Maria Rodriguez (50), Long Grove Village President, will announce tomorrow that she will seek the GOP nomination for the 8th Congressional District, which is currently occupied by Democrat Melissa Bean. The announcement will be at 12:30 p.m. near the corner of 45 and Park Street in Mundelein, at the old Abernathy clothing store that has gone out of business.
You can view her first walk piece here.
Rodriguez says that she decided to run for Congress approximately 2 months ago, but she has kept a fairly tight rein on her decision, with only an article in the Daily Herald a short while ago that hinted that she might be considering the race. See here for a short Herald blurb on her expected announcement. Rodriguez says that in the past few months, and particularly this summer, she became disenchanted with the political figures that she saw in office.
"The arrogance and the lack of representation have reached a critical level." she stated. "More importantly though, is the lack of visibility. Our government was founded on the principal of by the people for the people, and those currently in office don’t seem to remember; they are meant to be a voice for those they represent, a focal point of all the philosophies and views of their constituents."
Rodriguez will battle in the GOP primary against Greg Jacobs of Mundelein and John Dawson of Barrington for the nomination.
UPDATED 09.10.09: Here's a Herald article on Maria's announcement today.
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27 comments:
If Mellissa Bean is dumb enough to vote for the Health Care bill, our district will be smart enough to elect Maria to replace her.
You're right:
I want my health insurance premiums to go up 100% in the next 10 years when the CPI doesn't move at all.
I want BC/BS executives to have a $30,000 retirement party in North Dakota for one employee and award themselves 6 figure bonuses regardless of corporate performance (that's what they learned in business school?).
I want even more uninsured Americans; being the compassionate, righteous person I am.
I am ok with GOP Members of Congress keeping their tax-payer funded insurance while denying others an opportunity to obtain affordable coverage allowing them to be healthier, longer.
I want BC/BS of Illinois to build a shrine-like building in downtown Chicago and then tell me x, y, and z have to be in-network or that a, b, and c are not medically necessary.
(Sara Palin dislikes 'Unelected bureaucrats making significant healthcare decisions' but isn't aware this is already occurring? Pawlenty released a consumer's guide to quality care website which doesn't matter if your insurance company considers the provider to be out of network).
The GOP does not get it.
Healthcare reform is not a Dem or a GOP issue. We will all pay through the nose if nothing is done.
We have a choice to see if we can cover more people for what we're spending, cut waste (isn't that what Murphy and Radogno want in Springfield?) via the proper utilization of services (i.e. not using the ER as a primary care venue), and to focus on outcome of treatment instead of quantity of treatments provided.
Doing nothing is not going to be cheap.
Also, compared to Mr. Crane, Rep. Bean is 100 times more visible. I am also aware of more than a few people that are not always able to get in touch with Rep. Kirk the family planning and population control expert. Maybe he was in China to study how they limit their population in draconian ways.
My, how this relative morality thing is catching on.
No bureaucrats unless they are in the private sector.
Family planning only if your country's population is threatening what some in the US hold dear.
Healthcare for about 500 Americans paid for by about 350 million Americans but no sensible efforts at reform, improvement, and change from the status quo.
Again, McCain's second platform (after he had to abandon his 'experience counts' mantra becuase of you know who) was reform. What, exactly did he want to change if he is so in love with the status quo?
P.S. Its hard to negotiate with a Party who says, "We'll knock your teeth in" ...McConnell and Boehner.
Oh my goodness. This relates to Maria Rodriguez how?
Crazy, we pride ourselves on indulging even folks like you with a forum to post your manifestos, but at least try to stick to the topic of the post. Or start your own blog.
/s/ The Management.
TA, I think you're going to have to reconsider keeping this blog open to the likes of the truly CRAZY poster. Enough. Go to the Daily Kos. Go somewhere with this kind of vitriol, but get a grip, get a life, and stop your damn diatribes against Mark Kirk. You totally distort everything about him and his politics. Please, TA, do us a favor, and get rid of this kind of useless and pointless rhetoric. I think CRAZY got hit in the head one too many times by a golf ball or two or three.
crazy only becomes an issue when people let it destroy this. Otherwise it's a helpful reminder of why the other side must be destroyed.
