Candidate Facebook Weekend: Schock, Bost, Cross, Topinka, Demmer, Dold, Kirk, Roskam, Mendoza, Rauner, Senger

This is the last weekend recap before tomorrow's General Election here in Illinois.  Let's take a spin around Facebook to see what the candidates were up to in the home stretch!

Congressman Aaron Schock joined Bruce and Diana Rauner and Lt. Governor candidate Evelyn Sanguinetti at a rally downstate.

Congressional candidate Mike Bost spent the weekend contacting voter door-to-door.

Treasurer candidate Tom Cross and Comptroller candidate Judy Baar Topinka joined forces for a tour of the state including a stop in Rockford...

Where they were joined by State Representative Tom Demmer:

Congressional candidate Bob Dold was joined by United States Senator Mark Kirk and Congressman Peter Roskam in the 10th District where they helped 'get out the vote' for Dold's campaign:

Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza attended the rugby game at Soldier Field this weekend.  

Governor's candidate Bruce Rauner was joined by a big crowd at a rally in Hickory Hills:

And Congressional candidate Darlene Senger was joined by ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider at her campaign HQ where volunteers were busy hitting the phones.

Congressman Peter Roskam "Sweeps Endorsements"

He has an opponent?!?

From Roskam's site:

Thrilled to see our pro-growth agenda to jumpstart the economy getting a clean sweep of local newspaper endorsements. Click here to read more from theChicago Tribune, Daily Herald, Kane County Chronicle, and Northwest Herald.

Kaifesh Campaign Secures Congressional Endorsements In Battle With Duckworth

The folks over at the Illinois Review have been doing important work for all voters in the Western Suburbs as they've been all over the Larry Kaifesh campaign for the better part of the last year.  They've chronicled every move as he's waged a good campaign to take on incumbent Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth.

This race hasn't quite broken through the chatter level in politics here in Illinois, but Kaifesh has waged a dignified campaign and is doing the right things to try to win in November.

The Illinois Review has been there every step.

Their latest scoop is that Kaifesh has picked up some endorsements from folks that know what it takes to do the job:  fellow Illinois congressmen including Peter Roskam, John Shimkus, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger and Aaron Schock:

United States Marine Colonel Larry Kaifesh, the Republican Candidate for Illinois’ Eighth Congressional District, has landed the endorsement of members of the Republican Congressional delegation from Illinois, including Congressmen Peter Roskam, John Shimkus, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger, and Aaron Schock. He also announced the endorsement of Illinois State Senator Dan Duffy. 

“Larry knows how to win big by winning in the neighborhoods, by being in the precincts, by talking to voters,” said Congressman Hultgren. 

"Larry's distinguished military service career in both Iraq and Afghanistan and his deep roots in the district ensure he'll be ready on day one to fight for the issues Illinois families care about: good paying jobs, a stronger economy, and true healthcare reform that puts patients and their doctors in charge, not some government bureaucrat," said Congressman Peter Roskam. "Voters of the Eighth District should send Larry to Congress and send a clear message to Democrats in Springfield and Washington. Failed Democrat policies don't work for the Eighth District.”

Candidate Facebook Weekend: Peter Roskam, Rodney Davis, Mike Bost, Dan Rutherford, Charlie Meier

As we do each week, let's kick off the political week with a roundup of some of the what-have-yous from elected officials and candidates around the State.

State Representative Charlie Meier didn't rest over the holiday weekend.  He got busy working on the straw.

Post by Charlie Meier State Representative 108th District.

Congressman Peter Roskam joined US Senator Mark Kirk and Governor's candidate Bruce Rauner at the Palatine Independence Day Parade.

Post by Peter Roskam.

Congressman Rodney Davis walked in both the Bunker Hill and Rochester parades.  Looks like his little dog got a bit tired and got a Congressional escort...

Post by Rodney Davis.

State Representative and Congressional Candidate Mike Bost was out and about the district meeting voters.

Post by Mike Bost

Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford kept busy by picking up garbage along his jog.

Post by Dan Rutherford.

Darlene Senger Endorsed by Congressman Peter Roskam

Darlene Senger's Congressional bid received a big boost yesterday as Congressman Peter Roskam announced his support for her campaign.

Mike Riopell of the Daily Herald has the scoop:

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, a Wheaton Republican, says he'll back state Rep. Darlene Senger of Naperville in her March 18 primary race to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster for Congress. 

“Darlene Senger has been the voice for fiscal reform in Springfield and I know she will carry on the fight in Washington,” Roskam said in a statement.

Darlene Senger has been on a roll of late as she adds the Roskam endorsement to one already secured from another member of Congress, Randy Hultgren.

Mark Kirk Thinks "Speaker Peter Roskam" Has a Nice Ring to It

Our GOP Senator Mark Kirk told RollCall that he thinks Congressman Peter Roskam has what it takes to one day be Speaker of the House.

Sen. Mark S. Kirk, R-Ill., who spent a decade in the House, said in a wide-ranging interview with CQ Roll Call that he believes Roskam has what it takes to lead the party. 

“My hope would be, yes,” Kirk said, when asked if Roskam, the chief deputy whip, one day would be speaker. “I think Petey has a great career ahead of him. I thought when he got elevated to the position, with the normal churning of leadership, that someday Roskam could be speaker.”

Roskam with Speaker Hastert's Desk

Besides Senator Kirk, there'd be at least one other big ILGOP booster:  former Speaker Dennis Hastert.  The Speaker is standing behind Roskam and even has asked Peter Roskam to sit in his spot.  (his desk!).  From a release:

Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) released a web video today, first seen on Facebook, discussing a historic desk he recently received from former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert. The former Speaker recently sent his personal desk as Speaker to Roskam. 

The desk has a long and distinguished history among Illinois Members of Congress. First used by Majority Whip Leslie Arends in the late 1940s, it was then passed down to then-Minority Leader Congressman Robert Michel in the 1980s, then in turn to Hastert.

Congressman Roskam "Cleared" of Wrongdoing

According to the Tribune, Congressman Peter Roskam has been 'cleared' in a probe around 'improper' travel to Taiwan with his wife.  Good news, for the Congressman, we suppose.  But...so much for that squeaky clean reputation. Right or wrong...Congressman Roskam will be looked at differently now.

Did he do something wrong?  Sounds like it is a bit of 'shades of grey' here.  You know what that means?  For better or for worse, everyone now has the right to think that "He's just like the rest of these guys in DC."

At issue was who picked up the tab for Roskam and his wife and whether the congressman violated House rules or federal law. 

The case became public in July. Roskam, who entered Congress in 2007, had insisted he complied with all laws, rules and procedures on privately sponsored travel. 

He told House officials the Chinese Culture University paid the couple’s expenses, which reached $25,653 on the trip, Oct.15-22, 2011. The journey occurred while their daughter taught English in Taiwan.

The Ethics Committee began examining the trip at the urging of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, which began its own review in January. 

In May, the board of the ethics office said in a 6-0 vote there was “substantial reason to believe” that Roskam accepted travel expenses “from an impermissible source, resulting in an impermissible gift, in violation of federal law and House rules.” 

His trip, the board said, “appears to have been organized and conducted by the government of Taiwan, with little to no involvement by the university.” 

Except in certain cases, foreign governments may not bankroll travel by U.S. lawmakers.

Being an elected official is hard.  We ask a lot of our elected officials.  Sounds like Congressman Roskam 'technically' did things the right way.  We like Congressman Roskam.  Let's hope he doesn't get too close to the line going forward, ok?