Posted on 02/13/2003 3:53:43 PM PST by LdSentinal
President Bush will support the re-election of U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill., in 2004, a White House adviser to the president said Wednesday.
“Peter Fitzgerald’s a good man,” said Kenneth Mehlman, deputy assistant to Bush and director of political affairs. “We think when people take a look at his record and what he’s stood for, I think he’ll be in good shape. ... He’s somebody who we like working with and we enjoy working with.”
Mehlman made his comments in a morning interview. He also was keynote speaker later Wednesday at the Sangamon County GOP’s 99th annual Lincoln Day Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza hotel.
Fitzgerald has come under fire from some in his own party, with U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood of Peoria saying in November that he would like to see a Republican primary challenge to Fitzgerald next year. Among his complaints was that he didn’t think Fitzgerald had done enough to help other Illinois Republicans.
Fitzgerald and LaHood met in Washington, D.C., in December, and LaHood said afterward that he thought Fitzgerald would be more responsive.
Sangamon County GOP Chairman Irv Smith also has been critical of Fitzgerald, saying it has been hard for him to contact the senator.
But at the Lincoln Day Luncheon, videotaped greetings came not only from Bush, LaHood and U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, but also Fitzgerald, who congratulated not only the GOP on the event, but “your dynamic chairman, Irv Smith.”
Smith said later that he spoke with Fitzgerald at the time of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s inauguration, and he’s spoken with Fitzgerald on the phone at least twice since.
Bush lost Illinois to former Democratic Vice President Al Gore in 2000, but Mehlman said Wednesday that Bush can be “very competitive” in Illinois in 2004.
“Illinois is a very important state to us,” Mehlman said. “It’s one that we intend to compete in in the future, but the way we compete, we think, (is) good policy.”
The Illinois GOP lost all but one statewide constitutional office last November as controversial one-term Republican Gov. George Ryan stayed in the news in part because of the investigation of corruption in his office when he was secretary of state. Mehlman said he does not think that George Ryan’s troubles will bog down the party.
“At the end of the day, people vote on the basis of (the) future, not the past,” he said, adding that they would evaluate each candidate, just as they did when returning Shimkus to office over former U.S. Rep. David Phelps, D-Eldorado.
“From a demographic perspective, that should have been an even race, and Shimkus won big,” Mehlman said, because voters liked his record, values and hard-working nature.
Mehlman said Illinois should not fear that the federal government will not serve its interests because a Democrat is now in the governor’s office.
“The president has a good working relationship with Democrats and Republicans,” he said. “We’ve enjoyed working with (Chicago) Mayor (Richard) Daley. The president considers him a friend. And I think we look forward to working with the governor. This is about doing good for the people of the state, not about partisan politics.”
He also disputed the need for warnings that a federal tax cut being promoted by the president could yield less tax revenue for the state because of linkage to state taxes.
“Federal tax cuts will stimulate the economy, which will have the effect of increasing revenues to both federal and state tax rolls,” Mehlman said. He quoted President John F. Kennedy, who said, when pushing a tax cut, that “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
During his speech, Mehlman said he wished there were more JFK-style Democrats in Congress today, “instead of class-warfare Democrats” who argue that the tax cuts will hurt the poor.
He also said Bush needs support for his judicial nominees.
A Baltimore native, Mehlman, 36, practiced law in Washington, D.C., and worked on political campaigns. He was a congressional staffer, including being chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, was Bush’s Midwest regional political director during the 2000 primary, and was national field director for Bush/Cheney in the general election.
In his White House job, he reports to presidential senior adviser Karl Rove.
“Our role is to help advance the president’s policy agenda,” Mehlman said, in ways including working to elect people who agree with that agenda.
Wednesday’s trip to Springfield was not at taxpayer expense, he said.
Bob Kjellander of Springfield, Republican national committeeman from Illinois, told the luncheon audience that Rove has described Mehlman as “the hardest-working, most focused individual I know.”
Illinois has a corrupt RINO party which came to prominence during the reign of King George. I don't blame Fitzgerald for not wanting to be associated with those crooks. Unfortunately, the RINOs have almost completely taken over the state party machinery and if it weren't for Fitzgerald being a pain in their side they'd be more than happy to hand the state over to Daley and Blagojevich provided they got their cut.
Independence is a big selling point.
A GOP poll I saw from last week had his job approval rating at 39% and disapproval at 40%.
You mean a poll by the RINO party? I wouldn't trust anything they say: the RINOs hate Fitzgerald since he won't go along with their games; they'd have no problem slanting polls to make him look bad.
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