinois will be strongly represented on Capitol Hill.”
This is unusual. Aaron Schock is supposed to be the front runner in the 18th District race. I guess if Risinger is willing to risk annoying Schock by endorsing his opponent, Schock might not be an inevitible as some claim.
UPDATE: I am reminded that Schock’s campaign manager Steve Shearer once managed a campaign for Risinger. So, the snub was stings even more than I originally thought.
Tags: Aaron Schock, Dale Risinger, Jim McConoughey
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 2 Comments »
Sunday, January 6th, 2008
WCBU News Director Jonathan Ahl has his reactions to the debate he moderated Thursday (here and here). He prods C.J. and myself to hurry and and post our reactions.
NOTE: The debate, broadcast on WCBU can be heard here: HERE. John Morris, Aaron Schock and Jim McConoughey faced off on the Peoria City Council chamber floor. All three seek to replace Ray LaHood, who is retiring as Congressman from the 18th District.
I’m sorry it took so long, but I was trying to think up a decent way to phrase this question: “Jonathan, what the HELL were you thinking asking these guys about their position on trade with Canada? I’m going to go out on a limb and say they are in favor of it. And it’s not that you asked just one question about trade with Canada, you asked a follow up question asking if they would ever support Canada’s position in a trade dispute, since they are such close friends.”
I understand the value of asking a question no one expects. But this one was kinda out of left field. I suppose the question COULD have generated real news, if one of the candidates used it as an opportunity to propose arming Quebec with nuclear missiles. But this debate was intended to help voters figure out who they want to be their Congressman, and an off the wall question about supporting trade with Canada might not have been a good choice.
Nevertheless, I have to hand it to questioner Mike Bailey for asking the most inane question of the night. The editor of the Journal Star’s opinion page took a dig at all three candidates for their pro-family stances by implying that being tough on illegal immigration was akin to being anti-Christian. Because, as Bailey put it, couldn’t Mary, Joseph and Jesus be considered the equivalents of illegal aliens? Um, no. Neither were they homeless. They were travelers, which is different. I’ll leave it to those with more knowledge of the Bible to explain further.
I gave Aaron Schock grief for his original plan to skip the debate because he was needed in Springfield for an emergency session. Jonathan says Schock was in a no-win situation because he would have been criticized for not attending the session. Exactly WHO would have criticized him? The Democrats? There were MANY Dems who skipped out, as there were many GOPers, because NO action was being planned by anyone. Most voters assume that someone running for a seat in the Congress of the United States just might have to take a day off work once in a while. His opponents couldn’t criticize him for attending, since they were standing right next to him.
So, I’m not going to apologize for giving him grief for his original plan to skip out, nor give him credit for showing up in the end. He’s running for Congress, he BETTER show up. And in the end, he did get quite a bit of criticism for his positions. I found Morris’ condemnation of Schock’s now-retracted position on arming Taiwan to be especially effective. Morris pointed out the folly of the policy, and made a point that members of Congress as seem as America’s leaders by the rest of the world, and that they have a responsibility to not use words that destabilize. Jim McConoughey also laid in a bit.
I really did appreciate the discussion on “exporting” Democracy. I’m glad that all three seemed to show a bit of maturity on the subject, with the realization that the United States can’t just reach out and pluck out world leaders it doesn’t like and replace them with those we do like. Also, I seemed to hear a reluctance to use trade as a weapon, except in the sense that free trade tends to encourage Democracy. I’m 100 percent in agreement with Morris that freedom is something every group of people in the world is capable of enjoying.
Who won the debate? Morris. Hands down. He was the better communicator. He was the most knowledgeable, and the most capable of thinking on his feet (as Jonathan learned). I cannot imagine anyone unfamiliar with the players listening to this debate and thinking that’s it’s Shock who’s the front-runner and not Morris.
Schock surprised me by out communicating Jim McConoughey, who made a couple of factual gaffes (saying Turkey is the only predominately Muslim nation to recognize Israel). I am willing to give Schock the benefit of the doubt in that he meant to say that we got rid of the Shah of Iran only to get the Ayatollah Khomeini, and not that Khomeini STILL runs Iran.
