Optimist of the Week: Charlie Johnston

Conservative blogger and GOP strategist Charlie Johnston opines in Illinoize that Tim Baldermann's exit from the IL-14 race could not only prove beneficial to Republicans holding the seat of disgraced Congressman Jerry Weller (R-Playa Coco), but, Johnston contends

"it may actually enhance the chances of Republicans not only to hold the 11th, but in other Illinois districts as well."

Johnston goes on to say the GOP fill-in would optimally have the one-two punch of district-wide name recognition and the ability to self-fund, but that at least one of those two elements is critical.

He contends,

"Lauzen starts off with strong name recognition, even if it is not all positive, because of that high-profile race. He also carries some residual recognition from his race for Comptroller 10 years ago. From that race and the near proximity of his senate district to the 11th Lauzen would not start out a stranger to the district."

To suggest that General Election voters outside of the 14th CD have been paying close attention to the Republican primary in the 14th is absurd. Lauzen has no ties whatsoever to the 11th CD. And to the extent voters in the Chicago media market --in which a majority of the population of the 11th live-- paid attention to the ads and news coming out of that race, they are likely to have seen two angry rivals beating the living snot out of one another. If they were still paying attention after the milkman won the nomination (to further stretch plausibility), they saw Lauzen bitterly refusing to concede defeat.

Beyond absurd is the suggestion that voters will remember the Lauzen because he lost a race for a Constitutional office a decade ago.

Seriously?

A Constitutional office.

Ten years ago.

(And if they did, might they remember Lauzen was a sore loser then, too, suing Hynes' campaign for libel after the race ended?)

So, in sum Chris Lauzen's case for the 11th is as follows; just lost a nasty Republican congressional primary in the another district; has no ties whatsoever to the 11th; two-time loser when he's ventured outside of his state senate seat; two-time sore loser, when he's ventured outside of his state senate seat; personal wealth.

Yes, Chris Lauzen is the savior the NRCC and the Illinois Republican Party has been waiting for.

UPDATE:

Thanks to Jon in comments for pointing out that Lauzen's 1998 suit was against his primary opponent.  The result was a $2,000 donation to charity.