Hultgren CoS Jerry Clarke has eyed Johnson's seat for years.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012 | 1:38 p.m.
Ex-Johnson CoS/Hultgren CoS Jerry Clarke (R) "is seeking" Rep. Tim Johnson’s (R) "spot on the Republican ballot this fall." Clarke "announced his intention at news conferences in Springfield and Champaign" April 9. He "is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves, where he has served since 1985... He has also served three tours in Iraq," is a Central IL native "and is married with four children."
County chairmen from "the 14 counties of the district will select the person who ultimately takes Johnson’s position on the ballot" (Petty, Decatur Herald-Review, 4/10).
Clarke: “My campaign will be based on lower taxes and putting money back into the pockets of families. I’ll relentlessly work to bring needed jobs and new opportunities to central Illinois by standing up for family farms, small business and working families, not big government.” He "called Johnson his 'mentor' and said that politically 'we may differ around the edges but for the most part Tim and I pretty much see eye to eye.' He said he believed he too would be relatively independent of the House Republican leadership. Johnson recently was ranked among the most independent House Republicans." Clarke: “I would probably be cut out of Tim Johnson’s mold."
IL Rep. Chapin Rose (R) "said" April 9 "he had decided against running for the seat. Just last month Rose won an expensive two-way race for a state Senate seat." Rose: “I appreciate the many well-wishers who suggested that I run for Congress. But this was a quick and easy decision: I am not interested in running for Congress at this time. Camille and I have been extremely blessed to have so many wonderful friends and supporters, but our children are very young. So for many of the same reasons that Congressman Johnson mentioned in his retirement speech, our family just isn’t interested at this point. Moreover, I made a commitment as a candidate for the state Senate to work on the state’s budget troubles and to promote an economic business climate that encourages job creation in Illinois — I look forward to that work” (Kacich, Urbana News-Gazette, 4/9).
County chairmen from "the 14 counties of the district will select the person who ultimately takes Johnson’s position on the ballot" (Petty, Decatur Herald-Review, 4/10).
Clarke: “My campaign will be based on lower taxes and putting money back into the pockets of families. I’ll relentlessly work to bring needed jobs and new opportunities to central Illinois by standing up for family farms, small business and working families, not big government.” He "called Johnson his 'mentor' and said that politically 'we may differ around the edges but for the most part Tim and I pretty much see eye to eye.' He said he believed he too would be relatively independent of the House Republican leadership. Johnson recently was ranked among the most independent House Republicans." Clarke: “I would probably be cut out of Tim Johnson’s mold."
IL Rep. Chapin Rose (R) "said" April 9 "he had decided against running for the seat. Just last month Rose won an expensive two-way race for a state Senate seat." Rose: “I appreciate the many well-wishers who suggested that I run for Congress. But this was a quick and easy decision: I am not interested in running for Congress at this time. Camille and I have been extremely blessed to have so many wonderful friends and supporters, but our children are very young. So for many of the same reasons that Congressman Johnson mentioned in his retirement speech, our family just isn’t interested at this point. Moreover, I made a commitment as a candidate for the state Senate to work on the state’s budget troubles and to promote an economic business climate that encourages job creation in Illinois — I look forward to that work” (Kacich, Urbana News-Gazette, 4/9).
Long Time Coming
Clarke: “I didn’t know Tim was going to retire so quickly … so it’s kind of a surprise. But I’ve been looking at a congressional run when Tim retired for years. I think that I’m ready to serve." On the candidate selection process: "All the Republicans throughout the district can go to their county chairman and say, ‘This is who I like,’ or ‘I don’t like this person because of so-and-so. I think the people’s voice needs to be heard.”
Clarke "said that he’d like to expand agricultural resources, 'bring manufacturing jobs back home,' and 'rein in the out-of-control federal spending and limit government intervention into our daily lives.' He favors federal funding of high-speed rail, which he called an investment, [and] said he’d like to repeal the Affordable Care Act...'because we can’t spend money we don’t have.'” Clarke: "We’re going to have to come up with something [to replace it.]"
Clarke "said he would be for keeping provisions that allow people with pre-existing conditions to get insurance and for families to keep children on their insurance plans through age 26. He said he is pro-life on abortion and would allow the procedure only to save the life of the mother and in cases of rape and incest. He favors allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons. He doesn’t like the fact that the Obama administration has set a timetable to remove combat forces from Afghanistan." Clarke: “I don’t think politicians should set timetables. You should leave that up to the military” (Schoenburg, Springfield State Journal-Register, 4/9).
Clarke: "I believe we can do better and I'm ready to serve. Now more than ever we need common sense in Washington. Simply put, we need to reform Congress."
IL Rep. Adam Brown (R) also "said" April 9 he "was interested in running." Brown: "I put in all the calls with the county chairmen, chairwomen at this point. And I'm definitely very interested."
IL GOP Chair Pat Brady "said he and county chairmen would start vetting potential candidates" April 9. "He said Johnson's successor would need to submit a blueprint on how to quickly start campaigning and win in November." Brady: "My advice is come in with a plan, because that's what we're going to look for."
Clarke "said that he’d like to expand agricultural resources, 'bring manufacturing jobs back home,' and 'rein in the out-of-control federal spending and limit government intervention into our daily lives.' He favors federal funding of high-speed rail, which he called an investment, [and] said he’d like to repeal the Affordable Care Act...'because we can’t spend money we don’t have.'” Clarke: "We’re going to have to come up with something [to replace it.]"
Clarke "said he would be for keeping provisions that allow people with pre-existing conditions to get insurance and for families to keep children on their insurance plans through age 26. He said he is pro-life on abortion and would allow the procedure only to save the life of the mother and in cases of rape and incest. He favors allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons. He doesn’t like the fact that the Obama administration has set a timetable to remove combat forces from Afghanistan." Clarke: “I don’t think politicians should set timetables. You should leave that up to the military” (Schoenburg, Springfield State Journal-Register, 4/9).
Clarke: "I believe we can do better and I'm ready to serve. Now more than ever we need common sense in Washington. Simply put, we need to reform Congress."
IL Rep. Adam Brown (R) also "said" April 9 he "was interested in running." Brown: "I put in all the calls with the county chairmen, chairwomen at this point. And I'm definitely very interested."
IL GOP Chair Pat Brady "said he and county chairmen would start vetting potential candidates" April 9. "He said Johnson's successor would need to submit a blueprint on how to quickly start campaigning and win in November." Brady: "My advice is come in with a plan, because that's what we're going to look for."
Oh, Right, The Democrat...
Brady "said he believes the nearly created" IL-13 "is still too conservative to back" Dem nominee Dr.David Gill (D). Brady: "Dr. Gill is a big-government, big-spending liberal. He doesn't fit the district at all."
Gill spokesperson Mike Richards "said Republicans are overestimating how conservative the district is." Richards: "Tim Johnson out of the picture makes this a much more winnable race for democrats. We're confident that come fall that this is a race the Democratic Party is going to want to do everything possible to win" (Mercer, AP, 4/10).
Gill spokesperson Mike Richards "said Republicans are overestimating how conservative the district is." Richards: "Tim Johnson out of the picture makes this a much more winnable race for democrats. We're confident that come fall that this is a race the Democratic Party is going to want to do everything possible to win" (Mercer, AP, 4/10).
No comments:
Post a Comment