Chairman brady needs to show up and find a millionaire or party chair for that district to run against bean. It's unacceptable. Mark needs a downballot operation to help him there.
FOKLAES
What Crazy doesn't seem to understand is that Obama and his Democratic pals in Washington can pass any type healthcare bill they want without any GOP help. Actually, he does understand this but doesn't want to face reality.
The reality is they can't because A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS ARE REFUSING TO VOTE FOR IT!
Why are those Blue Dog Democrats refusing to vote for it Crazy? Even Melissa Bean is firmly planted on the fence!
Why? Explain that one? If you can? In Washington and in Springfield, NOT A SINGLE GOP VOTE IS NEEDED TO PASS A BILL. I, as a Republican, blame the Republican party for being in such a position as to be totally unneeded.
But Democrats blaming Republicans in this situation? Why that's . . . CRAZY!
And leave those phony Democratic "talking points" out of it when you respond!
Louis G. Atsaves
If we had a party chairman with half a brain he'd be out there recruiting the pants off the district to find someone pissed off enough with enough dough to make a run for the seat. Cadigan for example might be willing to trade the free shot at a seat for not having to do a primary in the 10th and a tough general in a more dem seat in the 10th.
The 2nd reason we need a strong gop candidate in this area is that it will help mark. In other states I've worked in where the gop actually has a party chair that gives a fuck, and a state party that doesn't stink, candidates up and down the ballot pick each other up by having organizations that work together and collectively bring in more volunteers. Mark shouldn't have to fight this fight alone.
Brady needs to get his arse off twitter and start calling around. At worst, he should ask for former bush/crane/fitzgerald staffers who are bored working at law firms/consulting practices in d.c. and wouldn't mind taking a whack at "U BEAN HAD by my beuracrat/tax hiking loving congressional office". People like Anne Sorock, a former fitzgerald staffer, cornell mba-a conservative who is articulate and would go right at bean.
FOKLAES
Hey, FOKLAES, no F-bombs! The last thing I want is people like Crazy thinking they can start salting their language here to escalate their propaganda war.
FOKLAES,
According to the Daily Herald article, it looks like the chairman of the party has endorsed Maria. But then he wants the other guys to stay in race for "practice"? It also looks like she is the NRCC choice so Kirk must have approved it. Done deal or dumb decision, I don't know. I'm in Northbrook and never heard of her.
I'm sure Maria Rodriguez will fare just as well as Steve Greenberg did...
Louis, with the uncertainty surrounding the Kennedy seat the Democratic Party has only 59 seats in the Senate. Thus, they actually need Snowe, Collins, or another Republican (Grassley?) in order to pass any meaningful healthcare reform. In the House, they need aboue 1/2 of the moderate Dems in order to numerically pass a bill. HOWEVER, the only way that the American people will truly have confidence in healthcare reform is if members of both parties vote for it--don't think the White House doesn't know this.
Since no one has discussed it: I thought Obama looked like the man that the majority of Americans voted for last night. He answered the big questions and showed a tenacity and sense of greater purpose unseen by any president in this generation. I'm glad someone is finally addressing tort reform and I was even more glad to see the President clearly explain why the public option is necessary and how it works. The White House is fighting back--my fear is that it may have come about a month too late.
FOKLAES, I applaud your passion but you need to accept the fact that no Republican is winning the 8th or the 10th in this cycle. Wait until Kirk comes back in 2012, after losing his bid for Senate, and runs against an the incumbent Seals--which will be quite a contest.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
TA,
Sorry about the mouth.
Concerned,
Please keep drinking your lefty lemonade. Charlie Cook, and Larry Sabato, the 2 top congressional watchers that are neutral who both predicted that mark's seat would turn blue the last 2 years are now saying it's a toss up. They are also predicting a 20-30 seat dem LOSS next year. That means republicans and indy's are returning to the fold.
I realize at the ward office the local pravda reads a bit different, but out here in the 10th we do facts.
As for TA, the next post needs to be a run down of where we stand on local state rep and senate races so we can get a clear picture on who is running and where we need to plug holes. You might also want to put links to the local gop candidates on the right hand line of the blog so that republicans coming to the site can get aquainted with the dan segrue's, keith gray's, fighting tim stratton's and others running as wiping my ellen has done for 10th dem candidates.
