Strategy or coincidence for GOP in Fox Valley race?
With the election rematch between Democrat Rep. Bill Foster of Geneva and Republican Jim Oberweis of Aurora now less than three months away, a two-pronged strategy against the freshman congressman has begun to emerge.
Oberweis, who lost to Foster by 5,000 votes in March's special election, continues to tour the 14th District with an issue-driven approach that is putting him directly in conversations with voters. He visited St. Charles on Wednesday as part of a series of gatherings to discuss high gas prices.
Meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee launches near daily attacks on Foster's early record on Capitol Hill.
"Where's Bill Foster?" read the title of a recent NRCC e-mail blast to the media.
In it, the committee -- which spent close to $1.3 million in support of Oberweis leading into March's contest -- targets Foster for voting to recess instead of staying in Washington to debate energy policy. Last week, the NRCC released an "energy report card" that painted Foster as unwilling to get behind solutions to energy issues.
"Bill Foster has used his brief stint in office to define himself as an out-of-touch obstructionist, but this report card paints an alarming picture of a member of Congress who will do anything he can to side with Democrat leadership instead of the people of Illinois," NRCC spokesman Ken Spain stated in one release.
Since national committees work in support of, but not in conjunction with, specific campaigns, the Oberweis campaign cites the situation as less strategy and more coincidence.
"The NRCC's job is to get people elected," Oberweis campaign manager David From said. "Some of those press releases, I've never seen. We've been pretty intent about not putting out (anything) being negative about Foster."
Foster campaign manager Michael Rendina suggests the GOP approach is obvious.
"Clearly, the NRCC has an interest in us. I don't think it's a coincidence," he said.
From expressed some concern about the NRCC's message being tagged to Oberweis, potentially counteracting the dairy and investment businessman's outreach across the district. He's not entirely worried because the media has made little of NRCC's frequent statements, and he thinks the committees will be less prevalent this election.
What is likely to dominate the race is gas prices and a national energy policy. Oberweis' forums have drawn between 25 and 40 people in visits to Dixon, St. Charles and Yorkville, From said.
"It's a forum that I feel he enjoys," From said of Oberweis. "It's an exciting way to go and interact with people."
As for Foster, through the House of Representatives he sent out an informational mailing to 109,000 homes in the district to explain his "common sense energy policy." The mailing cost $58,000 in taxpayer money. Spokesman Shannon O'Brien said Foster's offices have received "hundreds" of call from residents wanting to know Foster's stance.
"It's clearly the No. 1 issue among constituents. He wants to make sure they know where he stands," O'Brien said.
From believes the mailer is one of the advantages of incumbency.
"Each voter needs to decide whether the material they receive is worthy of their taxpayer dollar," he said.
