Kirk Still Leading in the Home Stretch

Mark Kirk is back in the District after showing independent leadership in the bi-partisan efforts to pass economic relief legislation in Congress. Dan would have voted against it or maybe for it, but maybe not – who knows – Mr. Negativity can only point fingers and never offers any positive solutions. Kirk, on the other hand, has a proven track record of delivering positive results on the issues that matter to people who live here in the tenth as noted by this weekend’s News-Sun endorsement.

Known for spending nearly every weekend and congressional break in the District (except for when he is serving in the Naval Reserves), we can expect to be seeing even more of Kirk in the next few weeks as he continues his hard work on behalf of the citizens of the 10th. He positively rocked it at the Candidates Forum on Saturday and I can’t wait for the next debate between Kirk and Seals. Even the ultra-left Daily Kos has released a poll showing Kirk still beating Seals and I am not sure the kirkisbush screaming lies from smirky-eddy-haskill-fake-smiling Seals will be able to move his numbers any further in his direction. Voters are more likely to be swayed by the growing list of endorsements Kirk is picking up than by Seals lackluster campaigning and the irrelevant ads from outside groups. Given that Seals has not been able to move his numbers in 3 years it is unlikely he can close the distance in just 30 days. Voters in the 10th know Mark Kirk is the right guy for the job.

Kirk a "Leader and a Fighter" in enthusiastic New-Sun Endorsement or Sorry Dan we are not buying your lies.

The New-Sun issued a ringing endorsement of Congressman Kirk today and in the process took challenger Dan Seals and his campaign to task for attempting to mis-state Kirk's record and perhaps more imporatntly of bringing nothing new to the table in his second attempt to unseat the effective and well-liked Kirk. The endorsement reads:

Congressman Mark Kirk has been a good public servant with a solid record of achievement for Lake County. We believe he deserves another two-year term in Washington, D.C.

His record since first being elected in 2000 speaks volumes about his constituent services in the 10th Congressional District, and, facing a second challenge from Democrat Dan Seals of Wilmette, his hard work the past two years solidifies in our minds that voters should re-elect him come Nov. 4. Kirk has been a leader and a fighter, when needed, for the 10th District. While a Republican, he has shown an independent streak and not been in lockstep with the Bush administration, as some would have us believe. Indeed, you don't get kudos from environmental groups, such as the National Wildlife Federation, if you agree with the policies of the Bush administration.

Kirk has tackled some nagging problems in the district and brought others to the forefront, such as: an $850,000 grant to establish a federal-local anti-gang taskforce for Waukegan and neighboring communities; support for the assault weapons ban; impact aid for North Chicago and Highland Park schools; working to reopen the 22nd Street gate at Naval Station Great Lakes; expanding literacy education for new immigrants; curtailing mercury pollution; battling for a cleaner Lake Michigan; transportation funding for the Route 60 bridge over the Tri-State Tollway, which is definitely not a bridge to nowhere.

He's also prodded Waukegan officials for torpedoing plans to clean up Waukegan Harbor after he helped snare a federal grant and labored to save billions in federal transit funds after Illinois officials were on the verge of losing that money. Too, the congressman has reached out to the county's new immigrant population with grants to expand literacy education and working to reunite immigrant families with their relatives.

One of the major points we like about Kirk is his steadfast championing of turning the North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center into the nation's first joint VA-Defense Department hospital, the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, the $71 facility set to open in July 2010. That alone should silence Kirk's critics when it comes to questioning his support for the district's aging veterans.

This is the second matchup between Kirk and Seals and, frankly, we have heard nothing new from the challenger this go-round to sway us from backing the congressman for another term. The 10th District has a gem in Mark Kirk, and voters should keep him in Washington.

A gem indeed - now go get a sign, write a letter and most importantly get out and vote!

Kirk Shows Real Courage and Puts Country Before Politics

With only a month to go before the election and the lunacy spiralling out of control, I thought I would wade back into the blogging game with observations on the federal elections fom my little slice of the middle. I am still not sure how I will vote for President - more on that tomorrow - but if anything, my conviction that Mark Kirk is the right person to send to congress has only increased over the past week. Specifically, his willingness to do what was right despite the political consequences regarding the proposed bailout has solidified my conviction that Kirk is a conscientious public servent with the backbone to stand up for what he believes in.

Mort Kondracke summed it up in his column for Real Clear Politics:

"Still, certain Members stood out as profiles in courage while their colleagues headed for the high grass. And some leaders deserve credit for trying to save the day — and for continuing to try. Of 41 Members considered to be facing the toughest re-election races, only nine — six Democrats and three Republicans — bucked inflamed public opinion and voted to save the economy from ruin.

The roll of honor deserves to be called: Democratic Reps. Bill Foster (Ill.), Paul Kanjorski (Pa.), Tim Mahoney (Fla.), Jim Marshall (Ga.), Jerry McNerney (Calif.) and Christopher Murphy (Conn.). And, even more so, the three Republicans, who did the right thing in the face of a Democratic tide raging against them: Reps. Mark Kirk (Ill.), Jon Porter (Nev.) and Christopher Shays (Conn.).

Kirk recommended to GOP leaders a political pact that might have saved the rescue package Monday — and might help pass a new one. It is: Have the House campaign committees agree not to mount campaign ads against Members favoring the “bailout.” So far, the idea has gone nowhere."

I hope the "leaders" in congress listen to Mark Kirk - after all he is the guy acting like a real leader. And I hope the voters back home realize that this kind of leadership is exactly why we need to keep Kirk representing us in congress.

Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Groundbreaking Ceremony

My dad is a proud marine vet who has been getting terrific care from the VA for more than 40 years. It is great to see this facility moving forward and what a way to honor Captain Lovell - a true American hero. From today's Daily Herald:

" But it was a groundbreaking ceremony this morning in North Chicago that had the biggest impact on his wife, Marilyn. She dabbed at tears as Lovell, of Lake Forest, and other dignitaries celebrated the pending construction of the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, the first-ever joint Navy and Veterans Administration hospital.

"Jim has received many, many awards since flying his greatest space mission, but today has hit me the most emotionally," Marilyn Lovell explained. "I can't believe that his name is going to be on this hospital."

Set to open in 2010, the facility will be the nation's first joint Veterans Affairs/Navy hospital, said U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park. It will be on the grounds of the North Chicago VA Medical Center, which will merge with the nearby Great Lakes Naval Station's hospital to create the new facility.

"I'm superbly happy," Lovell said of the project. "I think this is a great idea."

When completed, the Lovell Center will serve an estimated 100,000 veterans, active-duty recruits or troops and civilian relatives annually. Plans call for the Navy facility to be demolished the following year."

On Experience and Education Kirk is a clear winner over Seals

Here is a comparison of experience between Congressman Mark Kirk and two-time challenger Dan Seals as reported by the non-partisan Project VoteSmart. For such a young man Kirk has a remarkable resume. Seals not so much.

Another reason to keep Kirk

For helping to keep local education programs running.

"A literacy initiative designed for Latino parents and their young children through the College of Lake County will continue after Congressman Mark Kirk, R-Highland Park, announced a $335,043 grant from the U.S. Department of Education on Monday. The program "Families Involved in Reading Stories Together" began in 2005, but was scaled back earlier this year when the initial federal grant money ran out and local funding was used to keep the program going. "The need for this program is very high and we are thrilled to be able to resume it to its original scope and even expand it," said Mary Charuhas, CLC's dean of adult education."

Well fought and well done Ms. Clinton

"The light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be easier next time," Clinton said.