Tammy Duckworth Fumbles US Senate Rollout

All this 'yes she is', 'no she isn't', doesn't portray the Tammy Duckworth for United States Senate campaign in the best light.  Clearly...NOT the *worst* campaign rollout (ahem...Mike Frerichs), but not a good start for her campaign.  Why would you give her dough when she can't even get this straight?

Rich Miller, over at CapitolFax, labels this fumbled campaign announcement 'somewhat odd' and we have to agree.

Duckworth, will be facing off against Senator Mark Kirk - who is seeking re-election.  We'll be watching the Duckworth/Kirk race closely as we hope it will give us as much material as the Frerichs for Treasurer race ever did.

Senator Mark Kirk: Illinois Company's Product Can Slow Ebola

United States Senator Mark Kirk is out this morning with a really nice home-grown story about how an Illinois company called Isovac can be an easy, low-cost fix to prevent the spread of ebola.

Great to see Senator Kirk taking action and even better that there could be help on the way from some innovators here in Illinois at Isovac.  

From his senate site:

More than 3,800 people in West Africa have died from Ebola, with the first death on American soil happening just this week in Dallas, Texas. According to the World Health Organization, more than a million people worldwide could be infected with Ebola by 2015. O'Hare is one of the top five airports for people traveling to the United States from Ebola-affected countries. If proper screening and containment measures are not in place, Ebola will continue to threaten the health and safety of Americans. `

This week, I met with representatives from Isovac, an Illinois company that manufactures a Patient Isolation Unit (PIU) to keep medical personnel and first responders safe from exposure to Ebola when assisting patients who have contracted the disease. Due to the infectious nature of the Ebola virus, those who are caring for infected individuals are at a high risk of contracting the illness through direct contact with mucous membranes or broken skin. Isovac's containment units will keep our medical personnel safe as they work to contain infected patients.

And he's joining with his colleagues to the CDC, he's pushing them to act using this technology:

In a letter with Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.-16), Aaron Schock (R-Ill.-18), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.-13) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.-03), I urged the CDC to use these units so that the men and women willing to place themselves in harm's way to fight this deadly disease remain safe from infection. 

Originally developed to protect U.S. troops from biochemical weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan, the PIU has since been shipped to members of the U.S. Air Force and NATO personnel stationed in the Azores Islands to preempt any type of patient evacuation or transport if the disease is contracted. Additional units have been sent to Scott Air Force Base for use by the 375th Air Mobility Wing. The chamber is fully equipped with an air filtration system, attached medical gloves and IV pouches. While in the PIU, the infected person is then completely contained and poses no threat to those caring for the individual en route to a medical center or hospital. 

The chamber is FDA-cleared, and if deployed by the CDC, could be sent to medical personnel and airport security across the world to prevent further spread of the disease to those caring for ill patients.

October 8 Letter to CDC by kirkilsen

Senator Mark Kirk Expands Suburban Agenda: Takes On Heroin

United States Senator Mark Kirk has been pushing his so-called "suburban agenda" for the past five or so years and it looks like he's expanding it to try to tackle the emerging problem of heroin in the suburbs.

He says that almost 400 people have died from heroin problems over the past three years.  If you've been watching the moves of DuPage County elected officials, they've been moving on this problem for a bit now.  DuPage Chairman Dan Cronin - along with Senator Kirk - is out in front of the heroin problem.  Glad to see their leadership on the issue.

From his Senate site, he says that 'heroin is killing our suburbs'.  He wants to nip this in the bud before it truly explodes and begins to erode our communities.  We applaud Senator Mark Kirk for tackling this tough issue.

• Since 2012, heroin has taken a life every 3 days in Chicago’s suburbs. Though heroin is not often considered a serious concern for suburban parents, statistics show the epidemic is quickly growing.
• Heroin users frequently say the gateway to their drug addiction was taking a friend or relative's prescription drugs. In fact, nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time in 2009 began by using a prescription drug recreationally. Enough prescription painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every adult American around-the-clock for a month.
• Opiods and Heroin are so highly addictive because the brain quickly develops a tolerance to the drug and requires higher and higher doses to achieve the same intensity. This frequently leads to overdoses.
• Cheaper than cigarettes and more accessible than alcohol, heroin has become a plague on our suburbs.

