February 6, 2006

By popular (well, one person's) demand.... Boland v Haring

One rather frantic commenter insisted that the BIG story was the Mike Boland - Steve Haring race.

However, he then reported about all there is to know about it. Commenter "Billy Clinton" reports that the Illinois House Repulican website has some big map showing what they considert "swing" districts which they intend to target.

Unfortunately, old Bill neglected to provide a link to this map, and despite diligent searching around on the House Republicans site, I could locate no such map, but it evidently includes the 71st district among their "swing" districts. I'll take his word that such a map exists.

He also notes that Haring has been largely unheard from and has very little money in the campaign bank.

That's about it.

So here's the hot thread everyone (or at least one person)'s been waiting for. Have at it.

14 Comments:

At 2/06/2006 11:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The previous post is right on target. I was beginning to wonder if the Dope and all the rest of the political community had forgotten that this is the hottest legislative race in the region!

 
At 2/06/2006 11:29 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dope, go to www.ilhro.com and click on one of the faces of their leadership team and the colorful map will appear.

 
At 2/06/2006 11:34 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Haring is probably working the Chamber of Commerce crowd, but I'm a Democrat who has also been working that crowd and haven't seen him in RI County in about two years. Where is he? Is he still running? Dope, call his house tonight and confirm his candidacy.

 
At 2/06/2006 11:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Haring holds some extreme right-wing views. Way to the right on guns, on choice, on just about every social issue. That will kill him in Rock Island County.

 
At 2/06/2006 11:36 PM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

Just a little organizational note... As stated in the new, improved Inside Dope FAQ, if you want to send along story ideas or links, please do so by e-mail unless you want to take up comments with all the back and forth.

But thanks for at least getting me in the general area of the map in question.

I can't think of something I'd least enjoy doing than spending hours poking around every nook and cranny of the House Republican webs site looking for a map which may or may not exist.

 
At 2/06/2006 11:38 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Boland is a bit of a hypocrite, don't you think? He has run as a "reformer" and someone "against the interest groups" but take a look at his D-@ campaign report.
Utility PACS, telephone PACS, casino PACS, tobacco PACS, oil company PACS -- can this be, the reformer gone bad?

Maybe that's what too many years in Springfield does. But voters do not like hypocrisy, so he had better change his message right now. If he's one of the boys, so be it. Join the boys, but don't claim to be something you're not.

 
At 2/06/2006 11:42 PM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

This is kinda fun. One person suggests a post, then creates their own solo thread-o-matic by posting all of the comments.

Kinda amazing to watch.

Now there's a go-getter. Suggest a story is really hot. Then once it's up, manufacture all the interest yourself. Not bad.

But I'm sure others will have opinions to contribute tomorrow, as it is a valid topic.

 
At 2/06/2006 11:55 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, educate me Dope, what is Haring's professional background?
Is it true he's the economic development director for Carroll County, the region that lost thousands of jobs?

Has he run for local offices?

Is the 71st overwhelmingly Democratic like the 36th Senate District?

 
At 2/07/2006 12:01 AM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

Aw darn. You had to go and compound the lie by lying. This isn't any "pent up demand" and you know as well as I do that every single one of the comments above came from you and you alone.

What is it about people that make it impossible for them to avoid B.S.ing?

I'm sure others have an interest in this race and will comment tomorrow. But hat's off for your industrious manufacture of "pent up" demand.

I'm really blown away by how in the span of 10 minutes, you've managed to contact all the other "bloggers" here and taken a straw poll.

I guess it wouldn't be hard, as the only "blogger" is the person who writes the blog, thus it's usually one or a group of people.

I recommend you peruse the updated FAQ for a definition of blogging terms.

I'll drag you bunch of newbies into the 21st century one way or another.

 
At 2/07/2006 10:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Illinois Republicans dumped some money into this race late in the last election thinking Boland might be vulnerable, so after the primary, you might expect tactic on Haring's behalf. The district is not yellow dog Democrat, so Boland does a pretty good job of holding it for his party. I haven't seen him outside of RI county, but I wonder if he plays much different in the more rural counties. He tends to take on rural issues like volunteer firefighters.

Haring has served on the Savanna school board and also serves as economic development director for the Blackhawk Hills Economic Development District, representing several northwestern counties, including Whiteside, Carroll, and Lee.

 
At 2/07/2006 8:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Boland’s commitment to siding up to Jacobs has and will be his saving grace. Getting on the right side of a winner always does wonders for a campaign.

 
At 2/07/2006 11:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike why are you in Fulton so much? That church seems like an odd place to park!!!

 
At 2/08/2006 6:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have noticed Bolands gas guzzler of a CADILAC in fulton at the church also. Not sure his affiliation with the Fulton Church.

 
At 2/08/2006 11:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If Blagos numbers are weak, watch for the GOP to dump big money into Haring's race to put him over the top. Odds are 50-50 he's our next state rep.

 

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