Recent polling suggests that Chris Lauzen and Jim Oberweis are all alone in the 14th Congressional Republican Primary, with Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns barely registering (38%/38%/4%). The money race parallels the polls, with Chris Lauzen and Jim Oberweis commanding well into the six figures (Oberweis has said he might spend millions) and Kevin Burns having raised under $68,000 last quarter. Both Lauzen and Oberweis are running hard right with Burns positioning himself as more of a moderate. Between Chris Lauzen and Jim Oberweis, Lauzen is viewed as the more consistently strong conservative, with his legislative record backing his credentials.
From today’s Roll Call, “Illinois’ Lauzen Runs Hard to the Right,””
“For Windy City conservatives, it was like a chance to meet Santa Claus on Christmas morning: a book signing with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for his new memoir, ‘My Grandfather’s Son.’
State Sen. Chris Lauzen (R), who worked the queue of hundreds of Thomas fans lined up to have the tome signed by the justice, was playing the role of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
….
Flashing his conservative credentials is just what Lauzen has done in recent months.
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‘Chris has got two things going for him: He’s got a great track record and people know he’s going to vote exactly like he says he is,’ [Keith Wheeler, a former Oberweis supporter] said.
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Still, Lauzen acknowledges that his biggest asset going into the primary - his far-right base of conservative diehards - could prove problematic in a general election with [Democrat Bill] Foster, when heavy swing-voter turnout is expected in 2008 presidential election.
‘Primaries are easy because people generally agree with you,’ Lauzen said. ‘General elections: you need all the people you can get.’”
Chris speaks from experience. He won the Republican nomination for Illinois Comptroller in 1998, but he lost the general election. Running far right may make the primary against Jim Oberweis ‘easier’ - but it may not be so “easy” in the general election next November. You need to get past the primary, but in the end it’s the 2008 general election that counts.
Comments 4
Yeah this same article quotes multiple people about a ‘mystery’ candidate that will appear and be supported by Hastert.
Unless that is who the guy no one seems to have heard of out of Evanston is our mystery man…
Posted 07 Nov 2007 at 9:50 am ¶Hi OneMan,
Michael Dilger from Evanston is quite the mystery, Hastert or no. I can’t find anything on the guy - unless he runs and was from Frankfurt, or else skis in Oregon.
Take care
Posted 07 Nov 2007 at 10:47 pm ¶I think Lauzen can do a kind of reverse Giuliani and be a social conservative with broad appeal, just as Giuliani is a social liberal with broad appeal.
The key is recognizing the libertarian consensus (check Brink Lindsey’s book the Age of Abundance http://www.amazon.com/Age-Abundance-Prosperity-Transformed-Americas/dp/0060747668 ) and fitting squarely inside it.
Giuliani’s Federalism on moral issues gets in that middle and there is no reason who Lauzen can’t do the same from the right.
Posted 08 Nov 2007 at 8:32 am ¶No matter… There are dark horses on both sides of this race. The Republicans have controlled this fifedome long enough and now it’s our turn.
Posted 10 Nov 2007 at 7:31 pm ¶I’m looking out for the underdog in the 14th because he’s the person most likely to win. It just happens that the underdog is also the dark horse.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks 2
[…] the 14th Congressional District Republican Kevin Burns is polling a distant third in a four man race where the fourth man is not only unheard of - but unreachable. Burns holds the […]
[…] More on Lauzen here, here and here. […]
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