But in the end Morris won because he benefited most. Of the three, he’s the only one I think is likely to have picked up votes from the undecided. Schock didn’t screw up, which is a positive result if one really is the front runner. But McConoughey did nothing to break out of the pack, and with the primary election a month away, he’s going to have to do something.
The next debate will be televised live on WEEK from 7-8 p.m. on Jan. 14.
CORRECTION: The NEXT debate will be on WMBD-31 from 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10. My apologies.
Tags: Aaron Schock, debate 18th District, Jim McConoughey, John Morris
Posted in Overset | 14 Comments »
Saturday, December 22nd, 2007
From a press release:
McConoughey Announces ‘Listening Session’ with Veterans
Peoria, IL — Saying that he wants to hear first-hand the issues and concerns of area veterans, 18th Congressional District candidate Jim McConoughey announced he will host a meeting with Veterans from Central Illinois to simply “listen and learn.â€
“While I believe that my 26 years of business and public service experience help qualify me for this position as it relates to job creation, economic development and community assistance, I think it is important to note that I am not a veteran and do not pretend to fully understand the complex issues that veterans face when they return to civilian life,†McConoughey stated. “It is important that I talk to as many veterans in this district as I can and make a concerted effort to listen and understand the needs they have of the federal government.â€
The first ‘Veterans Listening Session’ will be held on January 15th at 10 a.m. at the East Side Sports Complex in East Peoria. Veterans from throughout the 18th Congressional District are invited to the event. (Additional details to be released as event gets closer).
Throughout the campaign which McConoughey entered in mid-September, he has made an effort to visit with Veterans while traveling the District as well as stopping in Veteran’s Halls. It was over the course of that time that he decided he would launch a ‘Veterans Listening Session’ as he found a very engaged and active sector of the population that needs to be heard.
“This is not a standard political event where a politician gets up and delivers well-crafted and controlled talking points to an assembled group,†McConoughey said. “Rather, I want to actually listen and learn from these individuals what federal issues are most important to veterans and why. Whether veterans want to discuss America’s role in the world, the war on terrorism, the Iraq War, veteran’s benefits or any issue of concern, I’ll be ready to listen and learn.â€
Jim McConoughey is a business leader and economic development professional with 26 years of experience creating jobs and opportunities for communities. His values of hard work and integrity started during his childhood on the family farm. Today, he and his wife Gina are raising their two teenagers in Dunlap in addition to balancing professional careers. Jim is not a professional politician; he is a leader in public service waging his first campaign for elective office. He is a Republican running for Congress in the 18th District; the Primary Election will take place on February 5, 2008.
Tags: 18th District, Jim McConoughey, veterans
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 3 Comments »
Friday, December 21st, 2007
State Rep. Aaron Schock today issued a press release claiming a commanding lead, according to a poll commissioned from Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Virginia. Via a press release:
With less than fifty days until the Republican primary election, Aaron Schock is in an enviable position. Schock has excellent name recognition with high favorables, while his opponents lack defined images. On the ballot, Schock leads his nearest opponent by more than forty points. He is well-positioned to be the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress from Illinois’ 18th District.
Key Findings
1. Aaron Schock has an excellent image among Republican primary voters.
Eighty-six percent (86%) of likely Republican primary voters have heard of State Representative Aaron Schock, with 64% having a favorable impression of Schock and 4% having an unfavorable impression. Encouragingly, Aaron’s name recognition and image have grown since August, when his image was 59% heard of/49% favorable/1% unfavorable.
Even more encouraging is that Schock’s favorables are more than twice that of his nearest Republican opponent. Jim McConoughey’s image is 65% heard of/25% favorable/2% unfavorable, while John Morris’s image is 42% heard of/15% heard of/3% unfavorable. McConoughey and Morris face an uphill battle trying to match Schock’s name recognition and favorables in the final weeks of the primary campaign.
2. Schock holds a commanding lead on the Republican primary ballot. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Republican primary voters back Aaron Schock on the ballot. McConoughey polls 14%, followed by Morris with 4% of the vote. Twenty-three percent (23%) of primary voters are undecided. By intensity, 35% definitely vote for Schock, while just 3% definitely back McConoughey and 1% are committed to Morris.
Primary voters are responding to Schock’s campaign message, and it will be difficult for Morris and McConoughey to catch him on February 5.