Find out more at: http://www.kirk.senate.gov/heroin/

Senator Andy Manar Does "Throwback Thursday" And Tries (Poorly) To Be Apolitical

Over on Facebook, State Senator Andy Manar (you might remember him from such terrible ideas as the backroom-deal-based SB16 which would gut suburban school funding) posted a "Throwback Thursday" photo.  The photo is cute, but his description has us confused.

He says he's 'getting away from politics' by posting a photo of him and his siblings...but then for some reason he decides to overlay his campaign sign on top of the photo.  Thus...destroying his own stated objective of 'getting away from politics' with the post.

Listen, Senator.  We voters aren't idiots.  We understand that *EVERYTHING* a candidate does on social media - when they are in the midst of an active campaign - IS political.  

Don't try to fool us by claiming to be doing something without political motivations but then slap your political logo on it.

Dick Durbin Hems & Haws On IRS In Front Of Trib Ed Board

US Senate Candidate Jim Oberweis had Senator Dick Durbin on his heels when it comes to Durbin's office involvement with the IRS as it relates to Karl Rove's Crossroads organization.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin was caught lying today at the Chicago Tribune editorial board session when asked about his role in the IRS scandal.

Durbin was asked unequivocally whether he or his U.S. Senate staff had ANY contact with the IRS during the IRS scandal other than the well-publicized letter he wrote asking the IRS to target Crossroads GPS on Oct. 10, 2010. 

Durbin responded that there was no other correspondence upon questioning by opponent Jim Oberweis, a Republican state senator from Sugar Grove. 

Oberweis then produced an email from a Durbin staffer to an IRS staffer two days after the Crossroads letter. The email was first revealed by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in its June 16, 2014 report titled, "How Politics Led the IRS to Target Conservative Tax-Exempt Applicants for the Political Beliefs." 

"Dick Durbin flat-out lied to the Tribune editorial board. This is important because we don't know how deep Dick Durbin's role was in the IRS scandal that he himself characterized as reminiscent of the worst abuses of the Richard Nixon era," Oberweis said.

Dick Durbin Shows Bad Taste, Inserts Political Sign in 9/11 Message

You can't swing a dead cat today without running into a politician up with a September 11th message.  Most of them are some sort of visual of the Twin Towers/site with the words "We will never forget" or the like.

But...United States Senator Dick Durbin?  Nope.  His tribute image has a photo of his campaign sign in a pretty prominent place.  Really, Senator Durbin?  Couldn't you have found a non-reelection image to use?

Seems like the wrong time to be campaigning, doesn't it?

Where Are You Going To Be Tonight? Senator Chapin Rose's Party We Hope...

What's that?  You don't have plans tonight?  Well...then you better get out and head down to Urbana and meet us at Illinois State Senator Chapin Rose's Annual Champaign Area Summer Reception.

Being that it is just a 15 minute ride away from the Truth Team Headquarters, we'll be there.  Come find us.  We'll be near the bar.  (Where else would we be???)

Details from the Senate Republicans:

Friday, June 27
Senator Chapin Rose Annual Champaign Area Summer Reception 

Frasca Field

1402 Airport Road, Urbana
5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Yellow Rose Sponsor - $250 (includes 2 tickets)
Red Rose Sponsor - $500 (includes 4 tickets)
Platinum Rose Event Sponsor - $1,000 (10 tickets & recognition)
Event Sponsor - $2,500 (20 tickets & recognition)
Contact 217-621-2244 or roseforsenate@gmail.com

Doug Truax Picks up Endorsement from Congressman - and fellow West Point Grad - John Shimkus

Over at the Illinois Review, they've released the news that longtime Congressman John Shimkus has stuck his neck out and is standing with Doug Truax for the United States Senate over Jim Oberweis.

