sailingaway
03-14-2012, 09:27 PM
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-illinois-republican-primary-romney-0315-20120315,0,4907969.story
On Wednesday, only 70 people greeted Gingrich, the first of the four remaining candidates to try to plant a flag in Illinois, at a welcoming event at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
After a pair of second-place finishes the day before in Gingrich's home region in the South raised questions about his campaign's continued viability, he declared: "I am staying in this race." The candidate vowed to continue on until the Republican National Convention in Florida in August. "I look forward to getting to Tampa with your help," said Gingrich, who later spoke to about 450 at a dinner in Palatine.
Romney campaigned in Missouri on Wednesday leading up to that state's Saturday division of county caucus delegates, breaking away long enough to make a telephone conference call to Illinois Republicans where he declared Santorum an "economic lightweight." He also likened Santorum and Gingrich to home-state Democratic President Barack Obama as examples of the danger of electing "a president who'd never run anything."
Santorum, who is expected to make his first campaign visit to Illinois on Friday, sent a campaign fundraising pitch to supporters off his two Southern victories and said "conservatives have the best opportunity they've had yet to nominate a conservative."
He asked for money to run ads in Illinois and other upcoming contests as documents showed Romney and his super political action committee crossed the $2.75 million mark in spending for TV ads across the state.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul made his lone planned preprimary appearance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before an estimated 5,000 on Wednesday night.
The candidate focused on his libertarian campaign themes. Paul called for repealing the Patriot Act and abolishing the IRS and federal income taxes.
"Government does have a responsibility, but it should be very limited. What has happened in the last few years has been a disintegration of personal liberty, and it has to be restored," Paul said. " The Constitution was very explicit about when we should go to war. It should be done only with a declaration from Congress. We need to bring our troops home."
Obviously Gingrich came for the fundraiser in Palatine, but only got 70 people at the Rosemont Convention center?
and of course there was this reminder:
Voters cast a ballot to express their choice for a nominee, but the votes that matter require an extra step — casting ballots for delegate candidates aligned with their presidential preference.
That puts a premium on the candidates' selection of delegate teams and on promoting them as much as themselves. But the nitty-gritty of amassing delegates — the real goal of the primary and caucus season — lacks the rhetorical flourishes that voters want to see from their candidates.
Romney, Gingrich and Paul have a built-in advantage in Illinois when it comes to delegates. They each filed full delegate slates in the state's 18 congressional districts. Santorum backers were able to file slates in only 14 districts, representing 44 of the 54 delegates up for election.
On Wednesday, only 70 people greeted Gingrich, the first of the four remaining candidates to try to plant a flag in Illinois, at a welcoming event at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
After a pair of second-place finishes the day before in Gingrich's home region in the South raised questions about his campaign's continued viability, he declared: "I am staying in this race." The candidate vowed to continue on until the Republican National Convention in Florida in August. "I look forward to getting to Tampa with your help," said Gingrich, who later spoke to about 450 at a dinner in Palatine.
Romney campaigned in Missouri on Wednesday leading up to that state's Saturday division of county caucus delegates, breaking away long enough to make a telephone conference call to Illinois Republicans where he declared Santorum an "economic lightweight." He also likened Santorum and Gingrich to home-state Democratic President Barack Obama as examples of the danger of electing "a president who'd never run anything."
Santorum, who is expected to make his first campaign visit to Illinois on Friday, sent a campaign fundraising pitch to supporters off his two Southern victories and said "conservatives have the best opportunity they've had yet to nominate a conservative."
He asked for money to run ads in Illinois and other upcoming contests as documents showed Romney and his super political action committee crossed the $2.75 million mark in spending for TV ads across the state.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul made his lone planned preprimary appearance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before an estimated 5,000 on Wednesday night.
The candidate focused on his libertarian campaign themes. Paul called for repealing the Patriot Act and abolishing the IRS and federal income taxes.
"Government does have a responsibility, but it should be very limited. What has happened in the last few years has been a disintegration of personal liberty, and it has to be restored," Paul said. " The Constitution was very explicit about when we should go to war. It should be done only with a declaration from Congress. We need to bring our troops home."
Obviously Gingrich came for the fundraiser in Palatine, but only got 70 people at the Rosemont Convention center?
and of course there was this reminder:
Voters cast a ballot to express their choice for a nominee, but the votes that matter require an extra step — casting ballots for delegate candidates aligned with their presidential preference.
That puts a premium on the candidates' selection of delegate teams and on promoting them as much as themselves. But the nitty-gritty of amassing delegates — the real goal of the primary and caucus season — lacks the rhetorical flourishes that voters want to see from their candidates.
Romney, Gingrich and Paul have a built-in advantage in Illinois when it comes to delegates. They each filed full delegate slates in the state's 18 congressional districts. Santorum backers were able to file slates in only 14 districts, representing 44 of the 54 delegates up for election.