The Capitol Fax Blog » Sauerberg pumps a mil into campaign

Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008

* This is heartening news for Republicans…

Republican Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg has loaned his campaign $1 million to help take on Democratic incumbent Dick Durbin. Sauerberg calls it “a down-payment on my commitment to voters.” Money is likely to be a problem for Sauerberg, a doctor from Willowbrook. He got only about $250,000 worth of donations for the primary election and might have trouble raising money to face a popular Democrat in a Democrat-leaning state.

Nobody believes that Sauerberg can win. The idea is to avoid being completely blown out of the water. If Obama wins the presidential nomination, the Republicans will need to slow - or at least not increase - the Democrats’ momentum as voters move down the ticket. If Durbin beats Sauerberg by a lot more than Obama wins the state, down-ballot Republicans are in even more trouble.

* Sauerberg still has a long ways to go, however…

Sauerberg easily won the GOP primary in February. But he came under criticism from some fellow Republicans for not running a more aggressive media campaign to introduce himself to Illinois voters. Sauerberg acknowledged his uphill battle against incumbent Durbin and vowed to step up his fundraising and marketing efforts. Sauerberg called the million-dollar loan “a down-payment on my commitment” to beat Durbin.

Federal campaign finance reports show that Durbin has raised more than $6.6 million. A Durbin spokeswoman said Durbin’s fundraising activity has not been as aggressive in recent weeks, but the Democrat still has about $7 million on hand.

Durbin will undoubtedly have more than $10 million to spend this fall.

* And this is an interesting development. The Illinois Review types are up in arms about Sauerberg, who had been positioning himself as a hardline conservative…

IL GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Steve Sauerberg stunned social conservatives last week when he announced the addition of a homosexual rights activist as his campaign’s new press secretary. Christopher Barron, 36, was point man for the Log Cabin Republicans in their 2004 campaign against President George W. Bush’s effort to add a federal marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution. […]

“It is inconceivable that Steve Sauerberg would so needlessly alienate the pro-family conservative base in Illinois by hiring a veteran homosexual activist for his campaign,” said Peter LaBarbera, founder of Republicans For Family Values.

LaBarbera is not exactly what you would call a mainstream conservative, or even a mainstream ultraconservative. It won’t hurt Sauerberg much to get on LaBarbera’s bad side, and it might even help a tad.

- posted by Rich Miller

29 Comments

- Ghost - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 9:26 am:
It seems brining on Barron was a wise move. Lets face it, the onservative republicans are not going to vote for Durbin, so they are the group you need to foucs on the least. On the other side, if the only support you have is conservative republicans the game is over early with a large loss. In order to be viable Sauerberg needs to attract moderates and independents, Barron, at least at this stage, looks to be a good move in that direction. If the conservative republicans with rather have Durbin back in office then God bless them their startegy of keeping the most liberal canidate in office because the more moderate/conservative one wont support their every idea.

- Levois - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 9:32 am:
I heard his position on abortion once. That’s certainly not hardline especially if the typical conservative position is all abortion is wrong and should be illegal.

- GoBearsss - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 9:35 am:
And here I thought Republicans were just saying this morning: “We’ve grown increasingly disappointed with those self-funding millionaires.”

- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 9:40 am:
lol

- Pat collins - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 10:00 am:
Are the Greens running a Senate Candidate? Looks like they get another chance to cement their statewide status.

You DON’T have to vote for the lesser of two evils. Just vote Green :)

- chiatty - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 10:19 am:
“Republicans For Family Values”: Now, there’s a good one!

- PhilCollins - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 10:26 am:
Yes, the Green Party has a U.S. Senate candidate. The Constitution, Libertarian, and Socialist Workers Parties will also have candidates, in that race.

- Bill S. Preston, Esq. - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 10:39 am:
I’ve always been curious as to how people like LaBarbera have been able to get away with labeling their homosexual phobias as ‘pro-family.’ How does fighting against an exclusive definition of marriage make you ‘anti-family’? Or better yet, how does supporting the definition make you ‘pro-family’? I wish groups like LaBarbera’s would stop veiling their bigotry behind buzz phrases that suggest valiant efforts.

I propose a new slogan for Republicans for Family Values: We Dig Straight People.

To each his own, but you should at least be truthful about your prejudices.

- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 10:49 am:
I don’t know anything about this guy except this: He volunteered for a suicide mission, kicked in his own money, and yet his base of supporters claim he isn’t right-wing enough.

I wish there was a Republican Party in this state. To all the true-believers in the Illinois GOP who would rather lose than govern, I quote the great Barry Goldwater at the 1960 Republican Convention in Chicago: “Grow up.”

- GOP'er - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 10:52 am:
Does anyone ever check to see if a “loan” like this really involved $1 million in proceeds actually moving to a seperate campaign account where it’s truly accessable in full by the campaign treasurer? Or is this just a bookkeeping gimmick where some numbers are thrown out, in a desperate attempt to get real funders to throw a few bucks to the Illinois GOP’s latest sacrificial lamb?

In other words, isn’t this just about trying to create a bandwagon effect, i.e., “See, I believe in this cause so much I’m putting in my own sweat equity, won’t you join me?”

In any case, a loan tells me the person isn’t all that committed. The other message it sends funders is “flush your money down the toilet so I can repay myself for this ego driven exercise in futility this year.”

- train111 - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 10:53 am:
wordslinger

Well said!!

I often wonder who’s better at shooting themselves in the foot–the national Dems or the Illinois GOP. Nothing like a bunch of backbiting and whining to cause a string of election losses. The way these guys are going, in a few years they’ll be lucky to elect a dog catcher in Barrington.

train111

- OneMan - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 11:08 am:
Wordslinger…

I have often found it isn’t about winning anymore. It’s about dogma with a host of these folks.

