Posted on 12/17/2008 8:50:24 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Good. A token RINO for Obama. Take him away so he won’t run for Governor!
Quid pro quo? Sure looks like it. Sure looks like more proof of what happened in 2004.
LaHood didn’t run for reelection. The seat was held by the GOP.
“Look, kids, LaThug’s payoff for sabotaging Sen. Fitzgerald and paving the way for the False Messiah. It pays to be a Combiner in IL.”
Wow! Good point!
“LaThug didn’t even try to hide his support for democrat takeover of Congress, “
That I didn’t know. What a *ick.
Shimkus’s seat is now the most Republican in the state. At least in potus voting. (Durbin beat him by 13 points in 92, wasn’t close. Durbin’s race in 94 against someone else was a little closer)
I think he’d be a great candidate. Can’t paint him as “too conservative”. But it hurt’s him being unknown to the burbs.
I can’t stand Johnson being in a safe seat. I definitely don’t want to see him in higher office.
We desperately need a decent candidate for Governor (and Senate). We have a comeback opportunity here thanks to Blago.
And we need to not pass on finding electable candidates for the downballot races too. Lisa M. wasn’t targeted and got to win a landslide, her seat should be open as she runs for Governor. Hynes has won 3 landslides. White isn’t likely to be beaten if he runs again but he’s senile. Alexi! Corrupticus needs to go. Unqualified piece of garbage.
Well, Tim Johnson needs to go anyway, and so does the other one in South Dakota.
Yes, I’ve told about 300 people that Rep. Johnson should run for governor. He’s more conservative than another congressman who might run, Mark Kirk. Johnson is more conservative than the 2006 IL GOP governor nominee, Judy Topinka.
I hope that many Illinois Republicans want to plan ahead, to encourage good candidates, for the 2010 elections. Here are my suggestions. If you agree with me, please email or call the politicians and ask them to run. IL will have close elections for U.S. senator, governor, lt. gov., and treasurer.
The current governor was a three-term congressman, so the republican nominee should be a congressman. In 2000, when then-St. Rep. Tim Johnson ran for Congress (in the 15th Dist.), he promised that he wouldn’t serve more than three terms, in the U.S. House. He later changed his mind and broke his promise. Last month, he was elected to his fifth term. He should run for governor, because of his experience and his voting record. These are some of his latest interest group ratings: NRA, A; Concerned Women of America, 100%; English First, 100%; Christian Coalition, 90%; Eagle Forum, 90%; U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 84%; and NARAL, 0%. His district includes Champaign and Danville and parts of the Bloomington and Decatur areas, so he has high name recognition in some important cities. If he runs for governor, St. Sen. Bill Brady should run for his congressional seat. Congressman Johnson’s campaign email address is info@timjohnsonforcongress.com. His phone number is 217-373-1320.
St. Sen. Larry Bomke, of the 50th Dist., which includes most of the Springfield area, should run for lt.gov. These are some of his latest ratings: NRA, A; Illinois Family Institute, 100%; U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 88%; and Planned Parenthood, 0%. He’s been a state senator since 1995. His campaign email address is senator_bomke@yahoo.com. His phone number is 217-732-4433.
St. Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski, of the 35th Dist., which includes De Kalb Co. and part of the Rockford area, should run for U.S. senator. These are some of his latest ratings: NRA, A+; U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 100%; URF, 90%; AFL-CIO, 10%; and Planned Parenthood, 0%. He’s been a state senator since 1993. If he wins, he would have 16 years of experience, as a state senator, and that’s twice as long as Obama had, when he became a U.S. senator. Burzynski’s email address is citizensforburzynski@verizon.net. His phone number is 815-899-1988.
St. Sen. Matt Murphy, of the 27th Dist., which includes parts of Cook and Lake Counties, should run for treasurer. He’s the ranking republican on the senate appropriation committee, and he’s a member of the commerce & economic development committee. He proved that he’s committed to conservative government budgets, last March, when he led the movement to allow parts of Cook Co. to secede, to avoid the increased Cook Co. sales tax rate. He’s been a state senator since 2007, but he has more political experience than Treasurer Giannoulias had, when he became treasurer. Senator Murphy’s email address is senatormattmurpy@sbcglobal.net. His phone number is 217-782-4471.
State Senators Brady, Bomke, Burzynski, and Murphy were elected to four-year terms, last month, so they could run, for higher offices, in 2010, without giving up their legislative seats. I emailed Johnson, Bomke, Burzynski, and Murphy and suggested that they run, in those races. I got a response from Murphy. He said that he’ll consider many ways that he can help our state, in 2010.
I have two goals, in suggesting Rep. Johnson, for governor. One goal is getting him out of Congress, since he should have left four years ago. The other goal is electing a republican governor who would be more conservative than our last GOP governor (George Ryan). I think that Johnson is slightly more conservative than Biggert. He’s pro-life and pro-gun rights, but she isn’t. Until today, I never heard that he was part of the combine.
Do you agree with any of my other suggestions?
I agree with getting him out of Congress, but I can’t support him for Governor. The guy reminds me of so many subpar RINOs we run for office too often. Even if they win, we scarcely get anything out of it, and are often for the worst as a result. I think we might be better off pulling someone from out of the business/private sector to run, someone not tainted by scandals.
National Tax Limitation Committee 57% in 2007-2008.
Americans for Tax Reform, 45% in 2007.
FreedomWorks, rating of 47% in 2007
National Federation of Independent Business gave a rating of 63%, 2007-2008
American Civil Liberties Union gave Representative Johnson a grade of 50%, 2007
Representative Johnson supported the interests of the NAACP, 50% of time, in 2005-2006.
