Rauschenberger in
...Says he has lots of dough.
State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin will roll the dice on a run for the Republican governor nomination when he formally kicks off his campaign in two weeks.
The long-expected announcement represents a gamble for Rauschenberger, a generally respected authority on the state budget who will forgo almost-certain re-election next year to run for the state’s top office.
“I have more resources than I’ve ever had. This time I’m going to be able to compete,” said Rauschenberger, referencing his under-funded 2004 bid for the U.S. Senate that saw him finish a respectable third.
This time, Rauschenberger said he already has raised more than $800,000 — nearly matching the $974,000 he spent on his entire U.S. Senate race.
“I out-fund-raised everybody but (Chicago millionaire Ron) Gidwitz,” Rauschenberger said of his potential Republican governor opponents.
The conservative wing is divided among at least three candidates at the moment. Rauschenberger's numbers are way low. My big question is where does he find a niche in the primary - and is it big enough to win?
Meanwhile, Ron Gidwitz claims to have raised $3 million. But he's polling at about one percent. He'll need a whole lot more just to get his name ID up, and he's so liberal that, barring a breakout ad, his niche may not be big enough either.
posted by Rich Miller @ 7/07/2005 01:27:00 AM
49 comments
49 Comments...
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I hope he finds a niche as a fusion candidate. I think the split between social conservatives and everyone else in the party a bit over done. I think the party is ready to set aside the differences because they're not that big. R might be the guy to do that.
I don't know Rauschenburger personally but I know him through (state govt.) business and he is just oozing with integrity, professionalism and smarts. My vote would definitely go to him if he runs no matter who else goes for it.
Mark my words--if Gidwitz has $3 million in the bank and writes more checks, he can start to paint a canvass which will appeal to republican voters. Most in this priamry aren't going to have the money to both paint their picture and than try to take black paint to their opponent. If Gidwitz and Oberweis have good staff, they are the two to beat. Don't discount him just because 18 months out he is polling at 1%. No one is paying any attention to this crap except us diehards.
Gidwitz can sepnd 30 million and he will just be another Phil Gramm who finds that in primaries, money isn't everything.
I doubt he is higher than 4th (assuming JBT gets in).
SR's biggest problem is Oberwiese, and the fact that SR cast a few illegal alien friendly votes.
He needs to "fix that" somehow. Taking point on eminent domain is a good way to do so.
If JBT decides not to run, SR is still going to have the huge problem of no money (vs. Blago's
semi-legit campaign chest plus
his access to the $50+ billion state budget to advance his campaign) and minimal appeal to moderates, who would rather vote for Blago. Plus, he was around in the Ryan years and can't totally
disassociate himself from that. We'll have our memory refreshed on the Ryan years in Sept unless somebody can get Ryan to plead out---unlikely.
It's only 16 months to the election. SR doesn't have a million yet, by report. He, Oberweis, and Gidwitz are running
quixotic races because they are bored with their current lives, apparently. That's not a reason to run for governor.
If they can't get Edgar to run, it might be better for the Repubs to
put up a new, young person who will probably lose but would get some exposure for later runs. And there is always the possibility of a David vs. Goliath win.
Remember, in 06 the Republicans are going to get whomped in the midterms nationally because of the war in Iraq and, likely, the
economy if gas prices keep rising.
This will throw additional votes
Blago's way.
Isnt this the guy who had a DUI a couple years back? and BKed his family business. I dont think i want him watching my checkbook
Bored with their current lives? How many of use writing comments here could be accused of that one?
Steve Rauschenberger's hoping to lure the tax-and-spend Republicans, apparently, because that's what his opponents will paint him as.
As a U.S. Senate candidate, Rauschenberger called for increasing payroll taxes.
This week, as a gubernatorial candidate, Rauschenberger told the Sun-Times he wants to raise the sales tax on over-the-counter medications from 1% to 6.25%, affecting everything from Advil to Ex-lax.
Didnt this guy BK his family owned business and get a DUI a couple of years back
My big question on Rauchenberger is how does he make up the 23,000 votes he lost to Oberweis by in the Senate primary? Oberweis (I'm not a fan) has much better name ID with conservatives. Rauchcy needs to convince moderates to vote for him. That's going to be difficult since he's been bashing them for years. And he's dreaming if he thinks Hastert, Cross, Watson and McKenna will agree on a candidate. That's not going to happen in the primary
Gidwitz has no chance of winning
Rauschenberger does not have the money nor charisma
Pat Daly is the Obama of the Republican party
SR:
DUI: Yes, nothing new here. (CLinton playbook bootleg "it's old news")
Family biz. No bankruptcy, it was shut down and debts paid. Nothing dishonorable there.
