Rep. Ron Sandack: It's Time

State Representative Ron Sandack, who is facing an unfortunate GOP Primary in his 2014 bid for re-election sent out an newsletter (and posted on FB) that is called "It's time".  In it, he details the pressing needs to turn around Illinois.

It’s time to roll back the midnight tax increase of a few years ago, because we can already see the devastating effect these tax increases have had on families and businesses. It has reduced productivity, tremendously burdened families, and cost our State thousands of jobs. 

It’s time to make things even-handed and far simpler so that we can grow our economy, create jobs and offer opportunities for families and businesses to prosper. 

It’s time we finally address pension reform, boldly. This means all must sacrifice in some way to rebuild and revitalize Illinois. 

It’s time to stop spending what we don’t have. We must learn to prioritize, spend only what we have and begin to do what all families and businesses do: live within our means. 

It’s time we change state government by implementing term limits, instituting an Office of the Repealer and reduce the size, scope, expense and expanse of state government. The burden of governing cannot become a millstone around the necks of the governed.

He also is positioning himself as a Maverick by touting that he was the first State Representative to decline all the state pension and health care benefits that are eligible to Legislators.

And what else did he do? He took a politically risky, but brave vote on Gay Marriage. And...this primary is frankly ALL about *that* vote. Shame that he took Senator Mark Kirk's advice and there are some in the ILGOP who think he made the wrong move.  We're hoping Senator Mark Kirk has Sandack's "back" here.

We here at the Illinois Truth Team truly believe in the Big Tent. And...we are going to stand by Ron Sandack in his race. He just launched his new site. If you have a moment, go on over there and check it out. If you are a supporter of Marriage Equity, then you owe it to yourself to support him, too.

Senator Mark Kirk Sitting out GOP Primary for Governor

Rich Miller at CapFax is reporting that Senator Mark Kirk is going to keep his powder dry in the 2014 GOP Primary for Governor.  He's (kind of) lent one of his top folks to the Rauner Camp, according to Miller.

Kirk also had some advice to the candidates (we're thinking this advice is mostly aimed at Kirk Dillard,  Dan Rutherford, and Bill Brady...).  He basically said that we need to 'chill out' and be a bit more normal or else we won't win 'nuttin in 2014.

Republican Sen. Mark Kirk says he won’t endorse any candidate in Illinois’ GOP gubernatorial primary. 

However, Kirk gave some advice. He contends the only way Republicans will take control of the governor’s mansion is to be moderate on social issues. 

Kirk said that includes accepting same-sex marriage is legal in Illinois.

Anyone going to take his advice?  

Bruce Rauner (Mr. Anti-Union) Gets Anti-Union Endorsement from the Builders and Contractors

Contractors for Free Enterprise, the political action affiliate of The Associated Builders & Contractors Illinois Chapter, an organization of 400 companies involved in the commercial and industrial construction markets in Illinois, has announced its endorsement of Bruce Rauner for Governor.

What's surprising about that? Bruce Rauner has 'declared war' on unions. A small point being, he's 'declared war' on Government Unions, but unions none-the-less.

The endorsement is ALL ABOUT JOBS and the Anti-Union made that clear in their announcement.

“ABC is excited to endorse Bruce Rauner for Governor,” said ABC Illinois President Alicia Martin. “Bruce Rauner has demonstrated an understanding of how state government impacts the economic well-being of ABC members and the economic competiveness of our state,” Martin explained. “The election of Bruce Rauner is important to making sure that Illinois turns the corner to attracting and creating Illinois jobs.”

Rauner has a CLEAR advantage over Dillard and Rutherford in being able to talk about jobs that he *actually* created.  Bill Brady, the home developer can talk jobs, but let's be honest...he's just not as successful as Bruce Rauner was, right?

But...in terms of campaign organization, what does this mean?  Bodies to hit the streets?  Locations for yard signs?  Donations from builders and contractors?  I think the group would have you believe that all of the above are on their way to the Bruce Rauner campaign.  Only time will tell when the financial disclosure docs come out next quarter.

GOP Candidate Darlene Senger calls for Obamacare Delay

Image courtesy of Illinois Review

What's more on the minds than the failure of Obamacare?  Nothing, we say.  That's why it is interesting to see GOP Congressional Candidate Darlene Senger tout the delay and disclosure of Obamacare and the impact on Illinois.  Senger is running for the 11th District in the GOP Primary this spring against Bret Miller from Grundy County and others.  From her site:

Darlene Senger introduced House Resolution 680 last week in Springfield, which seeks to delay the full implementation of Obamacare in Illinois, while demanding more comprehensive data on the impact the legislation will have on Illinois residents.

Tom Cross Launches 1st Radio Ad for Treasurer's Race

According to the Sun-Times, Tom Cross, Republican for Treasurer launched his first radio ad of the campaign.  We found the ad on his Republican for Illinois Treasurer site.

Photo Credit:  Sun-Times.

Tom Cross had this to say about the ad:

The debate about who has the ideas, vision, energy and plan to move Illinois in a new direction begins in earnest tomorrow as our campaign launches its first radio ad titled “Resolve.”  