FOKLAES
I just returned from Maria Rodriguez's announcement as a Republican candidate for the 8th District. Even though I live in the 10th she's been a friend through St. Mary in Buffalo Grove and as a volunteer for Congressman Mark Kirk.
Her announcement speech was straight to the point and stressed jobs and the economy, how this current one sided government is not good for the country, term limits, health care, the frustration with the public because their elected representatives don't listen to them and how the current 8th District Representative does not listen to her constituents.
Maria has done a great job as Mayor of Long Grove -- bringing the village into the 21st century yet retaining it's rural character and the wishes of its residents. She will make a terrific Congresswoman and I hope the residents of the 8th District realize how fortunate they are that she is willing to jump into the race.
Foklaes, I've been getting a bit upset with some of your posts but deep down I know you care about the once great State of Illinois so I'm trying to ignore some of them.
I wish you would come out here to the 8th and 10th Districts and make yourselve known to us Kirk volunteers. Some of us are going crazy trying to figure out who you are. You also need to meet some of our newer candidates like Maria Rodriguez and Robert Dold.
Baxter and Beau's Mom
Baxter's Mom, a party deep in the wilderness, and I think we're about as far in as we can get-I hope, needs to be having an active debate and discussion as to what we do next and how we go forward. Lots of people on this blog got upset with me for criticizing Andy "Dunder Mifflin"Mckenna, yet he turned out to be a dud, and he arrogantly gave no apologies as he hit the door for ending Senator Peter Fitzgerald's career and nearly killing mark's bid for senate.
Die-hards like me took the party line the first half of this decade when it was clear the hasterts, bushes, mckennas, dillards, and lahoods were leading us off a cliff, that got us 10 percent sales taxes in cook county, a federal government actively working to destroy our nations ability to win the war on terror in the name of "civil liberties" (aka making sure the FBI can't stop liberals from putting pipe bombs in gov buildings"), and a state-federal government coalition that thinks the only form of legit job creation is hiring their political hacks to become beuracrats in the off season before their next election.
That's not how the party used to be in the halcyon days of Reagan-Crane-Porter. I realize it's hard to have this discussion, we're desperate to get out of the wilderness, have a great shot next year and have Mark. But we fought for 40 years up here against the chicago hacks to get our majority in congress only to see it wasted 12 years later by corrupt republicans. I want us to comeback to stay in power for good, the way republicans in the mid 1960's started planning for a GOP dominant in the white house. I do not want a repeat of what we've just come through, and it's better to ask tough questions now, then face hard failure later.
FOKLAES
FOKLAES--
I hate to be the one who breaks this bit of news to you, but it is because of neo-conservative "die hards" like youself that the American people have realized how badly they were fooled from 2000-2008. As much as you blame Andy McKenna for your party's woes, it is downright scary how much your rhetoric and McKenna's resemble one another. Both of you rush to incite fear or paint your opposition with labels instead of sticking to the facts of a political debate.
For example, the fact that you have the audacity to mock the concept of civil liberties--one of the few concepts that separates us from terrorists and the extremists that you hate. I agree that security should be our first priority--even if it means getting information from a tried and convicted terrorist, but civilized nations like ours should promote civil rights and liberties at every possible chance. We have taken the moral highground for years on this issue and for you and scum like Dick Cheney to throw the progess that we have made in the trash to scare voters is criminal.
Go ahead, call me a liberal hippy or some other tag you and Cheney like to put on people who show compassion for others, it only makes you look worse. For the record, there is no war on terror, you cannot fight battles or sign a treaty of victory against an idea. You can only make yourself and your allies safer by stopping those who follow that idea--not inciting them by standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier claiming "mission accomplished" as thousands continue to die.
I haven't met Rodriguez, Dole, or Coulsen, but they will need a heck of a lot more than the Republican Kool Aid that you spout on here if they want any chance at winning. The party of NO doesn't cut it in these parts.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
Concerned,
I'd be Helen Keller if I read through all of your posts because there so much that hurt my eyes and erodes my vision.