SR had a good record in the assembly on taxes and spending.
And he was the first guy to dump on Ryan, so he doesn't have that baggage, like JBT does.
And is anyone interested in why he can raise so much money if JBT is such a lock???
Steve should run for re-election unless he wants to retire. He's a great legislator and could be Watson's #2 man with Petka leaving for the bench. Steve also has some personal issues that would doom a Guv bid (besides his business).
SR was ryans money guy at the senate and what about the 3.5 billion dollar deficit if he was so good how did we get the buget. Rumor has it he has some family employed by the state put on when Ryan was Gov. is this true
Inside information going around the Blago & Dem camps is that they want SR to win... It appears SR has made some regrettable comments about allowing guns in the classroom and may have some personal history that will be used against him adversely... The Dem's did this research on him for the US Senate race and for his upcoming re-election. Looks like another Jack Ryan in the making...
When Gidwitz's involvement with that housing project starts getting looked at in heavily minority Chicago, he'll be toast
up here in minority vote land.
Somebody on his staff really messed up by not getting him out
of that deal before he announced.
If he had taken care of that properly, his money would carry him along for quite a while.
And people who are bored with their current lives generally don't impose their boredom on the rest of us by taking up all that
mass media space with their hopeless campaigns.
Rauschy is my guy. Topinka is as corrupt as Ryan was if not more. She would be taking a step back for the IL GOP. Her shady money deals with banks that gave money to her campaign will form a nice little trail all the way back to the Treasurers office. Rauscy has a stellar record in the senate but I agree he needs to raise some money. As for Steve's personal issues, Topinka has the same problem as do all the other candidates.
Wow, I've heard some good and bad things here, but as someone who has worked for Steve in this and the last campaign, and as someone who is adored by Conservatives (because he is the most moderate of all candidates). Steve is the only guy who can beat our WONDERFUL governor, and he was the only one who could have put up a fight against Obama. He also knows the best strategy for a Republican to win in Illinois. That would be STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM CHICAGO! That was Jack Ryan's biggest mistake in the primary. Steve knows that if you want to win, you need to take the rest of the state, the same way Peter Fitzgerald did. More importantly, money will not matter so much in this election, because he is going to pull a Mitch Daniels (Gov of Indiana) and bring in the young conservative vote (and hopefully a great deal of young dems who are on the fence). In terms of G. Ryan, Steve was one of the only men to go against him, unlike Topinka. He stands up to corruption, even in his own party (The same way he did when he asked Kjellander to step down b/c he accepted an $800,000 payoff from Blago to approve his budget). Overall, Steve is the best candidate (and I dont just say that because I'm working for him). He's a family man, and he holds that Obama charm that makes people feel like they are in good hand, just by looking at him. He is the most experienced of all the state legislators running, has the most impressive record, and is the state's top budget official.
Anon 10:51-- Rauschenberger is THE Obama of the Republican party. That is why he is electable. Daly will last as long as Oberweis, if that.
Cermak_rd- It sucks that Keyes was put in, but Steve didnt support him. The only reason he passed it up was because he, like most of the other people asked to take Ryan's spot, he knew that it was political suicide. At that point, no one was going to beat Obama. Steve knew that, which is why he declined and prepped for this election.
In terms of other GOP candidates:
Oberweis, although he has somewhat of a following, he really only has two claims to fame...one is his family dairy business, and the other is that he has lost in the last three primaries that he's run in. That said, Oberweis, in fact, IS going through a midlife crisis, and contrary to popular belief, actually has no money. He'll be out by the time 2006 roles around.
Gidwitz to the Republicans is the equivalent of Blair Hull to the dems. Not a bad candidate, but money is his only game, and unless he's willing to blow 10 mil of his own cash like Ryan did, he's in trouble.
JBT- Horrible record during her entire political career. She was also a G. Ryan loyalist and still is. She is very hated by about half of her party, rendering her the worst possible candidate to run against Blago. Besides, she hasnt yet announced whether or not she will run, but to be honest, I'd rather vote for a piece of steak than JBT. Most Conservative Illinoisans feel the same way.
To you fellow conservatives, and to the Dems who are fed up with Blago (which there is a considerable number), lets rally behind one strong candidate. Steve is our man, and trust me, from personal and professional experience, he will not let you down. After this past weekend, he moved up to #1 in the poles, and lets hope, for Illinois sake, that he stays there.
