Breaking: NO democrat running in IL 18th!

Hello DNC???? Central IL calling........HELLO???

I sure hope the DNC is watching us in Central IL today.

As of today there is not Democratic canidate for 18th Congressional District as Dick Versace has dropped out of the race for Personal reasons. This is Ray LaHood's seat which is open as he is retiring.

Versace is doing one thing I have NEVER seen anyone else do.....Return ALL the money.

"I want everyone who donated funds to know that every penny donated will be returned to you within the month," he said. "I will personally cover any additional campaign costs that remain."

http://www.pjstar.com/...

I have lived in Il all my life with a 3 year break in Washington DC in the 80's. I feel the DNC has forgotten about us in Central IL. In my district I had to look up on the internet to find out who was running. I never saw a sign or heard anything from him.

Now I realize that Central Il is very Red, but you cant win unless you at least try. I NO longer live in the 18th and I know its been held by the GOP my whole life but people want a change. I have talked to lifetime Republicans who would consider voting Democrat this year.

People are ready to Demand change but you cant get change if the change doesn't bother to even run.

Oh and if the DNC is reading PLEASE run somebody good in the IL 15th and not the same guy who has lost already twice!

Dick Versace had a real chance. He's a well liked Ex local college coach and remembered by almost all.

I hope the DNC will find someone else who can also win.
I'm sure some will say I'm not sounding so sure that we can win. I'm depressed living under Republican rule for almost my entire life with not much of a fight.

I want somebody we can stand behind and say "He can win and he should and YES he will win". That's been lacking for years, its like we had been abandoned.

Oh this is my first Diary....please be kind. I never thought I would ever do one.

•  tips, recs, etc?

  advice on what to do.

  by GATXER on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:35:58 PM PDT

  •  I Was Hoping Versace Would take LaHood's Seat

    What disappointing news.

    No advice, just empathy and a thank you for posting this diary.  

    by Empower Ink on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:43:31 PM PDT

  •  Run Forrest, Run!!!!!!

    Seriously, do you know anyone who would be up to the task?

    by MadAsHellMaddie on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:57:45 PM PDT

  •  You might try Obama's campaign HQ

    He's certainly got an interest in Illinois and he's shown that he wants to support getting a dem majority -- well -- everywhere.

    They might point you in the right direction as well as knowing the ins-and-outs of Illini politics.

    Congratulations on a very worthwhile first diary. Rec'd.

    by MrSandman on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 06:25:33 PM PDT

•  What's more, if a Democrat runs

  the NRCC may feel obliged to spend some money on the race -- money they're very short of.  There's no reason to give them a free ride anywhere.  The DNCC should find someone to run, even a zombie.  If the Republican candidate gets arrested in an airport bathroom the way Larry Craig was, a zombie could win.

  by david78209 on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:43:41 PM PDT

•  we just need a nice guy or gal

  that will ask for the people's vote at least give people a choice.

  by GunLovinDem on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:52:54 PM PDT

•  We're screwed

  The filing deadline has passed.

  FILING DATES: ESTABLISHED PARTY: Not more than 99 nor less than 92 days prior to the General Primary, October 29 – November 5, 2007.

  Link (pdf)

  by citizenx on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:55:52 PM PDT

  •  None of the Newsstorys Ive read

    said that. But with Il primary so early I wondered about it. There must be some way.

    by GATXER on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 06:01:34 PM PDT

  •  no

    in Illinois the party can appoint a nominee after the filing deadline, even after the primary. Reps. Dan Lipinski (D) and Phil Hare (D) were both replacement candidates.

    by Nathaniel Ament Stone on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 06:02:32 PM PDT

    •  Cool, thanks for the correction.

      So now it is out of the people's hands and in the hands of the party elite? Beats nothing.

      by citizenx on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 06:04:36 PM PDT

      •  Um, "party elite" is a pretty strong term

        The decision is in the hands of the county chairpersons for the Democratic party in the counties of the district in question. If you've ever participated in politics at that level (and if you haven't or aren't, why not?) you know it's as absolutely grassroots as it gets. All you have to do is walk in the door and you've joined.