The 10th Dems are a fraud, plain and simple as that. They talk about progressive values, but what is progressive about an Illinois economy that only creates jobs for hacks and U.S. Attorneys? What is progressive about a school system that is about fat cat teachers unions rather than students? What is progressive about a government where cook county hacks make twice what our men in women uniform make? Must be REALLY hard to cut trees. Excellent branchwork!
You've been in power now for 7 years here, 2 electoral cycles, the last 3 years you've had a dem congress. Your record rather than your rhetoric is what you are judged on now, and from that end you have FAILED. No amount of cheney bashing or neoconservative name calling can erase the fact that the 1st democrat government in this state in 26 years has produced the worst job creation in a generation.
No right wing republicans stood up on the floor of the statehouse and stopped that.
I realize personal responsibility is a foreign concept for you. After all your president just traded the lives of 250 americans killed in lockerbie so that a foreign government that has undermined us in Afghanistan (britain) could do an oil deal with a foreign government that killed jews (libya).
We look forward to taking the fight to you just as soon as we get the right people with the right ideas so we won't repeat the mistakes your government here has made.
FOKLAES
TA,
The first comment was about Rep. Bean in the 8th District and whether she'd vote for health care reform. HENCE, I was responding this comment. If I was off topic, the anonymous person (9/9/09 - 5:42pm) was too.
Also, I recall being taken to task for posting in an anonymous fashion though it continues by others without a comment. Hmm, differential treatment?
There was also a recent reference to the availability of Rep. Bean, (i.e. "the arrogance and lack of representation" - a direct quote of the post) so I referred to the lack of availability of Phil Crane, indicating a hypocritical approach on the part of those making the comments.
Also, Crane didn't provide for a continuity of service for his constituents when he lost after a fair election. this is arrogance and a lack of representation defined.
Pre-emptive strike: I am referring to a past event in order to comment on the hypocritical nature of some members of the GOP. If one cannot substantiate their claims or call into question the actions of members of the GOP, how is that free speech or 'thoughtful independence?'
While you think you are doing me a favor by 'allowing me to type,' this is a free country, I am not far off topic if at all, and have avoided the rhetoric, insults, and labeling that is condoned by your blog, if not by your party in general (substantiation: Wilson, McCain, Cheney, et Al).
Also, you consistently complain about the excessive limitations on another political blog, though allow such efforts on this blog with some of them by you, yourself.
What you want for yourself should be allowed for others; otherwise there is chaos or elitism.
I also notice how the substance of my comments are avoided or written off as supposed diatribes. Yet, they are well-thought out, based on experience, and share significant acceptance amongst those that are actually concerned about the quality of life in our nation (also referred to as the Pursuit of Happiness in previous centuries) and who aren't just trying to engage in games.
At some point, most of us will recognize that change is necessary in order for an organization, nation, or Party to remain vinrant, relevant, and solvent. Will it be to late for the US of A?
crazy,
you're hopeless.
And that was 50 cents I paid in taxes on my subway 5 dollar footlong so that some worthless bum could sit on his ellen to do nothing at cook county.
FOKLAES
Crazy- I never criticized you for posting anonymously; the only thing I ever suggest to people is to pick a nickname so we can follow the comments, as well as the fact it makes it more fun.
And this may be a free country, but it's my Blog. My point is that the self-appointed defender of free speech in the 1oth, our friend Ellen, would have long since stifled your dissenting voice. I don't necessarily expect you to thank me, but know that one of your Dem thought leaders is a complete hypocrite, and take that into consideration when you climb up on your smug little soapbox.
Team,
Remember her other hypocrisies include accusing Mark and Caryn Garber of going into Iraq for oil when in fact it was Barack Obama who traded the lives of 250 Americans for Britain's oil deal with anti-semite and anti-Israel thug Col Momar Qadaffi.
There's also the matter of whether her political rantings have done damage to Democat and call for a tip to PETA about animal cruelty.
David Hoffman announced today. I'm almost as excited about that civil war as I am about seeing Pup and Hamos the hog rip each others bleeding liberal hearts out.
FOKLAES
B&B's Mom -- Foklaes is the same person who comments under the name "Shore" on the Capitol Fax Blog.
He also must think the year is 1969if he worries about liberals who want to blow up the federal government. These days I'm sure it's the rightwing extremists who have the FBI worried.
