Bowling Green, Ky.
Rand Paul, a republican running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Senator Jim Bunning, said he will not “run away from the Tea Party” if he wins the Kentucky GOP primary nomination.
At a rally downtown Bowling Green, Paul said that there is a “Tea Party tidal wave coming,” and that Kentucky is next.
Listen to Rand Paul below.
Janesville, WI.
“I believe this is Russ Feingold’s last summer as Senator,” Dick Leinenkugel said today while announcing his intentions to run in the Republican primary for the US Senate.
Leinenkugel, who recently served as the Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce for Governor Jim Doyle (D), is most known for his family’s beer brewing business.
Click on link wi-senate-race-leinenkugels-on-tap to read Fox News Correspondent Steve Brown’s exclusive interview with Dick Leinenkugel.
Madison, Wisconsin
Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson (R) had the most anticipated speech at the Taxpayer Tea Party Rally at the the Wisconsin State Capitol.
“Like you I am fired up. I want to be part of your movement,” Thompson said. “I would love to take this on…” Thompson then announced that he will not run for the U.S. Senate. That seat is currently held by U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D).
Thompson, interrupted by people chanting “Run Tommy Run”, said that “…it is time for new voices and new faces” in government.
Thompson called the upcoming election the most “important election any of us have ever faced.” The Republican ticket is now wide open with Thompson opting out of the U.S. Senate race.
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Christa Criddle is a self proclaimed Tea Party activist.
Running unopposed for a seat on the Ohio Republican Party’s Central Committee in the May 4th Ohio Primary, Criddle signed the Tea Party Pledge. The pledge calls for Limited Government, Lower Taxes and Preservation of Constitutional Freedom.
A mother of three, Criddle puts hundreds of miles on her van campaigning for Chris Monzel, a Cincinnati Councilman running for Hamilton County Commissioner.
When asked the about the Tea Party’s future beyond the 2010 election, this is what she said…
Huntley, IL.
While some were playing Canasta, quilting for a local children’s hospital or taking a quiet stroll in the Prairie Lodge, others interrupted their daily routines by gathering in front of the fireplace to watch President Obama’s health care summit.
It did not take long for the senior citizens at the Del Webb’s Sun City Huntley community to voice their opinions about the lawmakers on tv.
“Anything the government handles I think its going to be too big”, said Paul Souchek, as he was lounging in an oversize chair. Carol Snyder, wondering what impact a reform would have on senior citizens, said that “…poor people have always had health care”.
Del Webb’s Sun City Huntley is located 45 miles northwest of downtown Chicago.
Chicago, IL — “We have too much to do in Iran and Afghanistan”, so U.S. Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) is opposing a military option on how to deal with Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The Republican Senate candidate is instead favoring a gasoline sanction as way to make the Iranian economy implode.
Reading from a recent United Nations report, Kirk said Iran could produce weapons grade uranium in six months or less, so “time is running out”. US policy should be “to not have a conflict”, Kirk said.
Kirk was speaking at Chicago Council of Global Affairs.
Chicago, IL – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) came to Chicago today to raise money for U.S. Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL). The former presidential hopeful said he is confident about Kirks chances to win President Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat.
Answering a question about Senator Scott Brown’s (R) recent win in Massachusetts and its impact on Illinois, McCain said it “was certainly an incredible feat, but I think that you don’t want to over learn lessons from other states”.
Kirk expects notables from both parties to come to Illinois and push their candidates because of how important the race is. “Illinois can send a message even more powerful than the one in Massachusetts”, Kirk said.
Both Navy veterans, McCain officially endorsed Kirk for the U.S. Senate in fall of 2009.
The fundraiser, held at the Chicago Union Club, was closed to the media.
Chicago, IL – “Number one issue in Washington is jobs”, U.S Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today, and the Senate jobs proposal will give much needed credit to small businesses.
“The key to expanding employment and getting beyond unemployment… is in small business”. Sen. Durbin, visiting a local Chicago pastry shop, said that the Jobs Bill will give community banks incentive to loan money and small businesses tax credits for new hires.
“Small businesses around the country are desperate for loans and credit so they can expand their business, hire more people and bring us out of this recession”, Durbin said. With loans backed up by the federal government, Durbin stated the exposure for small banks will be minimal. Community banks will be required to give out loans to small businesses if they receive a portion of refunded TARP money. The loans from the banks will help grow small businesses “and expand the number of employees”, Durbin said.
Evanston, IL – “We had 60 votes before, as of last night we had 59”. US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is talking about the impact on losing the Massachusetts senate seat to Scott Brown (R-MA).
Durbin thinks passing the current health care bill will be very difficult as “it takes 60 for controversial issues”.
The dynamics has changed and reconciliation is the only option if the democrats do not get a republican to sponsor the bill, Durbin said.
Durbin was speaking at an Evanston Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast.
EVANSTON, IL — “He’s not going to be lieutenant governor”. Those words were repeated several times today by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) when asked about Scott Lee Cohen. The pawnbroker and political neophyte, who spent $2 million of his personal money on his ad campaign, won the Democratic Party nomination for lieutenant governor Tuesday.
Since then the Illinois Democratic leadership has publicly suggested Cohen to drop out of the race.
US Rep Jan Schakowski (D-IL) agreed with Durbin saying that “people didn’t really pay attention”, and that “clearly this nominee got there because he spent about 2 million dollars”.
For more background on Scott Lee Cohen http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/02/04/domestic-abuse-charge-haunts-illinois-dem/