        The challenge of course is to get more progressive, and I have to say more young, people involved at this level. This is how change comes about. They call me the "kid" in my county gatherings and I'm 54. :(

        by Xan on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 06:26:43 PM PDT

        •  Maybe not party elite, but party cronies come

          to mind. At least what I've seen, one reason there isn't new blood coming in is because they don't want to change their ways. It's all about stroking the powers that be....

          by IndySteve on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 08:57:10 PM PDT

•  IL 18th

  I presume the Democratic county leadership in the district will meet after the primary and appoint someone to run in the general.  There certainly will be plenty of time between February and November to mount some sort of campaign.  From what I have been reading in the blogs it is too late for a write-in candidate.

  by oakparker on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:58:33 PM PDT

•  Thanks for the news

  depressing though it is. Wonder what Versace's problem was?

  Alas, I don't know anybody in the Peoria area; been gone from the state too long. My few remaining contacts are more over Danville way where I still have some family, a few of whom are even still talking to me. :)

  Okay, I clearly have nothing useful to contribute here, except good wishes. And hopes that all those who were willing to contribute to a versace run will turn the money around and give it to whoever the local Dems can recruit.

  welcome aboard btw, congrats on the loss of the diary virginity. :)

  by Xan on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 06:22:03 PM PDT

•  no uncontested seats!

  make Rs spend money everywhere!

  there's still plenty of time to find someone else.  fear not.

  by TrueBlueMajority on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 07:05:30 PM PDT

  •  That's easy to say

    But it's hard to get people to "take one for the team" by running in a hopeless district or against an entrenched incumbent, when what it entails is taking a year off from work, probably going into debt, and, in the end, getting 31% of the vote.

    Having said this, IL-18 isn't such a district. This is a do-able district, and we need to recruit and support a solid candidate there.

    by inside 4ll on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 08:48:52 PM PDT

    •  no such thing as a hopeless district in '08

      I hear you about the sacrifice but this is a year when we have to find out what the core Dem vote is and how many of those 31% districts are left (if any).

      That said I agree with you that IL-18 has a chance and I'm sure the DCCC will get on the stick and come up with a strong candidate at the beginning of the year.

      by TrueBlueMajority on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 05:13:00 AM PDT

      •  Sure there are hopeless districts.

        Hell will freeze over before we win in Southern Utah, or in most suburban districts in the South. And, of course, that works both ways. I live in a district where the Kerry-Edwards ticket got 69% of the vote and the Democratic congressman was reelected with 77%. Did the GOPs sink millions in trying to defeat him? Of course not. They ran a 28 year old kid who lived in his parents' basement. They were smart about it, and we need to be smart, too.

        by inside 4ll on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 09:26:40 AM PDT

        •  there are some places Bush won by large margins

          that are in play this year.

          maybe not southern utah, but not as many districts as there have been in the past.

          by TrueBlueMajority on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 11:26:36 AM PDT

•  What ever happened to Steve Waterworth?

  I am originally from that district, and the majority of my family is still there, so I have a vested interest in this race, as well. Waterworth wasn't much of a campaigner, but he was a great guy with some strong positions, and with a little more support and training, I think he could do alright, and it's DEFINITELY better than having no dem at all...

  by flautist on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 07:39:21 PM PDT

  •  off the radar

    but lets remember in 2006 he lost 67% to 33%.

    He might have a chance but at least 1 popular Republican is running.

    by GATXER on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 07:56:04 PM PDT

•  It may not help, but I sent this diary to the

  DCCC.

  Maybe Van Hollen will take an interest in it. As was mentioned upthread, if having a candidate makes the Republicans have to spend more of their scarce money, that's a great thing.

  by Lujane on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 08:36:44 PM PDT

•  Bummer!

  I'm in the 18th and I was looking forward to maybe having an honest-to-god race for the first time in my lifetime.  Versace vs. Aaron "nuclear Taiwan" Shock might have been worth watching.

  Now what?  Not much of Democratic farm system in these parts since the end of cumulative voting in the state legislature.

  by dsteffen on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 09:17:16 PM PDT

  •  But I did...

    ...donate 50 bucks to the "generic" IL18 candidate through ActBlue back when Versace was just a rumor, so that money's still out there for anyone who wants to jump in.

    Anyone?  Anyone?

    by dsteffen on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 09:31:27 PM PDT