Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Bill Cadigan Out of IL-10 GOP Primary (UPDATED)

Our friends at Illinois Review are reporting that Winnetka attorney (and former staffer for retired Congressman John Porter) Bill Cadigan is withdrawing from the IL-10 race.

We first profiled Bill Cadigan way back here. Bill is apparently leaving due to insufficient financial resources, which is a shame, as everyone that met Bill seems to agree that he is a solid candidate and good material--definitely with the potential to be a rising star in the IL GOP if he chooses to remain in politics.

Good luck, Bill, and we hope you will continue to stay involved.

I don't know if Cadigan intends to specifically throw his support behind any other candidate, but we'll see. Conventional wisdom would suggest that Cadigan's withdrawl and a thinning field will help the remaining male candidates (Bob Dold, Arie Friedman, Dick Green, and Paul Hamann) against State Rep. Beth Coulson, the only remaining female GOP contender.

UPDATED 12/17
/09 7:00 a.m.: Mick Zawislak of the Daily Herald has an article on Cadigan's withdrawal from the IL-10 race. Per Mick:

Cadigan said he hasn't decided which of the other candidates he may support.

"I'm withdrawing from the race, not withdrawing from the candidates and causes I think will move the country ahead," he said.

Jeff
Berkowitz of Public Affairs also notes Cadigan's surprise move, and takes the opportunity to note the up-and-coming candidacy of pediatric physician and veteran navy helicopter pilot Arie Friedman.

Friedman
has been making a bit of a splash around the Republican primary circuit, but his biggest enemy is time. Since Friedman got in late, we haven't had a chance to profile him here, but we'll try to do so soon.

Finally, Lynn Stiefel of the Pioneer
Press has been doing a series of profile articles on the IL-10 candidates on both sides. Read here profile on State Rep Beth Coulson here.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too bad. Seemed like a smart guy. Makes mark's win in 2000 that much more impressive. Porter will now endorse coulson but it will have little meaning because coulson is a card carrying member of the blago wing of the Illinois Democrat party.

Dold is the beneficiary here. One less middle aged white dude and the only one with d.c. experience other than dold. Coulson could get some of the moderate leaning vote that cadigan was getting. So much for jeff berkowitz's fella Pat Collins.

FOKLAEAS

Anonymous said...

I've been a fan of Cadigan's from the beggining of the campiagn. Best presenter of all the candidates out there. He should've stayed in the race to keep his name out there.

Anonymous said...

It's a shame. He and Friedman are the only ones with the slightest amount of charisma that I could see. That has given AF a lot of traction, but for some reason it never gelled for BC.

Anonymous said...

rather shocking porter didn't do anything for him. not a nice way to thank a former la of his for the hard work.

FOKLAEAS

Anonymous said...

Congats on a good race, Mr. Cadigan. You raised the level of debate.

Anonymous said...

Listen, Bill only got better as the forums went on but he came to the very realistic vision that he couldn't raise the money in one of the most expensive districts in the nation.

When the guy is publicizing endorsements from ex-Navy Seals, like they are a former popular governor, you know your campaign has a problem. I am sure every campaign has supporters that are veterans or active duty.

Stay involved Bill. Throw your support behind the one who has the momentum behind her...


Ex-Conservative

Anonymous said...

Bill is a good guy, but would have little chance in the general election. I wish Dold and Green would come to the same conclusion and throw their support to Friedman.

Common sense people: Doctor, Desert Storm Pilot and his religious upbringing offer appeal to Independents and angry Dems.

Back Friedman and take out Coulson and defeat whatever Jan Schakowsky clone wins across the aisle.

Anonymous said...

The story on coulson is very revealing. She worked with Lynn Martin. For those of you who don't know lynn martin, lynn martin was the 1990 version of coulson, a woman shoved down the party's throat because d.c. put moderate and woman and gop together and said we have seen the light. She lost to paul simon and we haven't seriously contended for the seat since.

There's also an article about the pup who lies for about the 1,000,00th time (he's getting into tiger woods territory on the truth). Pup was not an aide, he was an intern who fetched coffee for low level beuracrats. His 3 words that defined his experiences were "cream or sugar".

