Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Morris) chose not to run for reelection this year. The winner of the 2008 Republican Primary backed out of the race two weeks after his victory. Businessman Marty Ozinga was chosen by party leaders in June to appear on the general election ballot. But he had a lot of catching up to do, and he wasn't able to cross the finish line ahead of State Senator Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete).
Halvorson will be sworn in next month. However, a Bloomington Republican, U.S. Air Force Captain Adam Kinzinger, who is a former McLean County Board member, is considering a 2010 run against her.
Kinzinger, 30, was first elected to public office when he was 18. He has taken part in special operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. My source describes Kinzinger as "very pro-defense and a fiscal conservative."
He is a graduate of Illinois State University in Normal, which borders Bloomington.
Halvorson is still the Illinois state Senate's majority leader, and along with outgoing State Senate President Emil Jones Jr., carried disgraced Governor Rod Blagojevich's water in Springfield.
From a May Illinois Republican Party press release:
CHICAGO – As State Senator Debbie Halvorson prepares to take her victory lap for "helping" pass ethics reform, it's important to remember that it was Senator Halvorson who blocked ethics reform for more than a year ensuring Rod Blagojevich could keep raking in the dough from state contractors.
"If this ethics compromise passes it will not be due to the help of Debbie Halvorson," said ILGOP Spokesperson Lance Trover. "Senator Halvorson is truly shameless if she tries to take credit for helping pass ethics reform in Illinois since she is the one who personally blocked it for more than a year."
The House ethics package was passed over a year ago and Debbie Halvorson, as Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, refused to call it for a vote. Due to her refusal to help bring reform to Illinois, Rod Blagojevich has been allowed to continue raising untold sums of money from state contractors that would have been barred under the house plan.
Today The Capitol Fax noted that Lee Newspapers found that of the top 50 state contractors under the Blagojevich administration, about half have been "significant" contributors to the governor's campaign fund. The Chicago Tribune reported recently that three out of every four people contributing $25,000 to Blagojevich's fund also received state contracts, board appointments or "favorable policy or regulatory actions."
"When it comes to padding Rod Blagojevich's campaign fund for the last year, Debbie Halvorson is the gift that keeps on giving," added Trover. "Had Senator Halvorson worked to pass the house package a year ago rather than stonewalling, Rod Blagojevich would not be able to continue making money from state contractors."
As further noted in The Capitol Fax, it is unlikely even the compromise will be implemented in time for it to affect Rod Blagojevich's next huge fundraiser scheduled for June 19th. This will be the second large fundraiser since the house package passed.
Click here for more on Halvorson, courtesy of the Illinois GOP Network.
Let's take back the state. Our time is now.
Technorati tags:
Election 
Democrats 
Politics 
Ozinga 
Halvorson 
Blagojevich 
Emil Jones 
Republican
2 comments:
John Ruberry for governor. (R)
It does have a nice ring to it.
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