August 13, 2005

Jacobs escapes contest, claims "victory", Boland nixes run for Senate, Leaves door open for Treasurer, Ahern, Haring to challenge for 71st dist. seat

From the Kurt Allemeier piece on Q.C. Online:
Where state Rep. Mike Boland would land on the 2006 ballot has been a parlor game for local Democrats for several months.

Mike Madigan, chairman of the state Democratic party and speaker of the State House of Representatives, paid a visit to Rock Island last week to straighten out the Democratic ticket. Mr. Madigan left town with the situation a little clearer.

Rep. Boland, of East Moline, has intimated he might challenge state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, for his seat, or perhaps run for statewide office. He discussed his future on at least one previous occasion with Speaker Madigan.

Rep. Boland has ruled out a run against Sen. Jacobs in the primary and is leaning toward running for re-election, though he hasn't completely ruled out a possible run for state treasurer. He concedes it is unlikely he'll run for treasurer unless Republican incumbent Judy Baar Topinka runs for governor.

"The Senate thing just isn't any benefit to me because I would have to start over with seniority," Rep. Boland said. "I am only one or two elections away from a leadership position and that is awful hard to give up."

The meeting included Rep. Boland; Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan; Sen. Jacobs; U.S. Rep. Lane Evans, D-Rock Island; Rock Island County Democratic party chairman John Gianulis; former state senator Denny Jacobs; Rock Island County State's Attorney Jeff Terronez; and key labor leaders.

Rep. Boland has served the 71st District since 1994 and is chairman of the House financial institutions committee. He faces at least one challenger in the March primary. Dennis Ahern of Moline, who lost to Rep. Boland in the 2004 primary, has announced his plans to run again. Republican Steve Haring, of Savanna, who lost to Rep. Boland in the 2004 general election, is also in the race.

A spokesman for the state Democratic party described the meeting as Speaker Madigan touching base with party faithful, rather than solving any problems.

"The speaker regularly goes into communities and talks to incumbents and candidates," spokesman Steve Brown said. Rock Island County "is a good Democratic area and it is going to be a big year and we want to maximize the vote."

Democrats enjoy a majority in both houses of the General Assembly. The party's concern is the possibility of losing an incumbent in a district that doesn't favor Democrats. Recruiting and running a newcomer would be an iffy and costly proposition. The state party might have to chip in $500,000 to help a newcomer.

"When you lose an incumbent and start over with a new candidate it is hard to get them elected," Mr. Gianulis said. "Madigan encouraged and supported (Rep. Boland) to run again for re-election."

Sen. Jacobs admitted he was relieved by the outcome of the meeting, and pledged his support to Rep. Boland. He was appointed to the seat in February though Rep. Boland had expressed interest in it to Mr. Madigan and Mr. Gianulis.

"The last thing the speaker wanted to do was to have to find someone as qualified as Rep. Boland to run in that district," Sen. Jacobs said. "The strongest ticket we have is state Rep. Pat Verschoore, state Rep. Mike Boland, state Sen. Mike Jacobs, and Rep. Lane Evans.

"That gives us a pretty strong one-two-three-four punch."
Do you believe the B.S. that Madigan was just here for a friendly chit-chat, "touching base" with local Dem figures, rather than "solving problems"? ha!

Well, at least we'll have a choice for Rep. But Senator Mike dodged another bullet.
And as the piece states, we could have choice, but it's too expensive.

And it's interesting that former Senator Denny was in the meetings as well. Guess the training wheels aren't completely off just yet.

And I find Jacobs' comment, "The last thing the speaker wanted to do was to have to find someone as qualified as Rep. Boland to run in that district." to be interesting, especially since he or his shill have been putting the horns on Boland here with reckless abandon for months, attacking Boland as if he wasn't fit to be assistant vice-deputy dog catcher.

Granted, Boland is a strong candidate, and one could certainly say he's the strongest available, but if he were to run for another position, would finding a qualified candidate really be that difficult? What about McNeil or Ahern? Jacobs makes it sound like finding candidates to compete in Boland's district would be next to impossible.

32 Comments:

At 8/13/2005 7:17 AM, Blogger Dave Barrett said...

It has been commenting that allowing politicians draw district boundaries allows them to turn democaracy upside down. Instead of voters choosing their elected officials the elected officals are now choosing the voters.
Michael Madigan is going one step further - he is arranging that the voters in those districts drawn to be solidly Democratic will have exactly one Democrat to choose from on the ballot. Sort of like the sham elections in those terrible one-party dictatorships like the old Soviet Union or Red China.

 
At 8/13/2005 10:50 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ahearn- Helpful advice- Don't run this time. Even if you win, or run well, you may hurt yourself. live to fight another day. You have more friends then what the paper insinuated today...

 
At 8/13/2005 11:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

anonymous 10:15,

Who would you be helping? Ahern or Boland?

 
At 8/13/2005 3:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Boland made a fool of you guys.

The fact is Mike Boland never, ever planned to run against Senator Mike Jacobs. All Boland sought to do is insure Evans, Jacobs and Gianulis won't dump him ( Boland) in the upcoming primary.

In the end, Boland betrayed your trust. I know it's a bitter pill to swallow, but its the cold hard truth!

 
At 8/13/2005 7:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's why Rock Island County Democrat Party Chairman John A. Gianulis runs patronage for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, and you run nothing but your big mouth! You wouldn't know the truth if it kicked you in the read end!

Get over yourself Diehard. Nobody cares what you have to say!