FOKLAEAS

Anonymous said...

Arie Friedman is a very credible candidate, very bright, could be a real winner in time. Without a real warchest to pay for tv and print media it's hard to imagine how he can make it thru the Primary. I know that miracles can, and do happen, but generally not in the 10th district. I would have liked seeing Arie be elected to some other office before he grabbed for the brass 'ring'. His kids attend the Jewish Day School in Northbrook so it's unlikely that he'd get elected to a school board in Highland Park. I'm not sure where he stands in the finance department, but it will be interesting to see his next FEC report. As for the pup and his stretching of the truth, why are you surprised? He sees what he wants to see in all that he is and does.

Anonymous said...

I agree that Dr. Arie Friedman is the best candidate, in that race. During the war, we should elect more veterans, to Congress, and he's the only veteran, in that race. He promised that he'll never support tax rate increases, and he supports gun rights.

Phil Collins

Anonymous said...

There's only one candidate in the 10th that is battle tested and the candidate is Beth Coulson. Read the Pioneer Press article - she''s not flamboyant - she's practical - and despite Madigan's efforts to defeat her, she continues to prevail. She's an experienced leader with extraordinary skills, and deserves our support.

That said, Bill Cadigan, Bob Dold, Arie Friedman and Dick Green are impressive individuals and I hope they remain engaged after the primary. The GOP will need all hands on deck for November.

Anonymous said...

School board? You really haven't grasped the quality of the man. Arie's time is much better spent doing what he already does - charity care, running hospital pediatrics departments, teaching med students, etc.

Also, his kids do not go to school in Northbrook. His oldest is a civil engineering student down in Champaign (full academic scholarship) and his younger ones are at Ravinia (district 112).

I get your point about money, though. Donnelly won that election in 2000 by the sheer mass of his warchest.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget Pritzker when he won against Jan in the 9th.

Anonymous said...

Arie is holding a $25 dollar fundraiser coming up. So, if he has 5,000 of those between now and Feb 2, he might be able to get a couple of mailers out. I am sure Hamos is shaking in her boots.

Anonymous said...

Arie needs 12.5 million dollars to win on Feb 2?

Anonymous said...

If Porter endorses Coulsen (w/ Cadigan out) this thing is over. Arie needs a little more time and this primary will come down to the wire. Could be very interesting...

Anonymous said...

Arie needs more time, like 2 years and no money. He's got nothing. This is between Green and Coulson.

Anonymous said...

Arie township endorsement = 0
Arie politician endorsements = 0
Arie money = ~$0
Arie groundgame = 0
# of Arie mailers to District =0
# of Arie tv commercials = 0
Arie political experience = 0
Arie lame blogging = priceless
Arie name rec. outside his circle = 0

uh, yea.

Anonymous said...

You people who claim that Coulson is a "card-carrying Democrat" look silly: that means that Edgar, Porter, 4 GOP Congressmen, 15 GOP State Reps, the GOP Lake County Board members, etc., etc. who have endorsed her must also be Democrats; and Mike Madigan, who consistently targeted Coulson for defeat, must be the true Republican. Maybe you critics must be the actual "RINOS", not Coulson!

Anonymous said...

This is not an election cycle where elected official are popular. Do you really think that voters are going to be looking for guidance from the DC politicians turned lobbyists and Springfield politicians who have ruined our state and country? Coulson should do some polling, because she is a bit out of touch with the mood of the electorate.

Gold Fish said...

What two people running for office have not gotten all crazy as the election nears? Coulson & Kirk. Folks they are seasoned veterans for a reason. There is no worry, there is no response to the attacks, there is no hysteria. The wannabe’s are huffing and puffing and the veterans are building up to the big push. Any huge dollar amount invested before Dec. 27th at the earliest is a waste. Nobody outside of the blogosphere is paying real attention until after the holidays. Campaign’s run by folks that truly know what they are doing will pounce on these wannabe’s in do time.

Anonymous said...

Porter hasn't not yet endorsed her, at least not yet. Any I think it is telling that her endorsements are all politicians, almost all of whom do not live in the District. I'm not sure the good folks of Arlington Heights are really looking for Springfield insiders for guidance on how to vote.