WHEATON – Republican Peter Roskam (IL-06)'s first bid for Congress in 2006 was the toughest Democrat challenge he's encountered thus far. But because the 6th CD went for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump last November, Democrats are counting the district as a possible pickup in 2018.
Democrats are lining up to challenge Roskam, Crain's Greg Hinz reported Wednesday morning:
Among those confirming that they either intend to run or are seriously considering doing so in Roskam's west suburban 6th District are Amanda Howland, a lawyer and psychologist who got 42 percent of the vote against him in 2016; Barrington Hills Planning Commission member Kelly Mazeski, a former state senate hopeful and ex-financial consultant; and Carole Cheney, who now works as district chief of staff for neighboring Congressman Bill Foster, D-Geneva.
While Roskam told Hinz he's dealt with the DCCC before, and is confident the district likes the positions he's taken on controversial issues such as repealing Obamacare and reforming the tax code, Roskam does face some dissatisfaction within the Tea Party ranks of the GOP. He faced a primary challenger in 2016 that the Tea Party preferred over Roskam – something Roskam may need to address at home before 2018 commences.
Roskam doesn't appear to be worried about the in-party consternation, though. He sounded confident with Hinz:
While Hillary Clinton may have out-polled Trump in the district in November, "I did better than John McCain (when he was the GOP presidential nominee) and outdid Obama in Obama's big year (2008,) says Roskam. "I know the district and the playbook."
Well, Peter, you are in total power now. So let’s see if you can pass a budget without funding Planned Parenthood and DACA but that does fund a Mexican Wall. That’s coming up at the end of April. We’ll give you until the August recess to get rid of Obamacare, although you’ve had 8 years to figure out that one.
Oh, and it might be nice to go along with Trump on getting rid of so many boondoggles like NPR and massively cutting back out of control agencies like the EPA or the U.N. Maybe you noticed that attacking Trump and acting a Dem didn’t help Kirk and Dold. But maybe we will have to primary you once again. Better to have a Dem than another Rino do nothing that betrays us again again.
I helped you become a state rep at the start of your career because you promised to be a solid conservative. This is your last chance to deliver for me and so many other conservatives who helped you get to this much power.
I do not live in Roskam’s district, but back when he was a state legislator, a long-standing conservative, who was on the ACU board, told me that Peter Roskam was a promising young conservative, who was running for Congress.
Now, Roskam has been in Congress for more than a decade and has done nothing on the key issue of immigration control – even when presented a chance.
Moreover, Roskam’s been a big champion of H1-B visas, which corporations use to replace US workers with cheap foreign immigrant labor – and bring their immigrant families in as well.
Thoroughly disappointing.
Reminds me of M. Stanton Evans’ old dictum, “Our people are ‘our people’ – until they get into a position where they can actually do us some good. Then they cease to be ‘our people.'”