Exciting News in IL-18

Update: there is an informative diary on the Daily Kos about this. No, it isn’t mine.

I posted this at Prairie State Blue:

I have to admit that I haven’t paid that much attention to the IL-18 U. S. Representative race. It is usually a lock for the Republicans, and Aaron Schock seemed to be a popular choice.

Perhaps I dismissed our chances too soon.

It turns out that the Republicans are bringing in The Decider for a private fundraiser for Mr. Schock!

From the Peoria Journal Star:

PEORIA -

Though his approval rating is one of the lowest of all U.S. presidents, George Bush is expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for 18th Congressional District candidate Aaron Schock when he appears at a fundraiser in the Peoria area later this month.

Bush, who last was in Peoria in January 2007 to visit Caterpillar Inc., will visit this time for the sole benefit of Schock. He’ll be at a $500 per head fundraiser at a yet-to-be determined private residence on July 25, Schock said.

“It’s humbling that out of 435 congressional races that (Bush) is willing to take time to help me and that I’m on his radar screen,” said Schock, currently a state House representative.

With Illinois U.S. Sen. Barack Obama at the top of the ballot in the November general election, current 18th District seat holder Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, said Republicans – particularly in Illinois – need all the help they can get.

“Aaron and other Republicans need to make sure that voters know they have to go down the ticket and cross over and vote. It’s going to take money to persuade people that these folks are on the ballot,” LaHood said. “It’s no secret that President Bush is very low in the polls, but I believe based on his visit here 18 months ago, central Illinois has a very good feeling about the president.”

Evidently they feel that Colleen Callahan has a chance else they wouldn’t be wasting their time.

Her website is here.

Her announcement; the total is 30 minutes; each segment is about 7-8 minutes.