Posted on 03/19/2009 9:40:34 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
With a special election to fill the seat vacated by 5th District U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel just weeks away, Democrat Michael Quigley, Republican Rosanna Pulido and Green Party candidate Matt Reichel are each planning on taking their own route to victory.
For Quigley, a onetime aide to former Alderman Bernard Hansen, 44th Ward, who got 11,551 votes, that means hammering away with the same "reform and reinvent" message that helped him beat out 11 other hopefuls, including especially strong candidates like State Reps. Sara Feigenholtz and John Fritchey, said Quigley spokesman Billy Weinberg.
"People voted for Mike's message of open and honest government, and his standing up to both Todd and John Stroger," Weinberg said. "When he starts tackling the federal budget, it's going to be fun to watch."
Pulido, founder of the Illinois Minutemen organization, said she won her 743 votes largely because of her outspoken stand against illegal immigration, and promised to repeatedly remind voters that Quigley made Cook County the country's first "sanctuary county," in which police are barred from checking on a person's immigration status.
Her victory over five other GOP contenders in last week's primary "was no surprise. I was talking about what people wanted to talk about," Pulido said, adding that illegal aliens not only take jobs away from Americans, but in 2007 cost Illinois taxpayers $3.5 billion in benefits and services.
They're also potential security risks, she said.
"By making this a 'sanctuary county,' (Quigley) has put our lives in danger by rolling out the red carpet for people we know nothing about because false IDs are so rampant," Pulido said. "And he is in fact responsible for every illegal alien who crosses the desert and dies because he lured them here with the illusion they can safely come here and live outside the law."
Reichel, who with 157 votes ran ahead of a pack of third-party candidates that includes a financial analyst, statistician, businesswoman and a kindergarten teacher, plans to reach out to "progressives" in other parties who support ending the war and halving the Pentagon budget over five years, which Reichel said would free up funds for WPA-type "green" programs, including major improvements in the Chicago area's public transit system.
He said he'll also be working on the "fairly conservative Republicans who may not agree with me on most issues, but would rather go along with me than the extreme-right-wing Rosanna Pulido."
When Rosanna "chicagolady" Pulido meets up with Nancy "sanctuary" Pelosi, it's really going to be fun to watch.
Congresswoman Pulido ping!
fairly conservative Republicans -MODERATE RINOS. He should stick with the Democrats, let Pulido win!
The problem with neophite candidates especially conservatives is they get portrayed as one trick ponys. Elections are not won in oak panneled halls but in the precincts. The luxuriant Dems in big cities such as Chicago have the troops to work those precincts while their candidate may show up in those oaken halls or not at all.
In Pulido’s case the issue is not immigration, although I share her concerns and positions on it. Its the “economy stupid”, and the big government legislation being pushed by the commie radicals running the democratic party.
By this report its clear she is off message with her immigration direction which doesn’t resonate with voters in her district. There are those of us who have tried to warn her about this but we’re being ignored and alas, thats too bad. Because the MSM will portray this as a Obama endorsement http://www.theusmat.com/home.htm or http://www.theusmat.com/
Pulido Ping!
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