By Greg Blankenship
Tom Roeser has a post today that caught my eye. Mr. Roeser was looking at polling suggesting that the hot issue, right now, was immigration and lammenting that the standard bearer for that issue in Illinois was the defeated Republican Jim Oberweis in the GOP Primary.
Mr. Roeser is upset with some social conservatives for remaining loyal to State Sen. Brady (R-Bloomington) and for State Sen. Brady's unwillingness to throw in the towell. From where I sit I'd like think that Brady supporters voted for Brady and Oberweis supporters stuck with their man because that's who they were supporting. Something positive does come out of that kind of loyalty.
Where I take issue with Mr. Roeser is on the notion that Jim Oberweis would've been able to capitalize on the immigration imbroglio to energize the base in this election. I would challenge Mr. Roeser to find a primary challenger for an open seat in Congress or a contested GOP Primary or general election where the immigration is winning anything. If he can find someone in this cycle who had done that, I will buy him and a companion dinner at the restaraunt of his choice... Perhaps if he can't find someone (which is really tough to do) he could return the favor.
The chief sponsor of the Senate immigration bill is none other than Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). He's also the leading the polls for the GOP Presidential nomination. Justice Roy Moore in AL has made immigration an issue in his challenge the Gov. Bob Riley. The WSJ reports today that he's down by 40 points. One of the minuteman leaders ran to replace now SEC chief Chris Cox in California. I believe he came in third. The GOP candidate for Governor in VA ran on immigration and lost. He should've won. In Utah there was one upset where the candidate ran on immigration, but that was in a convention not a primary.
So what do you say Mr. Roeser? Are you willing to make this little wager with me?
I don't believe the lost opportunity was as great as we all have been led to believe.
Link: TomRoeser.com.
