If I were Blago right now I'd be worried. LaHood is one of the best opponents the GOP could put up. Widely popular in huge areas of the state already, he represtnes a big district that takes in very moderat areas (
http://www.house.gov/lahood/18thdistrict.htm) which have re-elected him with overwhelming majorities in the past 5 elections. He can raise a lot of money and has a great working relationship with Democrats in the state, Obama just on Monday called him his favorite Republican. More below the fold.
I'm the Student Trustee at Illinois State University and I've met LaHood many times when he has announced grants and funding for the University of which he has brough a little over $600,000 in the last four years to ISU which is not even in his district! He is very popular in the university community which is very liberal, again showing his appeal. I'm also the past president of ISU College Democrats,
http://www.isudems.pabn.org/.
I've sat on a panel a year ago about college cost and argued with him that the GOP Congress was not doing enough. I had the facts supporting me and every time I thought I had him he laughed and changed the debate to make it look like the Congress had actually made college more affordable!
He is a popular politican in the state, known for his independence of the party which can only serve him well in this Blue stronghold. Compaired to Gov. Blago who by no means is popular anywhere south of I-80, which to anyone not from Illionis is the un-offical dividing line between Chicago and the suburbs and the remaining 97 counties that that make up Illinois.
Although Blago is expected to have over 30 mil in his re-election fund (he raised 5 million in one night this July) he is only marginally popular, last poll had him at 55%, and will need all that money to help reshape his image after a whole years worth of bad press regarding his PR stunts like trying to block sales of violent video games to minors or promising to get books once a month to children in poverty when in reality this pet program has not even started.
Below is the story the online conservative publication The Illinois Leader put out on his announcement, the only one I could find at this time.
Rep. Ray LaHood to Announce for Governor
1/11/2005 9:00:00 PM
SPRINGFIELD - Central Illinois Congressman Ray LaHood (R-Peoria) will reportedly announce his intentions to form an exploratory committee for the purpose of pursuing a run for Governor in 2006 in Springfield on Wednesday.
The announcement by LaHood, who was first elected to Congress in 1994, comes as a surprise to many Republican Party leaders in that LaHood's name was one of the few not circulating as a possible statewide candidate in 2006.
According to one source, part of LaHood's impetus to run may involve his getting passed over for a committee seat he wanted by House Speaker Denny Hastert (R-Yorkville) who may have been sending LaHood a message for his penchant, particularly during the most recent election cycle, to be publicly critical of fellow Republican candidates and officeholders.
LaHood, who served as a top aide to U.S. House Minority Leader Bob Michel (R-Peoria) for a decade before running for Michel's seat upon his retirement, has become one of the more publicly combative GOP members of the Illinois Congressional caucus in recent years. The retirement of Bob Michel, a moderate Republican who LaHood reveres as his mentor, set the stage of the ascension of Newt Gingrich (R-GA) to Speaker when the Republicans gained control of the U.S. House in 1994.
LaHood, 59, frequently expressed his displeasure with former U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald, going so far as to publicly seek someone to challenge Fitzgerald in the 2004 primary prior to Fitzgerald's announcement he would not seek another term in the Spring of 2003. LaHood reportedly urged Andy McKenna, Jr., to run against Fitzgerald in the 2004 Republican primary election before Fitzgerald announced his retirement.
After Fitzgerald's decision to retire, LaHood reportedly issued Fitzgerald good riddance saying, "Peter has no friends in our delegation...I'm glad he's not running. It's good for the party. We can hold onto the seat."
LaHood went on to support McKenna in the 2004 GOP primary. McKenna finished fourth and is now believed to be the leading contender to take over as the GOP's State Party Chairman. Ultimately, of course, the GOP did not hold onto that seat in 2004 as now U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-Chicago) coasted to victory in one of the more bizarre statewide campaigns in Illinois history.
In addition to Fitzgerald, LaHood also made critical comments about both former GOP U.S. Senate nominee Jack Ryan and former U.S. Congressman Phil Crane during the height of their respective campaigns.
LaHood is Roman Catholic and is a graduate of Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. He and his wife Kathy have four children.
Other names mentioned as considering a possible run for Governor include: State Senator Steve Rauschenberger (R-Elgin), dairy magnate Jim Oberweis, Former State GOP Finance Chairman Ron Gidwitz, former State Senator Patrick O'Malley, and Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka.
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