As we anticipated (though some had doubts), State Senator Michael Bond has announced his candidacy for Illinois' 10th Congressional District for the seat currently held by 5th term GOP Congressman Mark Kirk. Read his press release here.We've been talking about the ramifications of this for some days, since Roll Call ran a story on Bond's intentions. On the Dem side, potential candidates State Senator Susan Garrett and two-time loser Dan Seals are waiting a decision by Kirk as to whether he runs for U.S. Senate (or possibly Illinois governor), and a Highland Park attorney named Elliot Richardson has also formed a committee. We'll see if Bond's announcement has any impact on any of the others' intentions.
On the GOP side, while we all breathlessly await Mark Kirk's announcement as to his political future, the local GOP is going to have a field day with the anticipation of picking up Bond's Illinois senate seat. It's too early to tell who the front-runners might be, but my money is on GOP Lake County Chairman Dan Venturi, who just won re-election as Lake Villa Township supervisor.
UPDATED 04.30.09: Pioneer Press has an article out that quotes Susan Garrett and Dan Deals, each of whom are equally mealy-mouthed as to what their plans might be. Garrett does get a sideways dig into Bond (perhaps aimed at Seals too) as to the residency issue, and says she will seek community input before making a decision. Seals, as usual, concentrates on whether he can run a competitive campaign, not whether he'd be any good as a Congressman should he win. This guy never learns.
At some point, unless his primary opponents simply wilt in the face of a determined climber like Bond, voters will be reminded that he is one of the Tribune's "Blagojevich 26" - maybe just in time for a Blago trial to begin next year?
Public Service Announcement: The Munchkins, Glinda the Good Witch, Dorothy and all their friends will visit Zion (Michael Bond's district, coincidentially!) this weekend when a Lake County theater group stages "The Wizard of Oz." The Christian Youth Theater company will put on the live performances of the classic story 12 times starting Friday night at the Christian Arts Auditorium in Zion. The run concludes May 10. See here for details.
Public Service Announcement: The Munchkins, Glinda the Good Witch, Dorothy and all their friends will visit Zion (Michael Bond's district, coincidentially!) this weekend when a Lake County theater group stages "The Wizard of Oz." The Christian Youth Theater company will put on the live performances of the classic story 12 times starting Friday night at the Christian Arts Auditorium in Zion. The run concludes May 10. See here for details.The Christian Youth Theater is a nonprofit, educational theater arts program for kids ages 6 to 18. It offers camps in dance, voice, drama and other specialties, and it performs three musicals annually.
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31 comments:
Dan Venturi!?! Oh please, not another lawyer. He's like an Al Salvi mini-me but without Salvi's impressive legal track record. His defense of the cheating Highway Supervisor guy, who had the nerve to bill for his trip to a casino in St. Louis just to get playing cards to distribute to seniors will haunt him. Lake Villa township government is a money-sucking, do-nothing machine, existing only to give yahoo's who work on campaigns and Suzi Schmidt's friends jobs.
Bond's opening salvo makes Kirk look weak no matter what he decides. And check out the team he's put together: this is the DCCC 'A' team.
Sandy Cole will likely jump first for Bond's 31st seat. But watch out: the 31st, the 61st and 62nd and the County Board 4th and 7th could all be won by Dems in 2010.
Roger- nuttin' wrong with being a lawyer.
And, I don't see how anything Bond has done makes Kirk look weak. If Kirk stays in, he will crush the munchkin.
If I were Barack Obama, I'd be a little nervous....
Bond ran and won his school board seat in 2005...then decided to go for the State Senate in 2006....(wonder if he recused himself of any and all school related legislation) and now, before completing his first as State Senator, he's running for the U.S. Congress...
Sounds an awful lot like Barack Obama to me...
Anon- let me be the very first to say it:
Michael Bond is NO Barack Obama.
