BY DAVE PARRO
There weren't any major surprises Monday as candidate filing closed for the Feb. 5 primary election. The most notable was that Republican longshot Rudy Clai dropped out of the 14th Congressional District race.
It's not like the North Aurora entertainment promoter ever had a shot against the formidable field of Chris Lauzen, Jim Oberweis and Kevin Burns. But he tried to make a splash on his way out by slamming the state Republican Party in a press release.
Clai cites the decision of Kane County GOP Chairman Dennis Wiggins to take a paid position with Lauzen's campaign as evidence "that the Republican Party in Illinois is in a very bad state of disrepair." But he also concludes that the party's elected officials and candidates "fail to address the issues and fail to give their views on solutions."
Clai's exit won't affect the race to replace Dennis Hastert at all, but it might be one more sign of disillusionment with the Republican Party across the nation and in Illinois. It can't be a good sign when candidates are distancing themselves from their party because they think it's in "self-destruct mode." Here's more from Clai's withdrawal statement:
Unfortunately, actions taken, and not taken, by a few members of the party greatly affect the image of the whole party, its members and its candidates and also chart the course for the party’s future. The old saying, “One bad apple spoils the whole barrel,” holds true. In this case, there are a few bad apples and I certainly do not want to be in the same barrel with them.
The four Democrats vying for the nomination will have an uphill battle against whoever wins the Republican primary. But they have to be hoping that Clai represents more than a few voters in the traditionally conservative 14th District.
Or perhaps Rudy couldn't get the signatures....
Mr. Clai critisizes republican party?Wrong!Mr.Clai Told the truth.Dont want to hear the truth too bad,thats the way it goes,G.O.P. DENNIS WIGGINS IS SOLD OUT TO THE LAUZEN TEAM,HIS THEORY,PUT ALL THE MARBLES IN ONE MANS CORNER,EVEN BEFORE THE PRIMARY, SLAPPING ,KEVIN BURNS,AND OBERWEISS,AND MR RUDY CLAI IN THE FACE,TELLING THEM THEY DONT HAVE A CHANCE,AND YOU CALL THIS A GREAT G.O.P. WIGGINS DID A SHAMEFULL REPUBLICAN POOR DECISION.AND MR. WIGGINS TALKS ABOUT HOW HE DEFEATED OBERWEISS,HOW LOW CAN DENNIS WIGGINS GO.ANYHOW-MR.RUDY CLAI DID HAVE THE SIGNATURES,MR ONE MAN ,I AM A POLITICAL LEADER FOR HIS CAMPAIGN,WOULD YOU LIKE TOO SEE THE SIGNATURES THAT I DO HAVE?WHY WOULD YOU MAKE A COMMENT LIKE THIS?IS THE REAL QUESTION YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK,WHAT IS THE REASON WHY YOU OPTED TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE?