Jill Morgenthaler

IL-6: "GI Jill" Tries To Wrest A Seat From Roskam

Angela Caputo — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:13:12 -0800

Don't be fooled by the bevy of McCain/Palin and Peter Roskam yard signs staked throughout the western suburbs, says Dawn Hall, a waitress from Lombard.

The 49-year-old hit the polling place early this morning, in time to make her 7 a.m. shift at Granny's Diner. And, unlike years past, she wasn't alone in her determination to inject some blue into the Dupage County vote count.

"Even though DuPage County has been a Republican stronghold, I think there's enough disgust for the war and the economy that Democrats have a good chance this year," Hall said.

That's the sentiment that 6th District Democratic congressional candidate Jill Morgenthaler is banking on today. Early voting surveys revealed an enthusiasm among Democrats in the district, who cast a majority of straight-ticket, pre-Election Day votes, according to Morgenthaler, who is criss-crossing the district today in her Ford Mustang with signature "GI Jill" plates.

Here's how she boils it down: "I need every Democrat voting and every independent vote." The magic number is 60 percent, Morgenthaler adds. That's the share of Obama voters she must attract to take the seat from GOP incumbent Roskam.

Her get-out-the-vote strategy is part of a grassroots ground campaign being waged from a shuttered beauty shop in Glendale Heights. Soccer moms are driving the elderly to the polls. Friends and neighbors make phone calls. And her extended family is pounding the pavement, knocking on doors and shaking hands in suburbs where polls show the undecided vote is greatest.

Believe it or not, those folks are still out there. We met up with one, Rosemarie Scanlan, a semi-retired businesswoman from Glendale Heights who walked into her polling place this morning still undecided about the congressional race. Thus far, Scanlan had devoted most of her energy to the choice at the top of the ticket.

"I'm not too political," Scanlan said. "It was a tough choice but I'm going for Obama."

We noted last week how Roskam is trying to attract ticket-splitters through his "Obama Voters for Roskam" website, but voters like Hall think most people have laughed off the idea that the pair is a team.

"People are fed up," she said. "We're looking for [something] different."

CBS News Reports On Jill Morgenthaler

Josh Kalven — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:00:31 -0800

Over the weekend, CBS Evening News reported on the slew of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans running for Congress across the country this year. The segment highlighted Jill Morgenthaler's bid to unseat GOP Rep. Peter Roskam in the 6th District. Watch her appearance below:

You can view the whole report here.

On a related note, the group VoteVets highlighted their support for Morgenthaler during a Friday conference call featuring Wesley Clark and former Sens. Bob Kerrey and Max Cleland. "The [6th] district is heavy Obama, even though it has more Republican registration," said VoteVets chairman Jon Soltz. "And if there's a race on Tuesday night that has to do with coattails, more than any other race in the country, we feel that this is one of the sleeper House races."

Des Plaines Journal Endorses Seals, Morgenthaler

Josh Kalven — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:44:18 -0700

From the Des Plaines Journal's endorsement of 10th Congressional District Democratic challenger Dan Seals:

During the grueling contest, the usually moderate and thoughtful [GOP Rep. Mark] Kirk has resorted to negative advertising to get his message out. He has also limited his availability to the public, we guess, having made the decision to rely on TV ads and mailings. This oftentimes happens when an incumbent fears that he might not be reelected. If Kirk is not engaged and responsive to his community while campaigning, it is unlikely he would do so while in office. If Seals becomes the next congressman, he would do well to remember that lesson.

The Journal endorsed Democratic challenger Jill Morgenthaler in the 6th District, citing "her fresh approach, sound, cool judgment, and worldly experience."

Other endorsements of note this week: the SouthtownStar backed Democrat Debbie Halvorson in the 11th District and the Sun-Times voiced support for Republican incumbent Judy Biggert in the 13th. We've updated our endorsement round-up accordingly.

Roskam Refuses To Talk To NBC About Abortion Comments

Josh Kalven — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:23:19 -0700

Reporting on the 6th Congressional District race today, NBC 5's Mary Ann Ahern noted Democratic challenger Jill Morgenthaler's criticism of a comment made by GOP Rep. Peter Roskam at a recent editorial meeting. Ahern reported that Roskam "would not talk about that abortion statement, refusing to clarify it or even discuss it today":

Here's Roskam's full statement at the Pioneer Press editorial meeting, via Capitol Fax:

You know, my position is the same as Henry Hyde’s. And Henry Hyde put it best when he said, when somebody is the victim of a crime, the law currently says that a rapist can’t be put to death. That’s the law. A rapist under the court doctrines can’t be put to death. He said, why is it that the baby who is the result of that criminal behavior can be put to death? He said, isn’t that a sad, sad thing. So my feeling is, look, in the case of that, that’s the hard case, right? That’s the ultimate painful and difficult case. And what we need to do is love that person and encourage them and support them. But once people are categorized by how they were conceived and the circumstances of their conception, you end up going down a route that ultimately I don’t think we want to be.

Debating The Debates

Josh Kalven — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:40:09 -0700

Lots of congressional debate news this week, so let's run through it all.

First, 11th District GOP candidate Marty Ozinga is complaining about the choice of Southtown Star columnist Kristen McQueary as the moderator of a September 25 debate between he and Democrat Debbie Halvorson. From a campaign press release posted by Capitol Fax:

It would be hard to imagine a presidential debate moderated by MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. Similarly, we cannot imagine a congressional debate moderated by Kristen McQueary. [...]