Methodology
Public Opinion Strategies conducted a telephone survey in the 18th Congressional District of Illinois on behalf of Aaron Schock for Congress. The survey was completed December 18-19, 2007 among 300 likely GOP primary voters and has a margin of error of +5.66% in 95 out of 100 cases.
The campaign added this statement:
Public Opinion Strategies polls for the Wall Street Journal and NBC News and for more Republican Members of Congress than any other firm. Thus, they are a highly respected firm in Washington, DC, among political and polling professionals.
“Public Opinion Strategies is the gold standard of polling firms,” said Schock campaign manager Steven Shearer. “Regarding the poll, the numbers speak for themselves.”
UPDATE: POS is not as universally respected as Shearer would have us believe. According to Source Watch:
Public Opinion Strategies (POS) describes itself as a “Republican polling firm”. It has offices in Virginia, Colorado and California.
“IRI’s annual reports for 2003 and 2004 include among their lists of volunteers a significant number of Republican pollsters, consultants, strategists, public opinion researchers, and campaign website designers, some of whom have come under fire for unethical practices.
“For example, Rob Autry and Gene Ulm are with Public Opinion Strategies, the largest Republican polling firm. POS was responsible for the “Harry and Louise” ad in the early 90’s that scuttled Clinton’s health insurance proposals. In 2001, it was charged with violating Virginia’s polling disclosure laws, and it has also been accused of using push polls to influence elections.”
I’d love to see the exact questions these pollsters asked, and I’d like to see from what group POS got the list of phone numbers. Remember, Schock has been getting a ton of pulbicity throughout the district. Very little of it was positive. It ranged fro harsh criticism from just about everyone for proposing nuclear arms sales to Taiwan to being verbally spanked by U.S. Rep Ray LaHood over campaign literature.
I’m amazed that any legitimate poll “completed” on Dec. 18-19 could show 58 percent of likely primary voters would vote for Schock.
From the beginning, Schock has gone to great lengths to portray himself as the eventual, inevitable GOP nominee. Months of bad publicity has led to not a little bit of buyer’s remorse among those who thought he was inevitible.
So Schock really needed a poll that showed him not only winning, but with well over 50 percent of the vote. The last thing he needs is for people to think that a majority of likely GOP voters want someone else, lest there be a behind-the-scenes capaign to convince either McConoughey or Morris to drop out and endorse the other.
Tags: Aaron Schock, Jim McConoughey, John Morris, Poll
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 31 Comments »
Sunday, December 16th, 2007
Via Central Illinois Proud:
WMBD TV will provide exclusive live coverage of a congressional debate co-sponsored by WMBD 31 News and the Peoria Young Republicans.
The debate among the three confirmed Republican candidates in Illinois’ 18th Congressional District will take place Thursday, January 10th, from 7:00-8:00 pm in Dingledine Hall on the Bradley University campus. WMBD TV will televise the debate in its entirety without commercial interruption, and our own Amy Paul will moderate.
My advice to the candidates is this: Be sure you arrange for black people who support you to be in the audience. When Jim Ardis and Dave Ransburg debated on WEEK back in 2005, the Journal Star counted the number of black people in the crowd and noted whose campaign buttons they were wearing.
Tags: Aaron Schock, Jim McConoughey, John Morris, Ray LaHood
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | Comments Off
Friday, December 14th, 2007
Bernie Schoenburg has another great piece on the 18th District campaign.
It seems that Congressman Ray LaHood has sent a letter to the campaigns of Aaron Schock, Jim McConoughey and John Morris asking them to get his permission first before they use LaHood’s name or image in any campaign literature or advertisement.
While all three candidates for the GOP nomination got the letter, it is Schock who has raised the ire of the retiring Rep. LaHood:
In his letter to Schock, which he said mirrored letters to the other two Republican candidates, LaHood said: “In order that we do not send misleading signals to Republican voters, I am asking that you and your campaign seek permission from me personally before using my name, my picture or quotes from me in any written campaign materials or any material that will promote your candidacy on radio or television. This will enable me to make sure that no one in the race to replace me in Congress uses me to their advantage, or to the disadvantage of other candidates.
“If you need clarification on this request, please feel free to contact me personally. Otherwise, I assume you will comply with my request.”