Rauschenberger's DUI is not going to be a General Election issue, but it is part of the reason that social conservatives are suspicious of him. Another is that he is not 100% pro-life, and talks about abortion as a legal issue not a moral one. Another is his support for allowing over-the-counter purchase of hypodermic needles.
What this has done is force Rauschenberger to try to pander to the Right on hot-button issues. So yes, he's said teachers should be able to carry concealed guns. And he opposed the federal assault weapons ban. And he led efforts to recruit Alan Keyes to run. He even took some jabs at Barack Obama. All of this will haunt him.
And at the end of the day, he is not a fiscal conservative. He's a spender. He was the budget guy under Pate Philip that led the spending balloon from $33 billion to $52 billion in less than a decade. All Steve Rauschenberger budgets, including a vote for the Illinois FIRST tax increases, I'll bet.
Rauschenberger's political career is victim to the deep divide in Illinois politics between the conservatives who control the GOP party and delivered 25% of the vote to Alan Keyes and the rest of us. When the moderate Republicans controlled armies of patronage workers, they could keep the right wing in check, but now they can't, and you just can't serve both masters.
He's gotthe Polish vote, too?
Sorry, think Topinka's got the Polish vote.
guns
assault weapon ban
You mean the one that has been expired for a while now and nothing bad happened? Funny how leftists want to talk science when it comes to abortion and breast cancer, yet ignore the VERY solid work showing what a bad idea gun control is. Let's pander to fear and prejudice.
Vallas will need to explain why he stopped a very good program in the CPS just because they had an air gun team.
SR spoke against IL first. You can't blame Ryan's budget busting on him.
said naughty things about prince O Of course he did, he is a republican!
Steve will win --why? b/c voters will see a common man, yes, one without money (re: millionaire, with flaws like the rest of us and someone who is concerned about families. Watch how the rich boys try to "spin" that they can relate to us...it'll be a joke. They own mansions, they are in expensive country clubs, fly 1st class, have giant nest-eggs, etc. Obie can only dish out ice cream for so long to look normal--and--anyone ever look at Giddie's apparel? His freakin hankie in his pocket costs more than my best pair of shoes!! The people almost elected Vallas because he was different and normal. Instead a younger pol got the Southern part of IL to believe that he cared--yeah right. Watch SR work the lower part of IL.
Viva EL Stevo!!!!!
ANON 12:38 -
One would think that a person who has worked for Rauschenberger for the past 3 years would have his facts straight. Rauschenberger not only supported Keyes, but was part of the braintrust that brought him here.
I know it is popular now to say that was Topinka's fault, but the easily verified truth is that Rauschenberger and his buddy Dave Syverson brought the Illinois Republican Party Alan Keyes.
And isn't Rauschenberger using the same firm (Proft et al) that was created to launch the conservative take over of the Illinois GOP with the Keyes candidacy?
The Governor's team has personal stuff on Steve (says anon 11:52). That will be good considering how squeaky clean their guy is. So the election (if the Republicans actually get a clue and get behind Steve) is a regular guy with a skeleton in his closet verse a governor so corrupt he makes GRyan look like a church deacon. Sounds like an easy choice to me. Steve's people should be very encouraged that a lot of Democrats such as myself will be strong supporters of his, despite disagreeing with some of his social positions. I cannot say that about any of the other Republicans in the primary field.
Anon 12:38 - you should quit posting under anonymous and just use your name and job title - campaign manager for Steve Rauschenberger. You gotta be on his payroll with all that b.s. spin you were throwing out! None of the rest of us believe it!
How did Rauschy get to be chairman of the Appropriations committee? Was it that he reversed his no taxes pledge and supported Edgar in making the income tax increase permanent? Wasn't the tax increase set to expire? Free Needels, Illeagle immigrants getting reduced college tuition? Matricular cards excepted as ID? Mr. Conservative!
Why is Steve distancing himself from the conservatives now and asking for the party leaders to back one candidate(HIM)?
Anonymous 12:38
Is there a poll out after the weekend that has Steve first? I don't think so he is 4th if he even shows up. This is a 2 person race Oberweis and JBT. JBT has a tuff time in the primary but has big name recognition. Gidwitz will spend enough to put Rauschy a distant 4th.
I believe the conservatives, (you mean Roeserites) Anon 2:45, left him because they want the world. The world is not their vision and that's what moderate socials believe should happen. No, he didn't leave the conservatives, they don't think he's the right kind of R.
Gidwitz and Oberweis may be filthy rich, but they have one major thing going for them: they are not beholden to special interests. Regular politicians are often told what to do or encouraged to vote a certain way based on their relationships with interest groups, law firms, companies, friends, etc. The whole notion of losing campaign cash because of a single vote causes elected officials from both parties to cast bad votes. However, wealther candidates like Peter Fitzgerald and Kenny Hulsohf can afford to be mavericks.