We propose one of two options to rectify this problem: 1) for balance, have fellow Southtown Star opinion columnist Fran Eaton to serve as the comoderator with Mrs. McQueary; OR 2) have an objective news reporter familiar with the race, such as the Joliet Herald News’ Patrick Ferrell, to serve as the sole moderator.

Rich Miller effectively skewers the Ozinga's campaign suggestion that McQueary needs to balanced by a right-wing figure such as Eaton. He concludes: "What a buncha whiners."

Meanwhile, in the 6th Congressional District, GOP Rep. Peter Roskam has apparently refused to debate Democratic challenger Jill Morgenthaler. From a press release:

Morgenthaler said, “Peter Roskam likes to talk to voters in his pre-scripted 'virtual town halls' but will not answer the hard questions on his record or on the issues. I have agreed to every debate and joint appearance request that has come our way, and Peter Roskam has continued to hide. This is a critical year and the voters of the 6th District deserve the opportunity to hear where the candidates stand on the issues that affect their day-to-day lives.”

To date, Roskam, has refused to appear with Colonel Morgenthaler in any venue.

The release goes on to point out that, during his 2006 race for the open 6th District seat, Roskam accused then-Democratic candidate Tammy Duckworth of ducking several community debates. Duckworth did agree to four debates with Roskam prior to Election Day that year.

Finally, Sen. Dick Durbin and GOP challenger Steve Sauerberg have agreed to two debates: one on October 6 on WTTW's Chicago Tonight and the other on October 9 at Knox College.

Morgenthaler Among Victims Of Chicagoland Floods

Josh Kalven — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:17:46 -0700

Democrat Jill Morgenthaler's 6th District congressional campaign just sent out an email letting supporters know that her home -- like many along the Des Plaines River -- was flooded yesterday (see pictures above), forcing her and her family to spend the night elsewhere. Campaign manager Julie Kerouac wrote: "Just as we are all relieved to know that Jill and her family are safe, so too are our thoughts and prayers with those in Texas who were struck much more heavily by Hurricane Ike."

Meanwhile, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has declared a state of emergency in all of the county and was scheduled to hold a press conference on the matter in Des Plaines at 4 pm. Earlier today, Des Plaines officials recommended a voluntary evacuation for all residents. Evacuations were also recommended in Riverside, Glenview, Addison, and the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. "I have never seen flooding like this," Albany Park resident Babu Daniel told the Tribune.

The rain measurement at O'Hare Airport yesteday was a record-breaking 6.63 inches yesterday.

Morgenthaler To Roskam: Our Troops Aren't Children

Josh Kalven — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:35:22 -0700

Earlier in the year, Rep. Peter Roskam signed on as a co-sponsor of the Military Honor and Decency Act, which restricts the sale of movies or printed materials featuring any nudity on Army bases worldwide. Today, the Sun-Times' Abdon Pallasch printed a response from Roskam's Democratic opponent, retired Col. Jill Morgenthaler:

"I find it offensive, having served with the young men and women in Iraq," said Morgenthaler, a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. "Every day we trust them to make decisions. This bill says we don't trust them to choose their own magazines or movies."

Blogger Steve Benen expressed similar sentiments last April:

Let me get this straight. U.S. troops are fighting two wars, neither of which are going well, and Republicans believe we should spend time and energy considering what kind of magazines U.S. troops can purchase on base? Here’s a radical idea: maybe those who wear the uniform and put their lives on the line for their country should be able to read whatever they want.

Two IL Candidates Make DCCC's List Of "Emerging Races"

Mose Buchele — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:38:54 -0700

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has named 14 new candidates to its list of "Red to Blue" races, which already features Dan Seals in Illinois' 10th District and Debbie Halvorson in the 11th. Furthermore, the DCCC rolled out a new list of 20 "emerging" congressional races that are generating substantial enthusiasm. Included are two additional Democratic candidates battling for seats here in the Prairie State: Jill Morgenthaler (IL-6) and Colleen Callahan (IL-18).

The DCCC releases these lists as a way of showing what candidates appear particularly strong, which districts particularly vulnerable, and as a way to generate support for the candidates mentioned. Those campaigns that make the cut also receive "financial, communications, and strategic support" from the DCCC.

Morgenthaler Displays Her Foreign Policy Knowledge

Mose Buchele — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:57:32 -0700

In her recent appearance on Jeff's Berkowitz' "Public Affairs," 4th District congressional hopeful Col. Jill Morgenthaler displayed a refreshingly strong grasp of international relations. At the outset, the Democrat and decorated veteran stated her opinion that the economy -- and not the war -- is of greatest concern to voters. Nonetheless, Berkowitz pressed her on a variety of foreign relations issues and she proved up to the task.

Morgenthaler spoke about the U.S. trade deficit, dependence on foreign oil, and America's need to engage with allies in the Middle East. One of her most astute insights came when she advocated diplomacy with Iraq's neighbor Iran, linking the escalation in hostilities between the Washington and Tehran to the economic situations of both countries:

MORGENTHALER: We have to have a dialogue with Iran. Right now Iran has a president [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] that we have to watch out for ... [Iran] has a troublesome economy and he is using us to distract from his problems. And I believe that President Bush is using Iran to try and distract us from our economic problems.

Having listened to Morgenthaler, it's of little surprise that she holds one Masters Degree from the Monterey Institute for International Studies and another in strategic studies from the Military War College.

Global talk aside, Morgenthaler did a good job of linking the Iraq occupation to the economic downturn at home. She also emphasized her support of progressive domestic policies like the mortgage finance bill, expanded health care, and ending subsidies for oil companies.