TA- Lordy! You missed the point. But you're demonstrating the meaning. I bet Salvi's prepping for depositions now, not writing on blogs. I just don't think Venturi's credentials make him a viable candidate for the 31st. Especially if the Dem's pull a name out of left field like Susan Lahr of Lindenhurst. Suzi Schmidt carries too much baggage, and given Venturi's practice, they're likely to have a number of his clients lined up to call him Satan's toadie and a swindler.
If Kirk stays in, he's projecting that he couldn't win in a race for higher office. He's also projecting a lack of cohesion within the Illinois and National GOP. Kirk's a mighty fine candidate, but sitting on the candidacy fence for as long as he has here generally means there's a problem.
It would appear that it took Bond only 3 weeks, and his is just as risky a jump as Kirk's. Moreover, Kirk plays in Washington, where the bid seed-money for Senate and or state-wide races lives. Why is it taking Kirk so long to announce? Why hasn't he leaked polls that show his strength in the field for the office he's aiming at?
Maybe Kirk will declare himself a Dem and run for Guv!
rogerscramjet, I wonder about your reasoning vis-a-vis Kirk's decision about his future. He's not sitting around twiddling his thumbs in DC or back here in the district. He actually works damn hard on behalf of this district, the country and the world. Sure wish I could say that about any of the folks wanting to replace him. Don't read a lot into why he isn't making his big announcement. Michael Bond, Seals, Garrett, Richardson all combined offer nothing compared to what Mark Kirk has done and is doing as our Congressman. If he does decide to seek the ouster of the junior nutjob who is keeping the seat warm in DC he'll be a leader like we know him to be. Are we having fun yet?
The only reason Kirk is taking so long to announce is because he has such a strong commitment to the tenth district. He continues to serve in a thoughtful, meaningful way and has accomplished too much to just walk away. From the first combination VA/Navy Hospital, to superfunds for North Chicago schools, to Great Lakes, and the list goes on....
Bond on the other hand is an egomaniac gone wild.
No accomplishments...Blago's whipping boy, Link's mini-me...it's easier for him to take a risk because he's not in public service to serve the public. He's in for the same reason Obama is: To have the public serve him.
Sorry guys, but you got kool-aid flowing thru your system. Kirk's support of the VA Hospital is recent and purely damage control. He did NOT support any legislation helping disabled vets in his first 4 years in office, and the entire VA hospital crisis occurred on his watch.
Kirk is a place-sitter on Appropriations. And he's getting a rep as lazy in D.C. His move to higher office is purely self-preservational.
Check out Bond's project list in the 31st. It's impressive and it's before stimulus money. For a freshman senator to co-chair the Infrastructure committee is huge. It means senators on both sides of the aisle believe he not only can handle the complexity of coordinating the flow of projects, but also that he gets results. The GOP leadership of the Illinois Senate could have challenged that co-chair and didn't. That alone means a lot.
And I have to say, the continued reference to him as a munchkin is beneath the dignity of this blog.(Or, well, perhaps not, of late.) He's the director of corporate finance for one of the largest and financially healthiest insurers in the world. I love how your posters dish on his SIU degree. All those folks up here that went to state schools will dearly love your elitism. Kirk's 'accomplishments' span a time frame where the GOP had control of the purse strings and the most he's done is, well, protected himself.
"Kirk's support of the VA Hospital is recent and purely damage control."
Oh my! A Democratic admission that Kirk accomplished something! I never thought I would see the day! : -)
But seriously, while the speculation is fun, anyone can run for any office at any time. I'm not a big fan of name calling and try to avoid it. The name calling accomplishes nothing.
Louis G. Atsaves
Louis-
Face-saving glomming on to democratic reforms stemming from the GOP created VA Hospital crisis isn't really accomplishing anything worth writing home to momma about. With so many years in office, you'd have thought Capt. Kirk would have done a heck of a lot more. He's just so.... Phil Craney.
The issue with Kirk is that he has no party b@lls. You can't hide in the senate and if he wins he's going to be the 40th or 41st republican meaning the swing vote on all major issues of the day. That means the first time he votes in favor of gun control, conservatives will put him in irons or prepare to primary him-2016 should be a better year for the gop.
