Peoria Journal-Star - May 5, 2008
by Karen McDonald
Partisan bickering is getting nasty in the 11th Congressional District, and there are still six months until the election.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is blasting e-mails almost daily attacking Republican Marty Ozinga.
The National Republican Congressional Committee and state Republicans are firing back at "career politician, Blagojevich rubber-stamp" Debbie Halvorson, a Democrat.
The two are competing to fill the seat being vacated by longtime U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller. The Republican from Morris opted not to seek an eighth term.
Democrats mocked Ozinga for being mute on the issues prior to being anointed to fill the ballot spot last week with their "Where's Marty?" campaign. Ozinga wasn't speaking until his candidacy was official. County chairmen appointed Ozinga to replace Tim Balderman, who bowed out after the primary.
Meanwhile, after Halvorson helped the Illinois Senate reject a proposal to put the so-called "recall amendment" on Nov. 4 ballots, the state Republican Party last week declared "Another test, another 'F' for Halvorson and Democrats."
"This really is not a surprise considering the fact that Senate Democrats are intent on protecting Rod Blagojevich in any way they possibly can," said GOP spokesman Lance Trover.
The DCCC accused Ozinga of engaging in pay-to-play politics and making political contributions to win lucrative contracts.
Republicans accused Halvorson of working hand-in-hand with Blagojevich as majority leader to send the state down a path of fiscal disaster, pay-to-play politics and gridlock.
And on and on and on.
The national Democrats want to steal a seat long held by Republicans and are investing a lot of attention to it.
Already, Ozinga raised nearly a half-million dollars in less than a month. That tops Halvorson's total raised in the first three-plus months of her campaign.
Don't expect Republicans to give up this seat without a fight.