This radio ad is part of a campaign that will be sustained over a significant period of time for the purposes of introducing Tom and making sure voters know who he is and his plans to balance the budget and crack down on government fraud and corruption.

The ad comes on the heels of Tom Cross picking up the endorsements of some downstate elected officials.

Mike Frerichs: You Are Preposterous

Mike Frerich's hometown newspaper, the Champaign News-Gazette called him out for his shenanigans today.  In an editorial they say:

Here's a little history lesson Frerichs hopes people don't remember. Illinois is a solid Democratic state. Democrats control the governor's office, both houses of the Legislature with veto-proof majorities, and the Supreme Court. 

Republicans last controlled both houses of the Legislature in 1994. They last controlled one legislative chamber, the Senate, in 2003. They last had a Republican governor — George Ryan — in 2003. They're out of power and out of luck, hoping somehow to win back public confidence and begin playing a significant role in the formulation of public policy. 

But they're not there yet. In fact, they're not even close. That's why Frerichs' characterization of Cross is preposterous. 

That's not to say that Republicans wouldn't have messed up the state as badly as the Democrats if they had held power over the past 10 years. After all, voters turned their backs on them for a reason. 

But Cross and the GOP didn't create the current mess because they didn't have the opportunity to do so. They were out, and the Democrats, of whom Frerichs is one, were in. Cross has his flaws. Most politicians do. But Frerichs' rhetoric was so over-the-top that he must have been confusing Cross with Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Bob Grogan for Treasurer: Stuffing the Bank Account (Temporarily)

Rich Miller in Capitol Fax writes that Illinois Treasurer candidate Bob Grogan has been inflating his own campaign bank account for many a year and he's at it again.  (If you haven't subscribed to Cap Fax, you should right now.  Go click here to subscribe.)

PUMP IT UP Republican state treasurer candidate Bob Grogan hasn’t reported raising much money in large contributions this past quarter, but he did loan his campaign $50,000. That might usually be a sign that he’s willing to spend some of his own cash in his GOP primary battle against Rep. Tom Cross, but then again, maybe not. Grogan has often appeared to use loans to temporarily inflate his bank account. Grogan is the DuPage County Auditor.Since 2007, Grogan’s campaign has spent a total of $92,000, but most of that, $78,000, was used to pay back his own loans to himself, often not long after he loaned his campaign the money.But without those loans, he wouldn’t have had much to campaign on. Grogan has reported raising a grand total of $186K since 2007, according to a search of the State Board of Elections’ website, but $156K of that was via loans, mostly to himself.

This guy wants to the be Treasurer of the State of Illinois?  Sounds a lot like what that woman out in Dixon was doing.  Playing "Where's Waldo" with the money?

Dem Watch: Tax Hike Mike Frerichs Seeks Big Money from Unions

Tax Hike Mike Frerichs - Democrat for Illinois Treasurer - was in the news this weekend based on the amount of money he's been raising for his campaign from Union Bosses and Trial Lawyers.

From the Champaign News Gazette:

Mike Frerichs has reported labor union-related itemized contributions (more than $1,000) from: Illinois AFSCME, $10,000; the South Central Illinois Laborers Political League, $10,000; the Cook County College Teachers Union, $5,000; and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 841 in Terre Haute, Ind., $5,000. Non-union contributions included $2,500 from the Illinois Trial Lawyers and MidAmerican Energy, an Iowa-based electric and natural gas utility.

Is this who we want running the Illinois Treasurer's Office?  Someone beholden to Unions and Trial Lawyers?  On the take for thousands of dollars from these guys?  

Not so fast, my friend!

Tom Cross for Illinois Treasurer

Tom Cross is running for Illinois Treasurer and has his new campaign website up:  www.jointomcross.com.

If you think it's time that we require the Governor and General Assembly to uphold the constitution by honestly balancing the state's budget, then Tom Cross need your help.

Darlene Senger for Congress Campaign

Naperville-based Illinois State Representative Darlene Senger is moving towards a run for Congress in the 11th Congressional District where she'd run up against Democrat Bill Foster.

You can stay up-to-date on Darlene Senger's Congressional campaign by subscribing to her blog email newsletter on SengerforCongress.com.

Via her governmental site, we find Darlene's bio:

Now serving her third term in the Illinois General Assembly, State Representative Darlene Senger proudly represents the 41st Legislative District. The district includes the south-west portion of Naperville to the far north area, including a small section of Warrenville.

Darlene has worked in a bi-partisan manner since the day she arrived in Springfield to find solutions to the State’s most complex issues. She continually advocates for property tax relief, fiscal reform, and common sense measures to keep law enforcement officials ahead of the technological curve.

In the current 98th General Assembly, Darlene serves on the Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriation, Business Growth and Incentives, and Financial Institutions. She is also proud to be the Republican spokesperson for Personnel and Pensions, and General Service Appropriation Committees.

Representative Senger is proud to be recognized as a ‘Champion of Free Enterprise’ by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce for her commitment to reforming the state’s business climate. In addition, she has been honored with the ‘Guardian of Small Business Award’ from the National Federation of Independent Business for her pro-small-business support. She is also grateful for receiving the ‘Friend of Agriculture Award’ from the Illinois Farm Bureau.