Looks like the Bond Clan found Team America.
Truth is Kirk accomplished alot. Your team vis a vis Seals and LBG attempted the "Mark is against Vets" campaign several times and with no success. I know the strategy is to continue the lies because someone is bound to believe them, but not so fast in the 10th.
A few more educated folks than you think. Bond's accomplishments are attributable to the Senator that served before him (Adeline) and the two State Reps (Osmond and Cole) that worked on traffic issues - who do you think you are kidding? Either you're Mike's campaign manager, wife or Bond himself.
Try again....
Phil Carney...I believe it's Cmdr. Kirk. Unlike Dan Seals, he doesn't need to inflate his resume.
Geez, TA, can't you convince that cat woman to let these slime bucket, partisan hack know nothings comment on her site. I am sickened at such baseless and totally false charges against Mr.Kirk and his spectacular record since he became our Congressman in 2001. Yes, he did save the North Chicago VA. That can easily be verified. And his record on Veteran's issues is also one of the best in Congress. Have you checked his record as a leader on the Appropriations Committee? Guess not or you'd know what he has done over the past 8 years. What's clear is that you partisans are still reeling from the fact that the majority of the voters in the 10th District want his service in the Congress. Get it!! Your candidates lose each cycle. Get it!! Now go and peddle your nasty, baseless and totally outrageous crap where they belong. Do you need directions?
TA
Where did all these people think Cong. Mark Kirk (CDR Kirk)think he came to the VA/Navy Hospital recently. This is one of the first issues he discussed in 1999 when he first ran for office. Get your facts together. The Dems have taken over this blog!
Nope: checked the facts. Kirk support of disabled veterans in 02,03,04,05 was 0%. That's ZERO percent. It was Senate Dems who uncovered the VA medical crisis.
Osmond and Cole did not, repeat NOT bring the construction projects out of IDOT wasteland. Cole can't even get most state agencies to return her calls and Osmond has been MIA for many committee meetings.
Yes, we're here. We're everywhere.
Oh, Jeez, Anon 9:33. What are you trying to do, channel "Woody" from Toy Story...? 'TOYS SEE EVERYTHING...!'
Hahahahahahaha!
Fact is, you're busy trolling around here, which says something. At least I provide THE forum for IL-10 in which I let even your type have a go. Too bad Ellen can't handle a free discussion.
Hi TA, thanks for the cite to our blog. I'm not too proud about being caught flatfooted, but the cite is appreciated. There's no such thing as bad publicity, I hear.
Also, loved your lede, lol. Looks like the next 18 months promises to be a wild ride indeed, fasten your seatbelts.
Sure thing, Barney, thanks for coming by. I tried to warn you about Bond's ego... but, who knows if he will stick it out if Kirk stays home in IL-10. You may end up being right after all.
At least I got you a second-hand link on Cap Fax!
Team if Ellen was worth her skirt, she'd reopen her blog to comments. Tikkun, and lots of our other friends and the new friends who will be coming over here in the weeks and months ahead, I'd think would agree that while we disagree with them we are quite agreeable good people. Like her candidates pup and lee goodman, ellen can't take the critique of her beliefs which is funny since she blogs likes she's smarter than us.
The anti-kirk veterans attacks were a hallmark of the 2006 democrat congressional campaign committee, they were dirty then, they will be dirtier in times to come. We welcome the mud cuz that all they got other than an old woman, a comedian they call Hussein freeman (what's that all about?), and this cute little fury munchkin, bond.
FOKLAES
Again, Team Bond, check your facts on IDOT wasteland - it was NOT - and I repeat NOT Bond that saved the day. Between Marty Buehler at the County Transportation Dept and the GOP controlled county board working with the lake county legislative caucus, much was accomplished. No thanks to BOND who is always MIA, never returns phone calls and rarely shows up to meetings, unless of course, it's a press pop.
