Flash
11-18-2009, 05:49 PM
U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Hughes said Illinois Republicans have a clear choice in the GOP primary next Feb. 2.
“Are we going to be the party of Ronald Reagan or the party of Arlen Spector?” Hughes asked during a campaign stop in Effingham Friday evening.
Spector is the U.S. senator from Pennsylvania who switched parties from Republican to Democrat recently.
Hughes toured Effingham companies Mid-America Motorworks and Hodgson’s Mill before meeting potential voters at the Effingham American Legion hall.
Hughes, 40, is making his first try for public office. Nevertheless, he said his experience as an attorney and businessman trumps the Washington experience of U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, who is considered Hughes’ main opponent for the GOP Senate nomination.
“We need the type of experience I’ve had as an attorney and businessman,” he said. “My fear is that the congressman cannot be trusted to be a reliable Republican vote on issues such as cap-and-trade, national security and social issues.”
Hughes, who bashes Kirk’s political stands every chance he gets, said the bashing helps get his core message across.
“I critique the congressman because it’s important that voters know what he stands for,” he said. “I am diametrically opposed to the congressman on many issues.
“It’s a two-man race for a battle of the soul of the party,” he said.
While there are several other candidates in the Republican primary, Hughes said he and Kirk are the only viable options.
Some of those issues, Hughes said, include cap-and-trade, health care reform and the federal stimulus package passed by Congress earlier this year.
Hughes said he has a number of legislative priorities, including decreasing government influence on the lives of individual Americans.
“I am opposed to any more stimulus packages, Obamacare and cap-and-trade,” he said.
“On the positive side, I would put laws in place that would provide incentives for private business to research and develop viable alternative energy sources,” Hughes added.
While those sources are being developed, he added, America should reduce its dependency on foreign oil by drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and offshore.
Hughes said he would also stop tying social agendas to troop funding bills, as well as oppose what he calls “pork barrel spending” and earmarks.
Pro-life and pro-Second Amendment, Hughes said it’s time for Republicans to reject moderation and liberalism in both the cultural and economic arenas.
“It’s important for us as Republicans that we adhere to the values and principles that made our party great,” he said.
Hughes grew up on the Northwest Side of Chicago. He graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., and received his law degree from De Paul University. After practicing law for a number of years, he branched out into real estate development.
Hughes also chairs Sensible Taxpayers Opposed to Increased Taxes (STOP-IT), a political action committee that lobbies for fiscal responsibility in state government. He stepped into the Senate race after he observed Kirk had no viable opposition.
“Nobody in my party would run against Mark Kirk,” he said.
Hughes and wife Susan live in Hinsdale with their three children.
http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/local/local_story_321102343.html
“Are we going to be the party of Ronald Reagan or the party of Arlen Spector?” Hughes asked during a campaign stop in Effingham Friday evening.
Spector is the U.S. senator from Pennsylvania who switched parties from Republican to Democrat recently.
Hughes toured Effingham companies Mid-America Motorworks and Hodgson’s Mill before meeting potential voters at the Effingham American Legion hall.
Hughes, 40, is making his first try for public office. Nevertheless, he said his experience as an attorney and businessman trumps the Washington experience of U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, who is considered Hughes’ main opponent for the GOP Senate nomination.
“We need the type of experience I’ve had as an attorney and businessman,” he said. “My fear is that the congressman cannot be trusted to be a reliable Republican vote on issues such as cap-and-trade, national security and social issues.”
Hughes, who bashes Kirk’s political stands every chance he gets, said the bashing helps get his core message across.
“I critique the congressman because it’s important that voters know what he stands for,” he said. “I am diametrically opposed to the congressman on many issues.
“It’s a two-man race for a battle of the soul of the party,” he said.
While there are several other candidates in the Republican primary, Hughes said he and Kirk are the only viable options.
Some of those issues, Hughes said, include cap-and-trade, health care reform and the federal stimulus package passed by Congress earlier this year.
Hughes said he has a number of legislative priorities, including decreasing government influence on the lives of individual Americans.
“I am opposed to any more stimulus packages, Obamacare and cap-and-trade,” he said.
“On the positive side, I would put laws in place that would provide incentives for private business to research and develop viable alternative energy sources,” Hughes added.
While those sources are being developed, he added, America should reduce its dependency on foreign oil by drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and offshore.
Hughes said he would also stop tying social agendas to troop funding bills, as well as oppose what he calls “pork barrel spending” and earmarks.
Pro-life and pro-Second Amendment, Hughes said it’s time for Republicans to reject moderation and liberalism in both the cultural and economic arenas.
“It’s important for us as Republicans that we adhere to the values and principles that made our party great,” he said.
Hughes grew up on the Northwest Side of Chicago. He graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., and received his law degree from De Paul University. After practicing law for a number of years, he branched out into real estate development.
Hughes also chairs Sensible Taxpayers Opposed to Increased Taxes (STOP-IT), a political action committee that lobbies for fiscal responsibility in state government. He stepped into the Senate race after he observed Kirk had no viable opposition.
“Nobody in my party would run against Mark Kirk,” he said.
Hughes and wife Susan live in Hinsdale with their three children.
http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/local/local_story_321102343.html