Gloves already off in congressional race for 14th District
The primary election was barely over last week when Democrats and Republicans launched broadside attacks on candidates vying for the 14th Congressional District.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called the GOP nominee, state Sen. Randall Hultgren of Winfield, a hypocrite.
The National Republican Congressional Committee charged that instead of creating jobs, incumbent Democrat Bill Foster forged a government takeover of health care.
If the opening volley is any indication, voters can expect a no-holds-barred, free-for-all trashing, slashing and bashing over the next 10 months until Nov. 2.
Truth is, there is little time to waste in getting messages out to voters.
“Election Day in November is far away, but the general election has started in a sense,” said Gabby Adler, Midwestern regional press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
National Republican Congressional Committee Regional Press Secretary Tom Erickson said the 14th Congressional District is vulnerable to Democrats and likely will be returned to Republican hands.
“It was an anomaly that Bill Foster got elected,” Erickson said. “It came in one of the worst years for Republicans, ever. This not a blue district this is a red district.”
Legislative work to do
While their national parties duke it out, Hultgren and Foster have said they will limit their personal campaigning because they still are working in their respective legislative districts – Foster in Congress and Hultgren in the Illinois Senate.
“I will keep doing the same thing, fighting for them in Springfield, while at the same time meeting people throughout the district,” Hultgren said. “I will be listening to their concerns and earning their support. When the General Assembly adjourns for the summer, I will be around more. I will be at every single weekend festival and parades, listening. We are going to need all of those 10 months to connect with as many people as possible.”
Adler said Foster would not campaign until after Congress recesses, and could not give an exact date when the congressman would hit the campaign trail.
“Especially in tough times, people need somebody who is fighting for them, not trying to win over their vote,” Adler said. “His priority is to do the job he’s elected to do.”
Getting the message out
Both sides contend that sharing with voters what they believe to be the truth about their own party’s candidate, as well as the opponent, is just getting the message out.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee charged that Hultgren’s “real record of raising taxes stands in stark contrast to his hypocritical pledge to oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates.”
Then, capitalizing on the contentious primary race against Ethan Hastert, son of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert who had held the 14th Congressional seat for 20 years, the campaign quoted one of Hastert’s anti-Hultgren radio ads: “Senator Randy Hultgren voted for a massive $31 billion tax increase just last year. ... Randy Hultgren campaigns like a Springfield politician, too.
Adler said the public should know Hultgren’s true record – that he pledged to the Americans for Tax Reform to oppose any efforts to increase taxes while voting for the capital projects bill in Illinois, she said.
Hultgren sighed when he heard what the Democrats said about him.
“It’s funny to hear this from Democrats,” Hultgren said. “It is a lie. It was not a tax increase; it was a bipartisan bonding bill to fund capital projects to do [road and bridge] improvements that should last 20 to 30 years.”
Hultgren said he opposed the way the state’s Democrats wanted to fund the capital projects, in part by diverting motor fuel taxes to the state’s general fund. Hultgren said he wanted those taxes to be used only for road and bridge improvements.
“The money is already there; we’re not increasing it, but using it to make sure roads and bridges are safe,” Hultgren said. “I just disagreed with the way the Democrats in Springfield wanted to fund it.”
GOP takes aim at Foster’s record
In turn, the National Republican Congressional Committee criticized Foster’s record and blamed him for increasing unemployment.
“Since going to Washington, Bill Foster has been a key player in advancing the Democrats’ out-of-touch-agenda – that of creating nothing but unacceptably high unemployment and skyrocketing deficits,” Erickson said.
“Instead of focusing on creating jobs for the millions of unemployed Americans, Washington insiders like Foster have devoted all their time to a trillion-dollar government takeover of health care that the public doesn’t want and can’t afford,” Erickson said. “The reason that Democrats have to sling mud at Randy Hultgren is because Bill Foster’s record is so abysmal that they don’t dare to bring it up.”
Adler said Foster’s record shows he has been working to serve the residents of the district on all fronts.
“This is a very clear contrast between Randall Hultgren and Bill Foster,” Adler said. “Randall Hultgren is speaking out of both sides of his mouth, which voters believe is all too common with Springfield politicians. A very significant difference you will see is that Congressman Foster is a business owner and has experience creating jobs and making payroll and making those tough decisions that local business owners face. Randy Hultgren does not have that experience.”
Adler said Foster has focused on many issues facing residents of the district, especially health care reform.
“We have a broken system of health insurance in this country, and the status quo is not acceptable,” Adler said. “Free markets and health savings accounts are not a solution for people being denied by insurance for pre-existing conditions, or for people who are maxing out their benefits. These are challenges that face families across the district. To deny them a solution is just cruel.”