The most interesting thing to note for us in all of this is that Doug Truax and Congressman John Shimkus are BOTH graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY.  (and...for those of you naysayers who say that there are never any 'good' politicians, I respectfully submit the fact that these two guys are West Point grads as proof you are wrong!)

Those West Point roots run deep.  As they should.

From the Illinois Review:

U.S. John Shimkus (IL-15) said between Truax and State Senator Jim Oberweis, Truax is the better Republican candidate to take on Dick Durbin in the general election. 

"I am impressed with Doug's military service and his positive agenda for the future," said Shimkus. "He's a young, impressive, forward-looking conservative who would represent us well in Washington."

Shimkus is the second Downstate congressman to endorse Truax. Last month, Aaron Schock, of Peoria, endorsed him, as has former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

Go give Doug Truax a hand. Please.  We need him helping bring more folks into the ILGOP.  Visit his site to get involved or request a yard sign.  

Doug Truax Wants/Needs Jim Oberweis to Show Up for Debates

GOP Senate hopeful Doug Truax has come out swining in a press release where he calls on his primary opponent - Jim Oberweis - to stand up and debate him mano-a-mano.  

In the release, Truax campaign details how Oberweis has been 'ducking' any joint appearance.

Jim Oberweis has dodged all joint appearances covered live by the news media. He has turned down or failed to answer invitations to appear with Truax on WGN AM 720, WLS AM 890 and WTTW-Chicago Tonight television. 

“Someone who wants to be U.S. Senator can’t be afraid to debate his opponent,” said Truax, a West Point and Army Ranger school grad, Army veteran and successful businessman. “Jim Oberweis is trying to win the nomination solely on his past, failed name identification. That shows a lack of respect for Republican voters.” 

When Truax challenged Oberweis at a joint appearance before the Chicago Tribune editorial board Feb. 10, Oberweis denied he was ducking debates. However, since then he has made no attempt to confirm invitations and he remains uncommitted to any media appearances with Truax. 

“Jim Oberweis says he’s learned from past campaign mistakes but it looks like he’s the same old Jim Oberweis — disdainful to voters and seeking to buy his legitimacy,” Truax added. “We need something better if we want to turn around Illinois and America."

Why has Oberweis been less than up-front with being willing to debating Traux?  Could be that he's seeing the same polling information we've seen.  The Chicago Tribune had him up big over Truax:

Though he has yet to spend much money this time out, Oberweis has 88 percent name recognition among Republican voters. That’s due to not only the family’s namesake dairy stores, but also the millions of his own money that Oberweis spent during one campaign for governor and two U.S. Senate bids that date to 2002. Oberweis also lost special and general election bids for Congress before breaking through with a state Senate win in November 2012. […] 

Despite that, the poll indicated little voter fatigue among Republicans over Oberweis’ ambitious and frequent attempts to win public office and the sometimes controversial gaffes he committed along the way. 

As we've said many times, we think 2014 gives the GOP a shot to take back some of the offices.  What happens if the MilkMan is at the top of the ticket running against Dick Durbin?  If we get the 'same old  Jim Oberweis', it isn't going to help.

Talk about the ultimate 1%'er ticket:  Bruce Rauner - mega-millionaire for Governor, and Jim Oberweis - mega-millionaire who's wife lives in Florida to avoid taxes for Senate.

That's surely a ticket that'll help down ballot folks?

Let's help Doug Truax compete and win the primary.  Head over to his site and lend a hand.

Doug Truax Endorsed by New Trier Republicans

Fresh off the news that he was getting a helping hand from former Congresswoman Judy Biggert on the fundraising front, US Senate candidate Doug Truax received the endorsement from the New Trier Republicans this weekend.  He bested Jim Oberweis by a large margin:

Meanwhile, Downers Grove business owner Doug Truax, a veteran and West Point graduate, impressed the membership with his wide knowledge of health care earning 71.2 percent of the vote over State Sen. Jim Oberweis.

If Doug Truax continues to gain momentum, it can only mean good things for the ILGOP.  Having Oberweis at the top of the ticket isn't going to be a strong help for the rest of the GOP Ticket in the General Election.  Let's hope Truax has the money and the organization to close strong.

