Joe Walsh To Run Unopposed For GOP Nomination In Ill. 8th District

With the announcement that his principal primary challenger has dropped out of the race, the fiery freshman U.S. Rep Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) will now run unopposed for his party's nomination in his quest for re-election to the state's 8th District.

Darlene Ruscitti announced Wednesday that she would drop out of the race in order to avoid what she expected would be "a costly primary," the Chicago Tribune reports.

Despite the negative publicity surrounding the $117,437 he allegedly owes his ex-wife in back child support payments and a bizarre series of statements and altercations that have consistently landed him in the headlines, the Tea Party-backed Walsh has won the support of at least one influential name in the Republican Party nationally.

Even though Walsh contended in an October town hall that House Speaker John Boehner "doesn't want somebody like me around," the two appear to have made amends as the Daily Herald reported earlier this month that Boehner offered Walsh some $3.5 million worth of general election fundraising help in order to lure him to run in the 8th District, rather than challenging fellow incumbent GOP U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren in the 14th District.

Boehner's office denied that claim, but the National Republican Congressional Committee indicated they will be helping Walsh, according to Politico.

Tammy Duckworth, one of two potential Democratic challengers to Walsh in the 8th District, responded to the news by stating that "the choice for voters in the 8th Congressional District couldn’t be more clear." Duckworth recently criticized Walsh as "going on Fox News and spouting Tea Party slogans," which "isn't fighting for your country." Duckworth will face Raja Krishnamoorthi in a primary for the Democratic nomination.

"Just this week, Joe Walsh voted to increase taxes on 6.5 million middle-income families in Illinois starting January 1st. And then he voted to take a holiday vacation," Duckworth stated. "If I were in Congress, I wouldn't have left without doing everything I could to pass the payroll tax cut extension."

White House Spokesman Dan Pfeiffer also was among those singling out Walsh as one of two congressmen who initially undermined a bipartisan agreement that would have passed the payroll tax cut extension, NBC Chicago reported. Walsh and U.S. Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), were to blame for "a Tea Party revolt," Pfeiffer said. A deal extending a Social Security payroll tax cut and federal unemployment benefits was reached Thursday.

Meanwhile, Walsh previously contended that the legislation was "unworkable" and claimed that "outside business groups have reiterated that it will hurt, not help, small businesses and job creation."

WATCH Walsh announce his 8th District run at the Cubby Bear in Chicago earlier this month:

Comments

[ZFreudianSlip]

07:32 PM on 12/24/2011

We're in a revolution to take the country back from the current incumbent crooks. Lead, follow or get out of the way because 2012 is coming.

And shame on those of you who have voted these fraudsters into office and continue to support the massive corruption and missing $Trillions. Many of these people need prosecution for their criminal acts. And, try to remember, a civil suit from an exwife to get more money is no criminal act.

Focus on what is important to change...it's not Joe Walsh, he is a bright hope in Washington DC.

[Activist Annie]

07:07 PM on 12/24/2011

So, who will Walsh bully in the future? Or will he be sure to eat a meal before meeting with folks to avoid being a "grouch."

[manfrommars]

12:45 PM on 12/24/2011

And, by the way, there's a lot of baggers who don't like children who went on to become great Americans - like Joe McCarthy, Roy Cohn, Dick Nixon. . .Dickhead Cheney

[manfrommars]

12:42 PM on 12/24/2011

Who would be willing to oppose such a great American family man? Sandusky's out on bail. . . Gacy's in jail.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

12:10 PM on 12/24/2011

Illinois Democrat State Rep Jack Franks proposes bill to block any deadbeat dad more than $10,000 in arrears of child support from seeking any public office.
http://www.nwherald.com/2011/12/20/bill-seeks-to-ban-those-who-owe-child-support-from-ballot/ao5ta18/

[manfrommars]

12:42 PM on 12/24/2011

I like it

[Nighthawk1]

10:22 PM on 12/23/2011

Electing joe walsh, what it says about people who live in the 8th district. The electorate must be a group of people with little or no morals and have absolutely no political knowledge. Walsh is a despicable worthless human being unfit for political office. His Un-American rants are disgusting and contemptible.

[manfrommars]

12:43 PM on 12/24/2011

I believe the 8th districh got free lobotomys under the stimulus plan. . . and because they were all free they all took one.