Anon 12:38, thanks for admitting to being on Rausch's payroll -- but how can you say that Rausch didn't support Keyes.
As the Chicago Tribune reported,Rauschenberger helped recruit Keyes, push the idea through the state central committee, and later endorsed him.
Get a grip on reality.
Goof job YDD.
Half the postings on this blog are LOOSELY based on fact so it is always good to see someone get caught stretching the truth...
I just wish we all had the time to refute the other lies that appear on this blog.
moon: Correction, YOU dont believe it. The rest of us are seeing very clearly. And to set the record straight, I'm not the campaign manager, just a servant of the people, like him. I want what's best for the state. That's why I work for the Senator.
anon 1:38: To answer your question, Steve uses Urquhart Media as his consulting firm.
fishy: It's refreshing to see someone who puts the people and the state first. I'm a conservative, but I voted for Obama because I knew he was the better candidate. I'm an American first, a Republican second. Anyways, I have a lot of respect for someone who feels the same way, whatever their party is.
anon 2:45: After the 4th of July campaigning this weekend, he moved into the 1st place spot. Look, I dont understand why there is an argument here. Let's think about this rationally. Do you honestly want Judy Baar Topinka, a woman who is not only hated by half of her own party, but also every democrat in the state to get the nomination? More importantly, do you think that if that many Republicans dislike her that she will even get the nomination? Come on man, think logically here. We're on the same side, but dont be so delusional. JBT reminds people of the George Ryan regime. If you dont recall, that is the regime that, to this day, still embarrasses conservatives all over Illinois. That alone will turn people who were planning on voting for her off. In terms of Oberweis, he's not a bad guy. But he has lost every time that he has run. Does that not tell you something about the faith that people have in him? If it didnt work 3 times before, you'd think he would get the picture. I mean he can only run so many times. He's rich, but he's not Ross Perot rich. Not to mention, the man knows nothing about the political scene. He's proven that in the US Senate campaign.
I'm going to put it like this, and then I'll leave it alone. SJR spent just over 900,000 in his Senate campaign, and within two days before the primary, was in the lead. He lost in the end, by one point to Oberweis, and I think it was 12 to Ryan. Ryan spent 10,000,000 of his own cash, all in vain; and Oberweis spent almost 4. The point is those men had to spend all this money to prove how qualified they were, and they still got some stiff competiton from a man who spent fractions of what they did. Oberweis is not in the same financial position that he was a year and a half ago, and wont be able to spend as much. SJR has already surpassed what it took him the entire Senate primary to raise, and he still has another year. To top it off, he only lost by one point to Oberweis. Trust me on this one, he will get the nomination, and it is in the best interests of all of us, conservatives and liberals to, if nothing else, at least give him our consideration. Then again, its a free country, and I'm not about to go pick a fight. I'd rather turn people onto him then off. But you vote as you see fit. That's what this country is all about: choice.
ANON 4:19
I am not sure what kind of stuff you guys are smoking out at the Rauschenberger HQs but please pass some along. Even the Gidwitz folks aren't pounding the koolaid that hard!
BTW, you proved my point earlier Urquhart is the firm started by the Keyes Team. Just goes to show what it takes to start your own firm/get clients here in Illinois...30 point drubbing.
4:19
"After the 4th of July campaigning this weekend, he moved into the 1st place spot"
Are you serious? maybe in his senate district but I doubt it.
Steve...for the last time, get your mom off the Capitol Fax Blog and send her back to running your campaign. (if only this were not true)
Thanks for the manifesto Rauschy Anonymous. I'm voting for Oberweis.
Was your boss mad that you didnt vote for his guy Keyes?
Rauschy got both Chris Lauzen and Rosemary Mulligan to endorse him in the US Senate primary. None of the other candidates has that kind of broad apppeal within the party. And he consistently wins in a suburban Cook County swing district.
And from Aaron Chambers Rockford Star column on October 16, 2004 there is this: "I have to accept the entire responsibility for the simple reason the buck ends with me," Topinka told me Wednesday when I asked what level of responsibility she assumes for the Alan Keyes debacle.
Rauschy will thrash the other candidates in debates and will rack up all the newspaper endorsements again.
He will also have the resources to do a credible television ad campaign this time around, giving him at least 15-20 points on his 23% from the Senate primary.
Game, set, match, Rauschy.
Rod your 15 minutes are up, now go find yourself a good divorce attorney and a barber, because no one is going to hire you with that wig.