Senator Matt Murphy on Mike Frerichs and Why He's Wrong for Illinois

Illinois Review has an eye-opening statement from Senator Matt Murphy on Senator Mike Frerichs.  Senator Matt Murphy is a colleague of Senator Mike Frerichs in the Illinois Senate.  He has seen - first hand - how Frerich's operates.  This, it appears, to be Murphy's way to "Welcome" Mike Frerichs to the Treasurer's race.
From the Illinois Review:

Senator Matt Murphy of Palatine said Frerichs has continually taken the path of higher taxes, budget-busting spending and job crushing regulations and fees while serving in the Illinois Senate. That strategy isn't what is needed in Illinois, he said. 

"For Illinois to recover, we need a Treasurer committed to balancing our state budget and working with reform-minded legislators to crack down on fraud and abuse," Murphy said. "That’s why Tom Cross is the right choice for Treasurer and his plans to honestly balance the budget and create a Government Integrity Unit to crack down on fraud and abuse are common-sense ideas our state desperately needs.”

Jim Oberweis is "In" for US Senate. Let's Hope He's Sane This Time

3rd times the charm, right?  State Senator Jim Oberweis announced he's running for US Senate (again), but this time with what appears to be a little bit of a softer Jim Oberweis.  He's admitting to past mistakes and talks about bi-partisanship.

That's easy to do in an announcement video.  It is a lot harder once a consultant convinces you to get up in a chopper and fly over Solider Field, isn't it, Jim?

He's pushing hard to position himself against Dick Durbin.  But, first he has to beat a Doug Truax in the primary.  They're both reading from the same anti-Durbin playbook.

We here at the Truth Team aren't sure quite yet who we think is best, but what we do know is that having someone 'sane' at the top of the ballot is going to serve everyone better come next November.

The Chicago Tribune is running a series of pieces about wealthy businessman Bruce Rauner and his many multi-million-dollar homes across the country.  Saying...he's campaigning as a guy who understands budgeting, while at the same time living this lavish lifestyle.

Certainly, some folks are going to latch on to this.  Some conservatives will point to Dillard or Brady or Rutherford being 'more like us'.  That's the Sarah Palin mentality.  For some reason, she (along with LOTS of other Tea Party folks) have decided that they don't like "elites".  They point out that these "elites" have big Ivy League degrees and these houses all around the country.

Well, guess what folks?  We want our leaders  (That means President, but also Governor) to be an elite!  That's right...we said it.  The job of leading our state is tough and demanding.  We want someone who's up to the challenge.

Jim Oberweis is a very successful businessman, too.  Let's not hold that against him.

Unless he goes anywhere near a helicopter.

Senate Candidate Doug Truax Attacking Durbin in Digital Ads

A tipster sent the Truth Team this mobile screenshot that shows a "Don't Let Dick Durbin Hide From His Failures" ad on the right rail of this sports website.

See it there near the top?

Clicking on it takes you to a page for US Senate Candidate Doug Truax.   We didn't get the full URL of the landing page and we can't find it online?

He's recruiting folks in Illinois by picking on Durbin.  Not...his likely primary opponent Jim Oberweis.  Taking a page right from the Bruce Rauner book of attacking Quinn.

Either way, it is clear that Truax has someone doing something right for him in terms of digital.  Oberweis might be in for a fight here.  And, you know what?  That might be a good thing for the party.  Having Oberweis being our standard bearer in 2014 is trouble.  I, frankly, don't want to be a called a Jim Oberweis Republican when there are winnable races in 2014.  Let's beat Shelia Simon and Mike Frerichs and Pat Quinn.  That's harder to do with Oberweis at the top of the ticket, don't you think?

Do We Need More Dick Durbin?

Seems as though he's unsure of his future.  Maybe we should tell him that we'd be ok with him retiring?  

Asked about his future political plans, Durbin offered an ambiguous answer to reporters after an Illinois delegation breakfast at the Democratic National Convention. 

"I'm planning to run for re-election, but I'll make my final decision next year," said the Springfield Democrat, who turns 68 this fall.