In Fight for Illinois 18th, Boehner's Boy Darin LaHood Is Ducking Appearances to Avoid Conservative Challenger Mike Flynn

I have to note, again, that Mike Flynn is a friend. I should note further that he's actually a conservative, unlike LaHood (son of Obama's Transportation Secretary), so I'm biased towards him.

This isn't an Establishment move at all: avoiding the public and his opponent in an effort to simply Assume the Throne.

Is Mike Flynn running against Hillary Clinton?

The solidly Republican district is featuring a race between conservative activist Mike Flynn and Republican state Sen. Darrin LaHood. LaHood is the son of former Obama Transportation Secretary and GOP Rep. Ray LaHood.

LaHood did not appear at a recent early voting event in Bloomington that his campaign sent a press advisory out for. The event was intended to “kick off his newest social media campaign” in the state’s 18th Congressional District, but the senator was a no-show. Early voting began on May 28 and will continue through July 6.

The Daily Caller sent an inquiry to LaHood’s campaign manager but did not receive a response.

He didn't show up because he feared, probably correctly, that Mike Flynn might show up and upstage him.

Flynn campaign manager Tom Stoner, however, responded to LaHood’s absence saying:

"We have witnessed a consistent pattern of avoidance on the part of Senator LaHood as our continued calls for numerous debates with Mike Flynn to discuss the critical issues of the day have gone unanswered," Stoner said. "[State] Senator LaHood rarely steps out publicly beyond the controlled environments of fundraisers and party functions with a recent example being his failure to appear at his own campaign sponsored Early Vote event here in McLean County on Monday.

Flynn has offered to give the voters an informed choice -- offering to debate LaHood at any time, in any forum. LaHood, favored simultaneously by John Boehner and Barack Obama, has refused.

As Flynn said, when he told me about his plans to run: We can't just keep electing Democrats in Disguise and then whine that we're not advancing conservative politics. At some point, we have to either make different choices, or admit to ourselves that we actively wish to be ruled by Boehner and Barack.

Flynn is no lightweight. In addition to having been Illinois legislative pointman in DC for years, and then working on the writing side of conservative politics for both Reason and Breitbart.com, he's also, honestly, a genius, and I do not use that term lightly, generally believing that I should not dilute the power of the word by employing it to describe anyone but the most truly deserving of recognition for the incandescent brilliance of their minds, by which I chiefly mean myself.

And he's got real supporters, too. This isn't some internet fly-by-night thing.

Mike Flynn Receives Endorsements from Citizens United Political Victory Fund, Richard Viguerie in IL-18

Bloomington, IL- Congressional candidate Mike Flynn announced today he has received endorsements from Citizens United Political Victory Fund and Richard Viguerie, chairman of Conservative HQ.

Said David Bossie of the Citizens United Political Victory Fund, “Mike Flynn is a conservative change agent who will promote pro-growth economic policies that will create jobs in Illinois...Out of control Washington spending by career politicians is pushing America to the brink of financial meltdown. Mike Flynn will confront the establishment. Darin LaHood will become part of the problem, not part of the solution."

Citizens United Political Victory Fund (CUPVF) is the affiliated PAC of Citizens United.
Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman, ConservativeHQ.com announced, "We endorsed Mike Flynn because he will not go to Washington and become part of the problem. Mike Flynn is a full spectrum conservative who will be an unrelenting opponent to the Big Government that is today destroying our economy, stifling job growth and is an existential threat to constitutional government and religious liberty."

Viguerie serves as the chairman of www.ConservativeHQ.com. The author of a number of books on politics and the conservative movement, Viguerie's latest book is TAKEOVER: the 100-year War for the Soul of the GOP and How Conservatives can Finally Win It.

"I am honored to receive these endorsements." said Mike Flynn. "Citizens United and Richard Viguerie have been fighting with the grassroots against big government and political cronyism for years. Together we will continue to fight for a government that adheres to the vision and core beliefs of our Founding documents for the voters of IL-18 and for America."

Yes, he got the endorsement of that Citizens United. Richard Vinguerie's pioneered modern conservatism's direct-mail advocacy through his ConservativeHQ, and is a stalwart on limited government. (He has previously backed Ron Paul, for example -- something I personally would not do, but anyone who has backed Ron Paul is obviously seriously about limiting government.)

On the other hand, Darin LaHood has the endorsements of John Boehner and, secretly I'm sure, Barack Obama.

If you want to join Flynn's campaign, or donate, go here.

There's something else you can do, too: You can email this to your contacts among other blogs and on radio shows. I know several big-timers are close to essentially endorsing Flynn (by having Flynn appear and talk about LaHood, but not vice versa).

But there's always something that holds people back. It's this: Is this a story big enough that people care about? Every writer or radio show host has to ask himself that. He has his political preferences, but then, he also has his professional obligations to his audience, and not bore them with what they might consider small-bore stuff.

After all, this is only a single US House race.

But by sending this along your networks, you can help persuade them that yes, the audience is interested and engaged, and would like to see the first US Congressman elected out of New Media defeat the tired old candidates of nepotism and selling out.

posted by Ace at 05:31 PM

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