UPDATE: Before taking this too seriously, consider the source:
From a press release:
(CHICAGO)(May 16, 2008) Illinois Republican reformer Andy Martin will hold a Chicago news conference Friday, May 16th to announce he has filed a lawsuit to stop corruption at the Illinois Republican Party’s 2008 state convention. ‘The behavior of most Republican Party leaders is disgraceful,’ [...]

A press release from U.S. Rep Ray LaHood’s office, via the Illinois Channel:
WASHINGTON, DC (April 30)—By a vote of 291-117, the U.S. House last night approved legislation authored by Congressman Ray LaHood (R-Peoria) which would establish the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area in Illinois. LaHood represents the same 11 counties which Abraham Lincoln represented [...]

Is it really big news that Republican politicians (or those hoping to run for office again in he future) have endorsed GOP wünderkind Aaron Schock? Current 18th District Congressman Ray LaHood attended a press conference to officially endorse Schock, as did LaHood’s predecessor, Bob Michel. Also tossing their support to Schock were John Morris and [...]

I just received the following email:
AARON SCHOCK FOR CONGRESS
18th District Republicans are unified
(PEORIA) Former 18th District Congressman and House Republican Leader Bob Michel will be in Peoria and Springfield on Friday and Saturday campaigning for Representative Aaron Schock with Congressman Ray LaHood.
Mr. Michel and Congressman LaHood will join Schock at a news conference on Friday [...]

The Pantagraph has the scoop:
The Nature Conservancy in Illinois was named the Organization of the Year at the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet held last month.
The Conservancy was honored for extraordinary contributions to natural resource preservation in 2007 when the Conservancy celebrated 50 years of work in Illinois.
The Conservancy has protected more than “80,000 [...]

Aaron Schock told the Peoria Journal Star editorial board that he was joking when he said he wanted to sell nuclear weapons to Tawain in an effort to force China to stop helping Iran. As this article correctly pointed out that after the crap hit the fan, Schock and his campaign manager Steve Schear adamantly [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Apparently, Congressional candidates Aaron Schock, Jim McConoughey and John Morris pretty much agree on everything. Well, except for that one little thing about how one of them advocated a policy that would have caused a war with China over Taiwan. But not that anyone at the GOP forum was so uncouth actually mention that.

From The Swamp, information about who is supporting who in Illinois:
Sen. John McCain has added a congressman and a former senator to his Illinois leadership team in his run for president, his campaign announced today.
McCain’s latest Land of Lincoln supporters are freshman Rep. Peter Roskam and former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. They join Reps. Ray LaHood, [...]

During Blogger Bash, C.J. mentioned his get-together with Darin LaHood. Ceej has the post up now.
* C.J. hates being called “Ceej.”

Today’s links are via the Journal Star:

Congressman Ray has surrendered the green to Aaron Schock. That means all three of the GOPers who are seeking the party nomination to replace LaHood have now received a $2,000 donation from LaHood’s own campaign fund. For those who didn’t know (I think it was one of the [...]

The bash was a huge success and a fun time was had by all.
Rich Miller of Capitol Fax never showed (too busy rounding up news and gossip out of Springfield, no doubt). None of the students from Jonathan Ahl’s class showed up. There quite a few first-time bashers, from including the folks responsible for Tails [...]

All I’ve been hearing for decades is that that the condition of the Illinois River is so bad that before long, we’ll be able to wade across the river underneath the Murray Baker Bridge. Well, that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point.
Now comes news that U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood has is guaranteeing President Bush [...]

From the inbox:
Republican John Morris, candidate for the 18th District Congressional seat, filed his petitions today to place his name on the ballot to succeed retiring Congressman Ray LaHood. “This is one of the first steps in taking our conservative message to Congress” Morris said. “I am running to represent our conservative values of lower [...]