U.S. Reps Mark Kirk (10th CD) and Tim Johnson (15th CD) are the only two members of Illinois' Congressional delegation that have promised their constituents they would work to repeal Obamacare, the Club for Growth's petition listing says. Kirk, however, appears to be backing away from the pledge:
“I hereby pledge to the people of my district/state to sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.”
Instead, Kirk now says he's opposed to the new taxes and Medicare cuts to pay for it.
Kirk appears to be adopting a new GOP political strategy that calls for changing parts of the health care legislation rather than repealing it.
Not only is Club for Growth slightly irritated with Kirk, who's running for U.S. Senate, his Democratic opponent Alexi Giannouliashas picked up on Kirk's hedging.
Kirk also promised Americans for Prosperity he would vote against Cap and Trade if given the opportunity to vote on it in the U.S. Senate. Kirk's received lots of heat from conservatives and Tea Partiers for being one of eight Republican Congressmen to support the tax-raising Cap and Trade legislation last year.