Walsh says he’ll run in 14th, pitting him against Hultgren

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Joe Walsh, R-McHenry, congressman from Illinois' 8th District, says he will run for the 14th District congressional seat next year. He is shown here addressing a Tea Party rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 27. | AP File Photo

Updated: November 30, 2011 12:36AM

Unless the courts overturn redistricting maps gerrymandered by the Democrat-controlled state Senate, two conservative freshman Republican congressmen will face each other in the GOP primary for the 14th District next spring.

Through an email, controversial tea party favorite Joe Walsh stated Wednesday, “If the Democrat map stands, I will be running in what is the new 14th District, which entails a good portion of Lake County, almost all of McHenry County, Kane County, Kendall County, and some of Will and DeKalb counties. I live in McHenry, and my current district office is in northern Lake County. This area is home. So I want to let you all know that I’ve made my decision as to where I’ll be running in 2012.”

Walsh defeated Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean in 2010 to become congressman from the 8th District, which currently includes the Cook county portion of Elgin and parts of McHenry and Lake counties but would change dramatically with the new maps.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Hultgren, R-Winfield, beat incumbent Democrat Bill Foster to take the 14th, which currently includes Kane County and stretches almost to the state’s western border but also would change dramatically with the new maps.

According to published reports, by making his announcement, Walsh broke an agreement among Republicans not to campaign against each other until after the courts ruled on the new boundaries.

In a prepared statement, Hultgren, of Winfield Township, said, “I’m disappointed that the congressman from the 8th District has decided to abandon his own district to run against me in a primary. By doing so, he’s playing into the hands of the Springfield Democrats and Nancy Pelosi, who have drawn the congressional map for Illinois specifically to encourage just such a contest.

“The residents of the 14th District are looking for responsible leadership for the long haul, and know that if we are to turn this country around, fix our economy and put Americans back to work, we won’t be able to do it through political grandstanding, sound bites and name-calling. Winning the challenge before us takes commitment, experience and a long-term view. Throughout the campaign I look forward to proving my pro-business, small-government, pro-freedom record and earning the support of the voters of the 14th District so I can continue to represent them in Washington for years to come.”

Strange shapes

A map of the new district boundaries is available at www.senatedem.ilga.gov. The strange shapes found on it are legal in Illinois, according to the Democratic mapmakers.

The law states that political districts must be compact, connected and relatively equal in population. They also are supposed to protect minority districts and consider the core of prior districts. Within those broad and somewhat elastic rules, districts can take forms far beyond squares and rectangles.

Walsh noted in his email that “the Republicans have filed suit to challenge the Democrat drawn map and have presented the court with their own fair map. We should get an answer from the court in November, but I didn’t want to wait that long to let you all know what I’ll be doing.”

“No matter which map prevails,” Walsh added, “I’ve decided to run for re-election from the district in which I live and where I represent most of my current constituents.”

Walsh said it would be unfortunate if he had to run against Hultgren.

“But the new 14th District, if it stands, doesn’t belong to any incumbent or any politician,” he said.

“The district belongs to the people of this district, and they will have to decide who their next representative is. And if they have to decide between two Republican incumbents, so be it. In many ways, Randy and I are both good conservatives who share many of the same values, but there are also healthy differences between the two of us. We’ve both had a very different initial tenure in Washington, and the voters in the new district will decide which one of us will best be their voice in DC.”

‘Tea party first’

Walsh said he looks forward to “meeting fellow ‘revolutionaries’ in Kendall, Kane, Will and DeKalb Counties.

“I said during the campaign that I am a tea party conservative first, and a Republican second. You see, I believe the tea party movement is bigger than either party. It consists of every American frustrated, concerned, angry and scared with how big government is getting and the debt we’re placing on ourselves and future generations. This ‘silent majority’ has put their faith in the Republican Party one last time to get it right.”

While Hultgren has kept a relatively low profile in Washington, Walsh has gained notoriety during his first term.

He has been a frequent guest on national news shows but also has had controversy in his personal life.

Last week, a Chicago judge issued a preliminary ruling against Walsh in a child-support dispute case with his ex-wife, ordering Walsh to explain why he appears to be $100,000 behind in child support payments.

This week, Walsh introduced a resolution stating that Israel would be within its rights to annex the West Bank if Palestinians do not drop their bid for statehood at the United Nations this week.

Former McHenry Alderman Frank McClatchey is the only announced Democrat so far running for the 14th District.