 
At 8/13/2005 10:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Head Usher @ 10:15, that line was lame as hell the first time you used it. The second time is just sad.

No one is "whining". As a matter of fact if it wasn't for your incessant stupidity, we'd all probably be pleased that things turned out as they did.

But when some blowhard struts around trying to suggest they acheived something great simply by avoiding a contest, then that's nuts and distasteful in anyone's book.

It's obvious that Jacobs was scared shitless of a Boland challenge simply by the amazing relief and bizarre crowing about having avoided the race that has been displayed here. Clearly, he was sweating bullets at the thought of a challenge and is real cocky now that he's skated.

 
At 8/13/2005 10:10 PM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

And anonymous 19:15, you show what a hack you are by revealing that you think someone who runs patronage for a Governor who is plagued by patronage scandals is somehow a real hero.

What sort of machine hack are you that you can hate on someone that speaks out against political corruption and chicanery and hold up a person in a position where they hand out bullshit overpaid jobs to fellow political hacks as someone to be admired?

Hey, maybe that's your ambition in life, and you can think that's all great, but don't get mad at someone who happens to think it sucks.

And believe me, DieHard isn't the only one, and if you think so, you're heading for disaster.

 
At 8/14/2005 7:05 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

diehard

I know a good realtor who will be happy to assist in your move to Iowa. We need the Democratic vote in the next election over there more than in Illinois.

Have a great day.

Tom

p.s. your venom is misdirected because I have not made any comments to which you are referring

 
At 8/14/2005 7:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybesomeday
Don't tell Mike Jacobs he's like Ronald Regen. That's his hero!
I'm sure it will make his head even bigger!
Besides like Regan or not he actually did work his way to the top!
I wouldnt make the same comparison with Mike Jacobs!

 
At 8/14/2005 9:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good question usher!

Let's hear maybesomeday's response?

 
At 8/14/2005 9:54 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think M.S.D. may be refering to the vast amount of money 'young Mike' has.
I dont know of many average joes that have $225,000 sitting around. So it has turned into being more about the money than a candidate of any quality!

 
At 8/15/2005 9:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike Boland is unbeatable!
Start your fundraising now to run against Mike Jacobs. anyone can do it. It's not like he had that money sitting around it his bank folks! You gotta get out work it! Rais those FUNDS!!!!!!

 
At 8/15/2005 11:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wouldn't have believed it if I hand't seen it with my own eyes. On my way to work this morning, I spotted a car with a brand new bumpersticker that read:

JACOBS/BOLAND FOR ILLINOIS

Gee whiz, that happened fast!

 
At 8/15/2005 12:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

are you serious?

 
At 8/15/2005 12:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Isn't it great that our legislators have buried the hatchet? I applaud them!

 
At 8/15/2005 1:11 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think maybe I will get my own bumper sticker that says

"Jacobs/Boland" for themselves.

Jacobs made the above one - it's obvious because he gave himself top billing on the ticker...

 
At 8/15/2005 1:18 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

would you put the lietenant governor's name before the governor? pecking order...

 
At 8/15/2005 2:41 PM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

I saw a truck the other day that had two stickers on the bumper, one was BUSH/CHENEY and the other for Clarence Michael Darrow. Interesting.

 
At 8/15/2005 2:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Darrow's a republican!

 
At 8/15/2005 2:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The driver of the truck must be a "moran"

 
At 8/15/2005 2:55 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Darrow's a Republican I thought he ran as a Democrat. he ran in the primary as a Democrat.

 
At 8/15/2005 4:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Boland has publicly endorsed republicans - dont that make him one? you people can't make up your minds from one day to the next!

 
At 8/15/2005 4:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I saw a bumper sticker on a car the other day - it said kiss me if your Irish! Now that makes sense.

 
At 8/15/2005 4:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey diehard! how can I tell the difference between a registered democrat and a registered republican? I'm confused now.

 
At 8/15/2005 4:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

so lets say a city mayor who is republican endorses someone running for legislative office, that makes the legislative candidate a republican too? how does a republican put a D behind their name? I really need to know diehard caue I'm confused by your comment. thanks in advance!

 
At 8/15/2005 4:42 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

14:55 anonymous - Darrow is a Democrat, not a republican. right? Sarcasim??? Or is there something I don't know? I can understand why anonymous at 16:37 is confused. help those us us who are ignorent oh mighty die hard.

 
At 8/15/2005 5:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Usher you are the one vastly confused. Diehard speaks the common sense truth.

All you do Usher is crow about yourself and how great you are. We are all so tired of it so go home and leave us all alone.

 
At 8/15/2005 8:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

17:59,

Do you want me to get your mommy?

 
At 8/15/2005 9:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't believe what I saw today... Senator Mike Jacobs and Rep. Mike Boland sitting together at the Blue Ribbon in a very deep conversation. They looked like old pals! Maybe we have all been scammed- after seeing these two togther last night looks like they got the best of all of us. THey looked like great friends.

 
At 8/15/2005 11:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Boland and Jacobs have been meeting secretly for months. They have a lot in common. They keep strategizing on how to get better press and media covergage. They're quite a tag team.

 
At 8/16/2005 12:24 AM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

What should we call this new alliance? Bacobs? Joland? Mike2(squared)?

 
At 8/16/2005 12:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

23:17

Speaker Madigan is a consumate chess player. He's always three or four steps ahead of his opponents. He sit around and wait for things to happen, he makes them happen. I am quite sure he was invoved in every step of this drama!

 

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