Good on ya, Anon 11:13! Let's see, that Lake County Legislative Caucus would be .......... Terry Link? Susan Garrett? Kathy Ryg? Karen May? And....... Michael Bond? Oh, and the ever-popular Sandy Cole. Throw in Osmond too, if you must. So, I'm glad you're giving credit where it's due. Sen. Link appreciates the support.
As for the hard-workin Suzi Schmidt.... well, that's debatable. She was way more interested in using County resources to 'dis-prove' the campaign literature of the Democratic Board candidates than getting any work done for the County. She'll be a lovely candidate.
Anon 12:46; yes, I agree Suzi would be a fine candidate. Using 'county resources' - yes, I believe you must be referring to asking for an investigation into unsubtantiated allegations of sweetheart tax deals given to unnamed county board members, as cited on the new Dem board members campaign literature. You better believe that deserves some county resources.
If it's true, heads will roll, as they should. But 99.9% probability it turns out it that the claim was pure bullsh*t, simply lies perpetrated by those Democratic candidates, who figured it was just campaign lit, so what the hell, we can lie all we want... and those candidates were all backed by... you guessed it...
Michael Bond!
I think it's time for a new state senator.
TA: Linda Pederson has less than the minimum tillable land on her property for a farm exemption. Moreover, why should someone who has been on the taxpayer dole for years and is a part of Antioch's landed-gentry also get her property taxes reduced to 10 cents on the dollar for the entire estate and not just the producing acreage (or feet, in Pederson's case). Add to that an Antioch Assessor who has two properties with a homestead exemption, all while Pederson was a trustee and that smells a lot like a sweetheart deal to me. Note that the State's Attorney investigator, Larson, admits he never looked at any of the mailers and never called Pederson. Investigation? Try whitewash. Suzi won't run because she knows that the Lake County budget will be a nightmare in 2010 and yet she's still pushing for a new forest preserve building. Promises to keep, don'tcha know!
Sorry--Pedersen. The pin number for the property, btw is: 02-13-200-011
Suzi made sure the investigator did NOT look at the specific allegations regarding the Pedersen property tax exemption and did NOT actually measure the tillable area.
Anon, 12:46, you forgot to mention Matt Murphy, Dan Duffy, Ed Sullivan, Mark Beaubien, Sid Mathias, and Eddie Washington. St. Rep. Osmond should run for Bond's seat. If she runs for the state senate, Judy Martini or Randy Whitmore should run for Osmond's seat.
Phil Collins
Anon 12:46,
Did you forget to medicate this morning? Your anger and venom is spewing throughout the net, man, chill out a bit...
The legislative caucus include ALL the legislators - look it up.
The Linda Pedersen property has a farm exemption because it is a farm. Your (the Democrats) flyer against her showed her property, even the part that showed the tilled land for farming. Next time your group lies, they should be a little more careful NOT to include the evidence that contradicts the claim.
As I recall, their attorney conceded their allegations were false and baseless in the newspaper.
This blog checks facts - try an alternative site if you wish to continue to lie and for goodness sake, take your meds, man!
Well then, check the facts again. I gave you the pin #. Note that her pool is also missing from the assessment. The property does not have the minimum tillable acreage. Other Antioch residents have been denied a farm exemption with more tillable land. This is no lie, but it certainly is a joke to the Lake County GOP.
Hey Bucko without the meds,
The Pedersen's have crops taken off the property twice a year and the farm assessment is only on the property where the crops are taken off not her home - I checked with the county assessor's office.
FYI - check out the rules for pools, waterhead!
Looked into more of "Bond's" claims...like the $11 million for 1.5 miles of road by Prairie Crossing subdivision.
Truth: It's been on the books for nearly 10 that's right TEN years...
We're going to need a truth commission to follow Mr. Bond and company around...
Garrett the ferret taking aim and Munchkin bond for not being able to afford , almost as good as Jay calling Pup a loser. Let the bloodbath commence!
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