Duckworth running nationally for an Illinois congressional seat

Despite the delusions of a west suburban Chicago blogger (you know who you are), I don't support Democrat Tammy Duckworth in the race to succeed Henry Hyde in Illinois' Sixth Congressional District, I'm behind Republican Peter Roskam.

For those of you who don't know, Duckworth is an Iraqi war veteran who lost both her legs after the helicopter she was flying was shot down.

As a candidate, Tammy's main talent has been attracting prominent Democrats from outside Illinois to back her candidacy. Tammy lives outside the district she's running in--she resides in the Eighth--but that seat is held by Democrat Melissa Bean, who ousted longtime (too longtime, actually) Republican Phil Crane two years ago. Bean faces a tough re-election challenge from Republican David McSweeney.

Tammy, according to Dan Curry of Reverse Spin, is avoiding local media, but seems to have plenty of time for what seems to be bigger media game for the Hoffman Estates Democrat:

The only way to find out about one of the candidates in my congressional race is to read Time, or one of the other national publications writing publicity stories about Dem darling Tammy Duckworth, who is taking on Peter Roskam in the 6th Congressional District.

She apparently is more comfortable with the big, bad national media than local newspapers like the Des Plaines Journal & Topics, which is being stiffed by Duckworth as this column by Managing Editor Todd Wessell points out.

Duckworth is pursuing a foolish strategy running nationally for a local race. Despite that massive population of the Chicago region, area residents are quite clannish and suspicious of outsiders. Unlike the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas, Chicago and its suburbs are not dominated by transplants.

And community papers are closely studied by Chicago area residents who vote.

Technorati tags: Tammy Duckworth peter roskam Illinois Politics Illinois Congress Iraq Democrats