GoBearass

If we could get some elected to step up into these races (for example to replace Jack Ryan) we wouldn’t have these self funders. Unfortunately they generally don’t.

- Sock Puppet Express - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 11:13 am:
Boy are his kids going to be P(&^*)^)^*()^*^((^ off

- True Observer - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 11:33 am:
You want me to lead it off with “He’s disheartened the Republicans by only raising a million against a probable ten million?”

Didn’t you see, he’s selling out his base and going with the homosexuals. Change that to “Heartening news for Republicans”

Will do.

- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 11:35 am:
The smaller the candidate, the uglier the fights.

- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 11:50 am:
Andy McKenna needs to go. Could he seriously not find anyone on the “bench” to run against Durbin? His over-reliance on self-funders is going to tear down the party - especially if unknowns like Sauerberg keep running for important posts. Sauerberg should have started small and run for state rep or senator or even mayor. Starting off against Durbin is stupid and expensive.

Of course, I guess the self-funder idea is okay if the person is likeable and actually viable. Someone like Harry Bond or Martin Ozinga has a better shot at self-funding a Congressional race than does Dr. Sauerberg against a two-term Senator who happens to be the Majority Whip in the U.S. Senate. Sauerberg seems to be nice but I really wonder what went through his noggin when he agreed to this.

The hiring of Farron is a good idea. Social conservatives in Illinois need to settle down. As the collar counties become more and more socially moderate, the state GOP needs to realize that tempering down the social issue discussions is better than allowing loose cannons to spout off and make swing voters north of I-80 angry.

- Plutocrat03 - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 12:06 pm:
Just continuing proof that there is no functioning Republican Party in Illinois.

What is the point of telling the social conservatives to settle down? These are the people who have funded the party and walked the past election campaigns. When they walk away, there is no party left.

We learned that top down management does not work from the days of the Soviet Union. Power should come from the bottom to the top. The Statewide Republicans have been useless for more than a decade with their self funding mandate. By trying to protect Ryan and his cronies they lost whatever claim they had to honesty.

Perhaps it is time to decertify the State party and see what grows up in its place.

- Trafficmatt - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 1:13 pm:
Team Sleep & Plutocrat3,

Both of you have great points.

I’m pretty disgusted by a) the tendancy to only support self-funders, and b) the take that some conservatives have of demanding that all candidates tow a strict line. I’m a pro-life, NRA member, lower taxes, lower spending conservative. I say that proudly. However, I realize that as a conservative, I have a LOT better chance to advance ideas as a Republican than spouting off on everyone that I think is a ‘RINO’. There are some that advocate the third party route - sorry, I has never-ever happened in presidential politics, and I’m pretty sure that it has only happened twice in Congress (Joe Lieberman and Sanders from Vermont come to mind). Conservatives need to learn to “dance with the one who brung ya”. Try being positive and engaging ‘moderates’ instead of sniping at them and see what happens.

- birdfangop - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 1:45 pm:
the better question-can he raise another million? he really hasnt raised anything since day one, puts in a bunch of money that doesnt seem to do anything, and expects what? i am not positive-rich, fill me in here-but i do believe durbin is pretty popular and well liked, and at the end of the day arent elections about being liked (just ask oberloss)

- OneMan - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 1:58 pm:
Trafficmatt,

good point. If you disagree with the social conservatives you are a RINO, if you are too much of a social conservative you are unelectable. Sometimes we act like a party that doesn’t have it’s back against the wall.

- Pat Collins - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 1:59 pm:
. Try being positive and engaging ‘moderates’ instead of sniping at them and see what happens.

It’s a two way street :)

Actually, Durbin has only so-so numbers for a guy going for a third term, and IL historically isn’t kind to 3 terms. Ask Chuck Percy :)

- paddyrollingstone - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 2:08 pm:
“Actually, Durbin has only so-so numbers for a guy going for a third term, and IL historically isn’t kind to 3 terms. Ask Chuck Percy :)”

True, but Chuck was running against Paul Simon, who I am pretty sure no one has ever confused with Steve Sauerberg.

- Easy - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 2:11 pm:
It’s pretty clear that Barron is good at securing earned media for Sauerberg. Any pub is good pub, right?

Issues aside, and I’m sure Barron would agree, the spokesman should never be the story.

- Trafficmatt - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 2:20 pm:
OneMan,

Thanks

I would contend, however, that if someone is a really good candidate, whether right-wing or moderate, they will do well. I think people respond more to vision, passion and likeability more than individual issues.

- Ghost - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 3:25 pm:
Trafficmatt, yes and no, depends on the issue. That said the republicans have this od habit of attacking their own for failing to support certain conservative issues, such as abortion, same sex marriage etc. Its fascinating to watch them eat thier young and then complain about the lack of children.

- Down with Durbin - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 4:34 pm:
Compared to Illinois Review, the rationality expressed here of Republicans not hammering away at Republicans for perceived ideological faults is refreshing.

Wordslinger, here here.

- downhereforyears - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 4:39 pm:
The real point here is that here’s a guy who has way too much money. Dumb….simply dumb.

- Touhy - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 6:04 pm:
The Combine exists. It is real, it is earnest, and death is not its goal.

Only dynamic remaining is how many RINOs they still need to make it look legit in the eyes of the uninitiated.

Some people need to step out of the forest to see the trees.

And apologists for the Combine can stay there.

- Touhy - Tuesday, Apr 1, 08 @ 6:20 pm:
Downhereforyears, if someone has too much money, you are in the wrong country. Russia, China and Cuba are looking for a few good men and they’ll take yours. All of it.

Wait…that’s Obama’s plan too…

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