I've heard more disenchanted Dems say they want Rauschenberger to win than anyone else because they trust him as a regular guy who wants to help the state. Doesn't matter that he's way out there conservative for their tastes, they'd still vote for him over the Gov, and he's much less goofy than JBT. If for no other reason, we should support Steve in the primary because he can win the general
Dan Proft--the guy who defends the town of Cicero? HAHAHAHA! Now Rauschenburger...god your a whore and not even a good one.
Mr. danproft:
Have you ever lost a family member to a drunk driver.
If you are the spokesman for this candidate and you are saying that it's been "disclosed and vetted" and now everything is ok you better think again sir.
That aint going to cut it!
Unbelievabale! Has SR no shame!
If I were running against this man I would copy the comment you just made.
Dan (or anyone else who can answer this),
Does Steve still drink? That's the biggest issue I have with the DUI.
If you had a drinking problem 10 years ago and drove while intoxicated I would have a problem with that, but whether I held it against you 10 years later would be how you dealt with the underlying drinking problem.
President Bush has admitted he was an alcoholic but no longer drinks alcohol. That's an admirable change in lifestyle and is not one I will hold against anyone.
If Steve had a drinking problem, got a DUI and still drinks, meaning he hasn't recognized that he has a drinking problem, then he's going to have trouble getting my vote in the primary.
By the way, I like Rauschenberger's record. I don't agree with every vote he's taken, but I doubt if his wife agrees with him on every issue as well.
I'm not for or against any candidate in the Republican primary at this state. This is a legitimate question. The answer to which, may determine whom I support next March.
Dan, check the tapes. Steve Rauschenberger did say he supported increasing payroll taxes, at the WTTW U.S. Senate debates. More than that, when asked what he thought we needed to do to fix Social Security, Steve Rauschenberger said:
1) Raise payroll taxes;
2) Cut Social Security benefits;
3) Raise the retirement age;
Furthermore, Steve Rauschenberger was at it again this week, calling for raising taxes again, this time on over-the-counter health care products. As the Sun-Times reports, Rauschenberger wants to increase the state sales tax by over 500% on everything from toothpaste to Tylenol.
He says that if Illinois will pass his sales tax increase on health care, he'd offer an offsetting increase in the personal deduction. Right. Explain to the senior citizens who consume most of the over-the-counter medications why their out of pocket health care costs are going through the roof.
Earth to Steve: Seniors want their health care costs to go down, not up.
By the way Dan, I don't really have a dog in this fight. I'm just telling you why I don't think your guy can win. He can't out rightwing Oberweis and he can't outdeal Topinka, and there aren't any votes in the middle of a GOP primary, even if he does get every newspaper endorsement again.
I will say for the record now, since it's seems to have drifted over to this blog from Illinois Leader, those of you GOP insiders who think that Topinka is going to be brought down by George Ryan need to go out there and actually talk to voters.
You may think that Topinka is from the George Ryan camp, and it may even be true, but voters aren't buying it and it ain't gonna resonate. Joe SixPack doesn't believe women can be Insiders.
JBT is the Republican nominee in 2006. None of the others have a chance and need to seriously reconsider leaving safe seats, etc.
Blago beats JBT 53-47 in November.
Right on 8:08 am.
JBT wont get it.....plain and simple. And trust me, for republican voters who often times vote on a moral platform, they WILL notice that JBT has none, and it will make the difference. You can count on that.
Anon 4:30, it's great that you will exercise your right to vote for whomever you please....and while you're wondering how the hell Oberweis lost, I'll be hanging out with my buddy Steve at the nomination celebration. Thanks though.
Anon 10:12, to answer your question, Steve no longer drinks. And although I'm very much against drunken driving, I dont think it was a story of a man getting trashed and going for a joy ride. It was disclosed that he blew a .1. That's still over the legal limit, but give the guy some credit. There is a major difference between a man who blows a .25 and man who is just over the legal limit. That said, no one should drink and drive, which is why Steve stopped drinking all together.
11:11a.m.
Great to hear you'll be at the S.R. nomination celebration, but unfortunately it will turn a little flat about 9:00 p.m. when S.R. once again delivers a concession speech.
JBT will prevail with 30% of the vote. S.R. 19%.
Just a guess and all in fun. Nothing hateful intended. Have a good day.
Anon 11:11. Thank you for answering my question about Steve's drinking. If true, then he's still in the running for my vote.
SR campaign worker doesnt SR brother work for IDOT i think so and when did he start and how much money does he make? are there any other SR relitives working for the State?
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