Wednesday, June 22, 2016

ILLINOIS and INDIANA CONGRESSIONAL HIT LIST

ILLINOIS AND INDIANA CONGRESSIONAL RACES (Repub incumbents vs Dem Challengers)

By Thom Palmer  
June 22, 2016

If you're in Illinois or Indiana, or you know someone there, please share via email and social media. FB friends and groups are a great way to spread the word, and ask them to re-share as well. If you're not in one of these states, share it anyway. Links to other states are listed below.

"With an approval rating of 10%, 90% of the House races and 91% of Senate races were won by incumbents.".  

This is a list of Illinois and Indiana House of Representative races where the incumbent Republican is being challenged in November. Currently, money available to the Republicans for spending on their campaign averages 87% to Democratic challengers 13%. This is where we come in. Democrats need donations as well as a massive social media campaign in order to improve name recognition, and to highlight the positive positions of the Democratic challenger. A link to the Democratic challenger web site is included. Email, Facebook, Twitter are great ways to share your candidate, and in addition, you should contact the campaign and pick up a lawn sign. Ask them what you can do to help. We're all busy people, but there is always a great way to help a campaign without too much of a commitment. We have a rare opportunity, as Trump crumbles and Hillary rises, to take control of the House and Senate.   

Each and every one of these Republicans have voted against increases in minimum wage, against the Jobs Act, against background checks for guns, and just about anything else that is good. Every one promotes tax cuts to the very wealthy while putting additional burden on the middle class. They have acted in treasonous fashion against our President, and broken with the Constitution of the United States on many issues. They promote oil wars and windfall profits for weapons manufacturers. They are "flat-earth" climate change deniers, bought and paid for by the oil industry. Year after year, they pull our nation closer to a fascist state through fear, intimidation, voter suppression, voter fraud, and a long list of other tactics. Time for them to go. Stand up and fight. 

I also recommend helping out Democratic challengers to Republican House leaders nationwide. I will be listing other states shortly. 

WHAT'S MY DISTRICT? (Click)
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/map




ILLINOIS CONGRESSIONAL HIT LIST
If your district is not on this list, it is already Democrat. Help your candidate, and if you're able, help one or more of the candidates below as well.
DISTRICT GOP INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT CHALLENGER WEB SITE
IL-06 Peter Roskam R Amanda Howland D http://www.amandahowlandforcongress.com/
IL-08 Duckworth (ret) Raja Krishnamoorthi http://rajaforcongress.com/
IL-10 Bob Dold R Brad Schneider D http://www.schneiderforcongress.com/
IL-12 Mike Bost R CJ Baricevic D http://www.cjforcongress.com/
IL-13 Rodney Davis R Mark Wicklund D http://www.wicklundforcongress.org/
IL-14 Randy Hultgren R Jim Walz D http://jimwalzforcongress.com/
IL-15 John Shimkus R No Democrat none
IL-16 Adam Kinzinger R No Democrat none
IL-18 Darin LaHood R Junius Rodriguez D http://www.rodriguezcongress.com/








INDIANA CONGRESSIONAL HIT LIST
If your district is not on this list, it is already Democrat. Help your candidate, and if you're able, help one or more of the candidates below as well.
DISTRICT GOP INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT CHALLENGER WEB SITE
IN-02 Jackie Walorski R Lynn Coleman D http://www.colemanforcongress.com/
IN-03 Stutzman(ret) Tommy Shrader D https://ballotpedia.org/Tommy_Schrader
IN-04 Todd Rokita R John Dale D http://www.johndale4congress.com/
IN-05 Susan Brooks R Angela Demaree D http://www.demareeforcongress.com/
IN-06 Luke Messer R Barry Welsh D http://welshforcongress.yolasite.com/
IN-08 Larry Bucshon R Ron Drake D http://www.rondrakeforcongress.com/
IN-09 Young(ret) Shelli Yoder D http://shelliyoderforindiana.com/

House Speaker Paul Ryan said this yesterday. "The sit-in by the Democrats on the House floor is just a publicity stunt." Is it Paul? Really? 300 million Americans disagree with you. Here is a link to his Democratic challenger Tom Breu's donation page. We'll see about that, Paul. 


Congressional approval rating in 2012 was about 15%, and by 2013, approval rating was as low as 10% according to Gallup.  In 2014, 435 House members and 33 out of 100 Senators were up for election. With an approval rating of 10%, 90% of the House races and 91% of Senate races were won by incumbents. I give Democratic voters a 17% approval rating in 2014, because only about 17% of Democratic registered voters showed up at the polls. The result, in spite of a 10% congressional approval rating, was that the Republican majority in the House and Senate, the "do nothing congress" gained seats. In the House of Representatives, Republicans are getting very close to a super-majority, or 2/3 control, which would allow them to over-ride Presidential vetoes, and pass anti environmental legislation, etc. Think  of the veto as our only firewall against environmental disaster. In addition, voter suppression will increase, gerrymandering continues, and the progressive agenda is quashed in blue states with red leadership. 

House of Representatives Election Results
After 2008 GENERAL election: Dems 257, Repubs 178. Net gain for Dems +21
After 2010 Mid-Term election: Repubs 242, Dems 193. Net gain for Repubs +63
After 2012 GENERAL election: Repubs 234, Dems 201. Net gain for Dems +8
After 2014 Mid-Term election: Repubs 247, Dems 188. Net gain for Repubs +13

Senate Election Results
After 2008 GENERAL election: Dems 57, Repubs 41. Net gain for Dems +8
After 2010 Mid-Term election: Dems 51, Repubs 47. Net gain for Repubs +6
After 2012 GENERAL election: Dems 53, Repubs 45. Net gain forDems +2
After 2014 Mid-Term election: Repubs 54, Dems 44. Net gain for Repubs +9

I assume everyone sees a pattern here? Democrats need to begin promoting the 2018 mid-term elections beginning now and continuing through November, while the electorate is engaged, and keep the peddle to the metal throughout the next two and a half years. Progressives complain about the republican extremism and obstructionism, and then fail to make the change. 

Remember, 1/3 of the Senate go up for re-election every two years. 100% of the House of Representatives go up for election every two years. If Democrats concede elections every mid-term, you end up automatically increasing Republican numbers with a 66% advantage.   Having the moral high ground means nothing if you freely give up the elections to Republicans. It's like scratching and saving money for years, and then freely giving access to your savings account to a known thief, and then complaining that the thief stole your money.

Blue is Beautiful

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