Roskam, Morgenthaler face off in election (Roskam may run for Obama's Senate Seat)

http://www.roskamforcongress.com/ ^ | 10-23-2008 | by Josh Singer, Pioneer Press

[Maelstorm]

For the second consecutive race, Congressman Peter Roskam, R-6th, is campaigning against a Democratic Iraq war veteran, but economic turmoil has changed this campaign's tone from the one in 2006.

Roskam, 47, an attorney andstate legislator for 13 years from Wheaton, won re-election two years ago by edging out wounded war veteran Tammy Duckworth with 51 percent of the vote. Although his current challenger, Army Col. Jill Morgenthaler, is also an Iraq war vet, economic issues are far more prevalent on the campaign trail this year.

Iraq war "Nobody's really talking about Iraq because it's going well," Roskam said at a Pioneer Press editorial board interview. "The surge has been successful."

The Economist estimated that the U.S. has spent $525 billion on the war since the March 2003 invasion, in addition to suffering more than 4,000 casualties. Roskam acknowledged the war has been economically damaging and said the greater loss is lives, but he opposes a timetable for withdrawal. After meeting with constituents at an Elk Grove Village supermarket, Roskam said the nation must not "squander the sacrifice."

Morgenthaler, 54, a public relations officer for the Army during the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, advocates a timetable but has not echoed Duckworth's vocal calls. The Des Plaines resident resigned as Illinois Homeland Security Director in November 2007 to make her first run for elected office, and has previous experience in management at Argonne Laboratories.

Gas prices Morgenthaler's main swipes against Roskam have been about high gas prices and ties to the Bush administration. Roskam, who received $5,500 in campaign contributions from Exxon Mobil Political Action Committee this election cycle, was targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in a radio ad playing a President George W. Bush impersonator thanking him for helping oil companies.

After receiving mixed ratings from environmental groups as a 40th District state representative and later as a 48th District state senator, Roskam scored a mere 15 percent with the League of Conservation Voters for his first year in Congress. An energy bill he authored that was never called to a vote outlines investments in clean coal, oil-shale and offshore drilling, nuclear energy and conservation such as anti-idling. Roskam voted for the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (HR6) after voting against earlier versions that proposed repealing oil company subsidies. When asked about the bill, Roskam touted his record on fighting taxes.

Values clash Morgenthaler, who vaulted over Roselle businessman Stan Jagla in the Democratic primary election with 77 percent of the vote, calls Roskam an "ideologue" because, for example, he opposes abortion even in the case of rape or incest. Citing the late Congressman Henry Hyde, who represented the 6th District for 16 terms until 2006, Roskam said people cannot be categorized by the way in which they were conceived and asked in the Pioneer Press interview why women can have abortions if rapists cannot be executed.

Campaign trail Roskam unleashed a series of radio ads about Morgenthaler's alleged ties to convicted influence peddler Antoin "Tony" Rezko. Near the end of the candidates' brief forum Oct. 4 in Mt. Prospect, Roskam broached the issue and handed Morgenthaler a June 2006 letter she wrote as homeland security director to Companion Security, a company affiliated with Rezko that sought contracts to train Iraqi police forces.

Morgenthaler emphasized that Companion Security was never awarded a contract, but Roskam's spokesman, Matt Vriesema, said she failed to investigate obvious corruption. In 2006, Roskam raised the issue of an attorney linked to Rezko donating to Duckworth, who was appointed director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs after the election.

Despite the political jabs, pocketbook issues remained top concerns. As the economy worsened, Morgenthaler criticized Roskam's votes against the $700 billion bailout package. Roskam, who sits on the House Financial Committee, said he represents "very modest folks" and thought the economic rescue package should have been postponed for further planning.

While Roskam has been criticized for supporting the Bush administration, with exceptions on issues such as the bailout and immigration, some residents who have attended his meetings and disagree with his policies said they still find him likable. Holding small gatherings and "tele-townhalls" has helped him maintain a strong presence in the 6th District, which includes some of DuPage County and northwest Cook County. He attacked Morgenthaler for living outside of the district, although she said she was gerry-mandered to a part of Des Plaines just beyond the boundary.

By the numbers As of Oct. 1, Roskam led in fund-raising with $2,279,005 to Morgenthaler's $686,822, although Morgenthaler has criticized the source of his contributions. She asserted that Roskam's donations from insurance and pharmaceutical companies are part of the national healthcare problem and said she would have voted for the State Childrens' Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), unlike Roskam.

Roskam lost the race in Cook County in 2006 but won in DuPage, which comprises more of the district, by almost 5 percentage points. Trailing in early polls, Morgenthaler acknowledged she lacks Roskam's name recognition but said she hoped to benefit from the strong turnout expected for Sen. Barack Obama in the presidential election.

[Maelstorm]

This guy keeps looking better and better. He knows how to raise money, he knows how to market himself, he knows how to fight and win against great odds and he is conservative.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

...a Democratic Iraq war veteran...

Uh...that'd be a Democrat Iraq war veteran.

[Clintonfatigued]

I like Roskam and if he can make himself viable, more power to him!

[Salvation]

Wonderful news. Is the RNC with him?

Would love to have a Republican take Obama’s dimocrat seat!

[Maelstorm]

I think it is a little early but if we don’t plan early the chances are slim. I think this presents an opportunity but the GOP is very good at squandering them.

[rom]

Roskam said people cannot be categorized by the way in which they were conceived and asked in the Pioneer Press interview why women can have abortions if rapists cannot be executed.

It's nice to see a conservative that can actually defend what they believe in, in a common sense way that can be understood by the common man.

[BillyBoy]

If it's a two-way race between Roskam and Kirk, Roskam will get the party base and win. Unfortunately, Illinois conservatives all tend to jump into a primary campaign in disarray and split their base, thus resulting in RINO's being nominated.

I personally would have preferred Roskam stick around in the house a bit longer, as he just got re-elected to a second term and isn't a GOP powerhouse yet, but his win against Rahm Emanuel's handpicked "war hero" candidate and top priority race in the Dem tidal wave of 2006 is impressive (I volunteered during that campaign).

My first preference, of course, would be Peter Fitzgerald come out of retirement and make an effort to get his old seat back (of course he now lives in Virginia so he'd have to re-establish residency in Illinois quickly), since he's been proven right about the combine, and most of the George Ryan Republicans who stabbed him in the back the first time around are gone now (Topinka, LaHood, etc., though Andy McKenna is sadly still state party chairman after leading us through the two worst defeats in history)

If not Fitzgerald, then Roskam or Shimkus would make a strong candidate in a special election. Mike Ditka jumping in as a "celeb candidate" might work too, though 2004 was really the best option for that.

[yongin]

I think Roskam’s political future lies on Springfield. I would like to see him reform state government. Given IL’s Obama worship, Republicans are non-starters for a Senate race. However, IL voters might be more opened minded to elect Republicans for state offices. Madigan, jones, and Blago have done splendid jobs in fiscal mismanagement. Last year around this time, it looked liked the Chicago CTA was going to shut down.

For the Senate seat, let’s give Oberweis another chance to make a fool of himself.