Representative Johnson supported the interests of the The Club for Growth 44% in 2007.
Traditional Values Coalition gave Representative Johnson a grade of 50% in 2007
Voted with American Conservative Union, 52% of the time in 2005.
Supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus, 53% of time in 2005.
supported the interests of the National Journal - Conservative on Economic Policy 47% in 2004.
supported the interests of the National Journal - Conservative on Foreign Policy 48% in 2004.
supported the interests of the National Journal - Conservative on Social Policy 51% in 2004.
National Education Association gave Representative Johnson a grade of A, 2007-2008
supported the interests of the National Education Association 100% of the time, 2005-2006.
Republicans for Environmental Protection, 92% of time in 2006.
supported the interests of the Citizens Against Government Waste, 39% in 2007.
supported the interests of the Gun Owners of America 50% in 2005.
supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 67% in 2007.
Saying you want a GOP governor to the right of George Ryan is a really low bar to set. Ryan is the worst GOP governor in the modern era (at least in Illinois) Even Mark Kirk has probably supported more conservative legislation than ol' George. Johnson is certainly to the left of our 2002 nominee for Governor, Jim Ryan, and Jim Ryan was a "moderate conservative" status quo guy who's nomination caused several angry conservatives to revolt and vote for goofy Pat Buchanan clone Cal Skinner on the Losertarian ticket. Johnson would cause even more defections and a third party would probably get at least 4-5% (last time around, with Topinka and Blago, the Greens had the fortunate of being the only third party on the ballot, and their candidate got 11%)
I do like Phil Collins suggestion of Matt Murphy for State Treasurer. His election to the State Senate in 2006 was one of the few bright spots for the IL GOP that year, along with Gary Dahl. Equally impressive, he beat the better known, annointed RINO combine candidate, Palatine Mayor Rita L. Mullins, in a decisive primary victory. He's young and charismatic and a hell of a hard working politician, and the last name "Murphy" is the opposite of "Ryan" in Illinois, they all seem to get elected and people might confuse him with the other Matt Murphy in the southwest suburbs who's the son of the late (and legendary) conservative state Rep. Maureen Murphy.
The other golden boy "rising star" in the IL GOP who will be a good Senate candidate someday is Congressman-elect Aaron Schock, who's risen faster than Obama. I mean the guy was elected to the school board at 18, school board president at 21, state rep. at 23 (defeating a 20+ year Dem incumbant in Peoria), and now Congressman at age 27. At this rate, he'll be Senator by age 31. I think 2010 is just too soon though -- he's getting Bobby Jindal syndrome at this point with the GOP flocking to him for higher office the moment he gets elected
I'll have to pass on Phil's suggestions of Tim Johnson, Larry Bomke, and Brad Burzynski, though. They are all fairly low-key officials elected in safe GOP districts, and would reinfornce the IL GOP as consisting of a bunch of colorless aging white guys from rural downstate. In particular, we probably want a popular elected official from the Chicago area on the ticket as Gov. or Lt. Gov. that can win back the Cook County and collar county suburbs or we're screwed. And I think Bomke will never be elected statewide unless he shaves that walrus-type mustache (at least Raushenberg shaved the white beard when he ran for Governor). Just a nervous tick voters have with facial hair on candidates for some reason. Also, I think Burzynski's brother tried to get elected to the legislature on his coattails and failed.
The Dems also have a veto-proof majority in the State Senate now, and our Senate GOP leader had a stroke ("moderate" Christine Radandgo is the incoming Senate Republican leader), so we really can't afford to have 4 State Senators away running for office with the State GOP caucus in disarray now, even if they don't have to give up their seat to do so)
I'd actually favor a Fitzgerald-Fitzgerald ticket in 2010 -- Peter Fitzgerald re-establishing residency to get his old seat back, and Patrick Fitzgerald running for Governor as a Republican. Sadly, it will probably never happen.
Actually, I was going by Johnson’s lifetime ACU rating, he is slightly to the left overall of Biggert (65.7 to her 67.9, and he had a subpar 60 in ‘07). But as you posted his ratings, it really demonstrates how truly subpar his record is. It’d be a different story were he representing a marginal or Dem-leaning district, but that’s really inexcusable. My suspicion about his leftward drift was why I wondered if he was a Combiner.
Another thing about Johnson is that physically, he simply doesn’t even look like a healthy guy. He looks so tired and haggard, as though he’s battling cancer. As far as I know, I’ve heard no mention about health problems, but his appearance would not be an added bonus for us.
If Murphy wrote you back he gets points from me. Bomke I’ve heard of, he’s been a leader on something.
I just plain don’t trust Tim Johnson. If he’s socially conservative he reminds me of John Danforth (Senator-MO, Bush VP runner up) and Chris Smith (NJ). He looks like he should be a professor at U ILL. And he doesn’t seem like he’d be a very appealing candidate seems like a backbencher. I don’t know if he’s in the combine. I’d love to see him leave congress though.
I wish Fitzgerald, Peter would come back. I doubt we’ll see either Fitz on the ballot. Obama would be nuts to fire Patrick and free him up.
Gary Dahl won in 2004. I remember that I was thrilled I didn’t think he’d beat Welch or Walsh or whatever his name was.
Aaron Schock, not to be an alarmist but the guy seems a little off to me, a self-promoter type. He brags about how he was the first Republican to win his district and that it was heavily rat. They barley took it back in 2008. Hope I’m wrong, he’s certainly sharp and a good speaker. Phil told me be was a Topinka booster in the 2006 primary.
Maureen Murphy I don’t much about. Didn’t know she had died this summer.
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