[Editor Note: The last paragraph of this entry has been changed (in obvious ways using brackets and cross-outs) to be more accurate. Thanks to OneMan for asking the question that made me clarify the post. Please see the comments for a full explanation.]
Jotham Stein, Democratic candidate for the 14th Congressional District, launched his website Monday and yesterday he blogged at PrairieStateBlue making a pitch for activist/volunteers. His platform is progressive, supporting universal health care; guaranteed food for children under 18 (according to his statistics, 13 million children in the U.S. go to bed without food in their stomachs or unsure of whether there will be food for breakfast); reduction of greenhouse gases to “fix” global warming; immediate withdrawal from Iraq to neighboring allied countries “so that we are ready to invade again” if Iraq threatens the U.S. or allies with biological or nuclear weapons – “[b]ut if we ever invade again, our one goal must be to take out the weapons of mass destruction and then withdraw;” and bringing jobs to the district, particularly attracting “entrepreneurial high-tech [and] bio-tech” firms that will leverage Stein’s Silicon Valley experience, offering alternative energy tax credits for rural portions of the district – particularly making windmills and wind energy a major business, reducing government paperwork and simplifying regulations for small business, fair trade “with countries that artificially undervalue their currencies” to American business’ disadvantage, internet infrastructure investment, increased university research funding, “increase[d] science and math teaching” in schools, and immigration reform.
Stein, a St. Charles business and employment lawyer with a private practice, will [likely] face the only other announced Democratic candidate [that has publicly announced serious interest], State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia from Aurora, in the 14th Congressional District Democratic primary. John Laesch, the Democratic nominee in 2006 continues to follow events in the district – but has not declared his candidacy.
Comments 2
Has Linda announced?
Posted 29 Mar 2007 at 12:16 pm ¶You are right to ask for this clarification – I was sloppy. Unofficially yes Linda has announced if Hastert retires early – Daily Herald December 14, 2006 – “Aurora Democrat Linda Chapa LaVia said Wednesday she expects to run for Congress if U.S. Rep. Denny Hastert retires early….
“[If] he dropped out and gave up, vacated the seat, I’m right there.”
…Chapa LaVia is the first Democrat to publicly confirm interest in the post, saying several out-of-state consultants already visited her.
‘If I get the opportunity to do it, I would love to do it,’ she said.”
My indirect understanding is you can expect an announcement in the next couple months under the assumption that Hastert will retire at the end of his current two-year term – it isn’t definite what Linda’s announcement will be, but at this point it would seem surprising if it wasn’t a go.
Posted 29 Mar 2007 at 8:40 pm ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 1
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