[MilesLong]

08:49 PM on 12/23/2011

Let's just put it this way, running unopposed is about the only way child support cheat Walsh can get elected...

Miles "Doing The Math" Long

[A1Tours]

08:49 PM on 12/23/2011

Thank goodness - a chance to undo the travesty that got this man elected to public office in the first place! I sincerely hope anyone who voted for him has since seen the reality of who he really is and will never, ever support such an emotionally troubled person again! This man has done absolutely nothing that he said he would do, instead he and the rest of his fellow 'tea party' friends have sought to undermine ANY economic recovery in hopes of encouraging the election of even more republicans in 2012 - thankfully they became so emboldened that they stopped pretending and allowed their real agenda to be seen by all Americans - this man and others like him have no place whatsoever in government.

[Paul Conrad]

04:17 PM on 12/23/2011

The deadbeat dad is going to get his clock cleaned by a genuine war hero.

[ZFreudianSlip]

01:36 PM on 12/23/2011

As much as the Chicago corrupt political machine has focused on flooding Joe Walsh with negative media spin, the outspoken Rep. Walsh has beat the local political thugs at their own game.

Kudos Joe on running unopposed. This simply says Joe Walsh local constituen­ts know the score and desperatel­y want massive changes in Congress and government fraudsters­.

So goes the Nation.

[Paul Conrad]

04:18 PM on 12/23/2011

The constituents want massive change almost as badly as Joe Walsh's kids want their child support payments.

[ZFreudianSlip]

03:15 PM on 12/24/2011

Yeah, that's why Joe Walsh hangs out with his kids all the time and the oldest goes to college. Ever read the Walsh child support pleadings? I have. It's the typical angry exwife pleading for more money while she continued to live in the family home for years. Show where the standard of living dropped for Walsh's kids. You can't, and that's the standard child support test for a judge. Show where Walsh's kids are bitching about anything. They aren't.

Try a different spin. You getting $20/hr to write comments for the machine?

[ZFreudianSlip]

08:05 PM on 12/24/2011

Walsh's kids aren't complaining, it's his ex-wife Laura Walsh that filed another civil suit to get more money. In fact, Walsh's kids are now 23, 20 & 16 and any money received on the current petition would go to Laura Walsh, not his kids.

So far even though Walsh's ex-wife is an attorney she has not won anything in court on the current court petition. Initially Walsh cross filed on the 2002 divorce action for custody of his children citing his wife's psychological and other problems.

Walsh is on excellent terms with his children and enjoys spending time with them.

[pb28]

10:01 AM on 12/24/2011

I hope walsh is renting in DC

[ZFreudianSlip]

08:40 PM on 12/24/2011

Me too, DC is way to full of old incumbent corrupt politicians to want to own anything there. Besides, Joe Walsh only works in DC, he lives in Illinois and is home most weekends and spending time with his constituents.

[David Ormsby]

12:34 PM on 12/23/2011

Darlene Ruscitti may have withdrawn but Joe Walsh still remains, uh, challenged.

[Rowwdy]

11:52 AM on 12/23/2011

*With the announcement that his principal primary challenger has dropped out of the race, the fiery freshman U.S. Rep Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) will now run unopposed for his party's nomination in his quest for re-election to the state's 8th District.

“ILLINOISANS”-8th District, write-in your own name as a candidate, this will show your discuss with Walsh; there are rules and laws that Walsh has to abide by and if you do some research I bet you can find something in the following web-sites to get rid of a lying crook like Walsh…
http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/2012Canguide.pdf
http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con4.htm

[scottwarhar]

11:40 AM on 12/23/2011

It's hard to make comparisons when it comes to Teapublicans but in my opinion he represents all the qualities they find worthy.As a dead beat dad he is their perfect example of what they invision for our American government and working American citizens,It only shows that hypocracy is alive and well in the US and in fact it prospers.

[Someonesmother1]

11:30 AM on 12/23/2011

RISE UP, 8th District! Get rid of this loser!

[Howzat]

10:52 AM on 12/23/2011

Here's a thought. Why dont the voters " write in" Darlene Ruscitti and defeat Walsh...

No more DEAD BEAT DADS