FOKLAES is a moderate with a brain to remember the behavior of local dems the past decade and the name calling and smears. I also remember certain local democrat operatives chasing down mark with video cameras, killing caryn garbers ( a great woman) career among other things. I don't remember anyone calling peta to check on democat. The worst thing a local republican/conservative has ever done was post on this blog from his blackberry at a vernon hills ayso soccer game. Horrors!
On a better note, alexi was endorsed by the cook county dems. Hoffman really really scared me as a potential paul simon good government liberal. That seems to be fading as fancypant$ alexi locks up/buy$ machine $upport. Dem$ apparently don't want a peter fitzgerald to put a finger in their eye.
FOKLAES
TA,
Isn't a blog a soapbox? You have a blog, so this is 'your soapbox.' Also, given the disdain with which anyone who dares disagree with the GOP is treated on this blog, I'd say its a smug, elitist, and homogenous soapbox that doesn't have curb or any appeal.
Also, for someone who passively condones the behavior of those on this blog (insults, labeling, failure to stay on topic while calling others out for allegedly not staying on topic) and those of their party, calling me smug is a stretch.
Again, if quoting what certain people have said (without tangible rebuke by their partisan brethren), commenting on the untoward actions of certain politicians (without any ill affects to their public tenures), and stating that we all currently pay $1-2 Trillion per year on healthcare reform without much of a return on investment is seen as smug or a diatribe, it is my humble opinion that some people need to expand their purview beyond their white picket fence.
I would prefer to get the most bang for my buck vis-a-vis the most people covered, receiving the best care (not necessarily the most care/the most procedures), and a more productive workforce, but maybe I represent the moral minority in this community.
Also, again, while I have always been open to voting for a member of the GOP and have done so in the past, the current crop (Kirk, Wilson -who needs to learn to either apologize or not apologize-, Sanford, et Al) are not making me run out to the election booth and punch the space next to a member of the GOP's name for North Shoe Sanitary District Commissioner, much less things of higher import.
Also, bragging about the Mayor of a highly affluent, homogenous town running for Congress doesn't pass muster in my book. It doesn't translate to being demonstrative of someone who knows what the average person has experienced in the last decade, it doesn't demonstrate someone who has interacted with those representative of the population of the 8th District, and it just seems like it could be someone who has a disdain toward government - like most current out-spoken GOP'ers - but can't wait to advance their public careers.
If there's a republican out there right now more intelligent and polished and smarter than Mark Kirk I haven't seen him. I haven't in fact seen a better candidate for U.S. Senate from the right side in my 30 years here. Mark's a rockstar and he'll be playing in the Senate chambers soon.
If a democrat can't bring himself to vote for kirk, you are hopeless because the guy is about as smart, ethical and by the book as you can get and certainly far above the trash we've seen produced from springfield and cook county. If a dem had his credentials this race would be over. Ivy league, state department, reservist of the year, world bank, respected veteran congressman. Most people don't have one of those things much less all of them. He's the real deal and if he had a party with half a brain behind him here he'd be VP material in the next election.
FOKLAES
I'm still laughing at Crazy's reference to voting for a republican on the North 'Shoe' Sanitary District! "see, I'm an independent!" Embrace your enormous ego, dude, and start your own blog...I'm sure Ellen & the eye will be itchin' to post.
Yes, he is--and he will. You go, Boy!
Please elect Rodriguez to congress so we can get her off the Long Grove Village Board. Maria doesn't do what she says she will do and does not return email or voice mail messages. She does not even call back when she says she will. Please get her out of Long Grove!
And most residents of Long Grove are equally disenchanted with the arrogance and lack of representation they have received from Maria.
Fact #1: 2/3 of Long Grove residents voted against her tax increment financing plan in an advisory referendum. She ignored the voters.
Fact #2: 3/4 of Lake County voters approved the extension to route 53 in the April 2009 advisory referendum. Maria has steadfastly opposed the extension of route 53.
With this track record does anyone really expect that Maria will listen to her constituents? We will only get more of the same B.S. from Maria Rodriguez.
This is a very weak candidate and a horrible choice by the GOP, which is already losing membership in droves. GOP wake up and give the people a REAL, HONEST, CONSERVATIVE candidate with a proven record. Are we really asking too much?
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