LaHood said “there’s been at least seven references” to his name in Schock’s materials, and within the last week, he asked his district chief of staff, Tim Butler, who has also worked on LaHood’s campaigns, to call Schock’s campaign manager, Steven Shearer.
“He hasn’t called back,” LaHood said.
Did you get that last part? Schock’s campaign manager is too busy to call back the guy who’s so popular in his district, that an endorsement for someone else could effectively end Schock’s candidacy.
Schock is hardly a virgin when it comes to appropriating the names and images of people who do not endorse, and who have in fact endorsed others. During Schock’s 2006 race against challenger Bill Spears, Schock’s office mailed informational material with the names of Peoria City Council member Barbara Van Auken (who supported Spears) and Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard (who legally couldn’t cannot endorse any candidate).
And then there’s this:
“To make a statement that you’re going to arm one country with nuclear weapons to attack China I think shows a fairly high level of not doing your homework, and … immaturity and not using good political sense.â€
Ouch.
LaHood also told Schoenburg that he thinks Morris’ idea to close the borders and deport every illegal alien is a “silly solution” because it would be impossible to deport 12 million people back to Mexico. Morris later clarified his remarks to say he would expect this to happen overnight.
Interestingly, the paragraphs about Morris and immigration did not appear in the version that was printed in the Peoria Journal Star, nor did they appear on the PJS Website, where space limitations are not an issue. Also, the JS headline read “LaHood won’t weigh in,” while virtually the same column was headlined “LaHood raps Schock’s use of his name.”*
Months ago, a rumor was flying that LaHood was planning to endorse McConoughey. He supposedly decided against it because he didn’t to alienate Schock’s supporters against son Darin LaHood’s campaign for Peoria County State’s Attorney. He had also previously said that wouldn’t endorse anyone until after he had a chance to see how all three ran their campaigns.
Well, he’s had a chance to see. And now he’s calling one of them immature and another silly. I have to think that this effectively serves as an unofficial endorsement for McConoughey.
Tags: Aaron Schock, endorsement, Jim McConoughey, John Morris, Ray LaHood
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 21 Comments »
Friday, December 14th, 2007
Jim McConaughey hates me.
I don’t know why. I’ve always been nice to him. I print his press releases. I didn’t make fun of him when he said he remembered the Cuban missile crisis when he was an infant at the time.
So, why does he want to raise my taxes?
Yep. He most certainly does want to raise my taxes. Or at least he wants me to pay more so that a particular special interest group to whom he is catering will be able to pay less.
I like some of the ideas McConoughey set forth in his economic stimulus package. I like the idea of doing aay with the estate tax. Some people call it the death tax, and I think it deserves to die. Liberals hail it because it supposedly prevents the super wealthy (their word for the people who create the most jobs) from accumulating vast amounts of wealth. In reality, it forces family farms and family owned businesses to sell out to huge soulless corporations that are run by people, I guarantee you, have no problem making sure their kids get their money when they die, “death tax” or not.
For similar reasons, I like other of McConaughey’s suggestions: Getting rid of the alternative minimum tax. It’s another scheme to make sure that the super-wealthy pay their fair share, no matter how many tax breaks and loopholes they legally use. The problem with the AMT is that the incomes levels that trigger the AMT haven’t changed in a long time, and now there’s more and more ordinary upper-middle class folks who find themselves having to caught up more dough than they would otherwise.
And most of the other stuff he mentioned makes sense to me, as well.
But then there’s this little suggestion: A $1,000 per child tax credit to all families.
Huh? Why? What is it about having squirted out a kid makes a person deserving of a a free $1,000 from Uncle Sam? This is not a $1,000 deduction. This is a tax credit, a whopping $1,000 off the tax bill. Who’s going to get this credit? Anyone with a kid, regardless of whether they have a job and contribute to the economy or not.
And since spending isn’t going to pay for this spiffy tax credit, that means the rate is going up for everyone else. This includes 44-year-old single guys, or married people whose kids have left the nest. It makes no sense. This particular item won’t stimulate investment, as the money it puts back in circulation is taken back out as the child-free taxpayers pick up the slack.
Tags: 18th District, Jim McConoughey, Taxes
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | 18 Comments »
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Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates