US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently led fundraiser for Jim Oberweis' campaign
SUGAR GROVE – Among numerous Republicans who've said they're running to regain the 14th CD from the Democrats, Lake County Republicans will be backing State Senator Jim Oberweis in the March 2020 GOP Primary, they decided Saturday.
Lake County Republican Central Committee Chairman Mark Shaw said, “All of the Republican candidates seeking the nomination for US Representative from the 14th Congressional District had an opportunity to make their case that they would be the best candidate to win the General Election in 2020. Jim Oberweis earned the endorsement because he made the strongest case for success against Rep. Lauren Underwood. We need a candidate who stands up for our Republican values, and who has a path for victory in the race for US Representative in the 14th District. Jim Oberweis checks all of these boxes.”
The 14th Congressional District is widely considered a seat Republicans can retake because Donald Trump won the district in 2016.
“If Republicans are going to retake the House in 2020, it starts with the 14th Congressional District in Illinois,” Oberweis said. “But the first step to defeating Lauren Underwood is to win the nomination and garnering the support of the Lake County Republican Party is a big step forward for this campaign. I am honored and humbled to have their endorsement."
Despite Lake County GOP's endorsement, the number of GOP candidates interested in the race makes the primary winner still unpredictable.
James Marter, another candidate in the 14th CD GOP primary, told Illinois Review over the weekend that he's been knocking on doors in the 14th CD, and he's heard from residents time and time again how they could not support Oberweis in 2020.
"He can't be taking into consideration all the negatives he has in the district," Marter said.
Other GOP candidates reportedly circulating petitions in the 14th CD include State Senator Sue Rezin, Anthony Catella, Jerry Evans, Ted Gradel, Catalina Lauf and Danny Malouf.
Not all Lake County Republican supported Oberweis.
His voting record on Narcotic Marijuana helped support the Democrats bring this Narcotic to Illinois
Love Saves Lives
Carl Lambrecht
So, three of the remaining five Republicans in Lake County selected Oberweis?
There is no way I can support Jim Oberweis. He has a huge conflict of interest with his personal dealings in China.
Mr. Oberweis does not only have a conflict of interest, he also has a huge problem with voters – no one likes him. As a PC whom talks with many other PC’s he does not have a prayer in hell to win the election with the voters. It will be another Hultgren story.
Mark Rubio…???? Really…sheesh, little Marco belongs in the Democratic party.
CATALINA LAUF!
I second Catalina…
It’s long been said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result.
Oberweis has run for Congress, US Senate and Governor 6 times and lost 6 times.
But he will win on his 7th try???
With Oberweis the GOP will being doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and lose yet again.
If you want to beat Underwood you are not going to do it with a proven electoral loser.
28 people in Lake County voted on this rigged endorsement. Shaw lives in the 10th District but he had a vote. Matt Durray is 3rd Vice Chairman and he is also paid as the Oberweis Field Director for Lake County. He got a vote. This endorsement did not allow all precinct committee members to vote. It’s a fake endorsement.
Oberweis is trying to buy another primary election like he did back in 2002 when he called pro-lifers “Taliban”. Yes, this is another reason why I hate party endorsements because they might help get somebody past the primary but they leave a lot of bitter people who won’t lift a finger in the fall for whoever won. I feel sorry for the Republicans in the 14th district as the party once again foists their (losing) choice as they did with Rauner in 2018. It’s all about maintaining power at all cost, to hell with the State and to hell with the needs of Trump and the rest of the Republican Party.
Another loss for Republicans! No chance of winning.
The problem with out-of-state endorsers (like Rubio in this case) is they don’t live in Illinois and thus don’t have experience with our problems, nor are they familiar with the voting records and long-term attitudes of our candidates, and our resulting opinions of them.
I view these out-of-state endorsements as the work of modern-day “carpet-baggers,” and should not be given any credibility.
RIGGED…
Should the Lake County GOP be endorsing candidates without anyone on the ballot yet? Is this how they hope to unify the party?
This is a clear example of why Republican VOTERS are sick of the ILGOP “leadership” that has no interest in what Republican voters have to say.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman, Tim Schneider, told me “it was the policy of the ILGOP not to endorse candidates in a primary”. I guess he didn’t get the memo out to others, either that, or political party hacks just totally ignore him.
It infuriates people who are enthusiastically working for a republican candidate, helping to get their name out, getting petitions, and even donating money in preparation for the primary fight to come…and then you find out Local Republican officials are endorsing the opponent of your candidate.
Makes you want to scream. Unfortunately, all you can do is call these people out.
It’s time we look to find another candidate that does not fit the description of a RHINO. There are a couple of nice ones out there that would fit the bill long before Jim would.
We need to find a true Republican who can take on Laura and WIN. We do not need a loser fronting and losing again for our Republican Party in a district that needs to be taken back.