Congressional Candidates Find Their Footing for General Election

With the primaries behind them, candidates of both parties turn their focus to the November election and the long months of campaigning ahead.

The pressure’s off—for now, anyway. After months of listening to candidates campaign for the congressional seat soon to be vacated by retiring Republican Congressman Ray LaHood, Republican Primary voters decided on a candidate to represent them in the November Congressional election for the 18th District. That candidate was State Representative Aaron Schock who won by a large margin over his two opponents, Heartland Partnership President and CEO Jim McConoughey and former Peoria City Councilman-at Large, John Morris. Schock began his political career at just 19 years of age when he was elected to the Peoria School Board. After receiving his four-year degree in Finance from Bradley University in just two years, he was unanimously elected as president of the board at age 23. Schock has served in the Illinois House as State Representative for the 92nd Legislative District since 2004, passing eleven of his eighteen bills during his first five months in office.

A Day’s Work – Having sold his own business in order to devote his time to winning the 2004 election, Schock has a history of putting the state’s needs before his personal agenda. An advocate for economic reform, last year Schock joined the House coalition in its fight against Governor Rod Blagojevich’s proposed Gross Receipts Tax and his employer tax, which would have led to the loss of hundreds of jobs in Illinois. He also stood with the coalition in its fight against the largest spending increase in the state’s history. In order to effectively represent the 92nd District Schock assisted with the jobs of neighborhood and non-profit organizations and also spoke on behalf of organization leaders in Springfield to provide them with funding and legislative help. An advocate for improving education, Schock passed bills dealing with a series of education reforms and believes that parents should be held accountable for helping children become successful students. According to Schock, the duties of a State Representative mirror those of a Congressman who works to represent the values of his district’s citizens and daily intercedes on their behalf as they face challenges they cannot handle themselves.

Schock was the speaker at last year’s Kankakee County Lincoln Day rally for Republicans. He walked away with 72 percent of the Republican Primary vote. Having raised more than $850,000 for his campaign, he proved to be a favorite among 18th District citizens not only in Peoria but in the outside counties of Adams, Putnam, and Menard, where republicans graced him with 80 percent of the vote. “I feel very positive, and I’m grateful for the strong support,” says Schock. “It’s the result of a lot of hard work. The outside counties really appreciated the attention I gave them, and they rewarded me for it.”

Moving Forward – But, for Schock, a decisive victory in the primaries is no reason to ease up on the campaigning. Just hours after winning the primary, Schock was visiting restaurants at 5 a.m. the next morning thanking voters for their loyalty and support. With the twenty Democratic Party chairpersons within the 18th District having appointed Colleen Callahan as the candidate who will run against him in November, Schock says he will continue to campaign aggressively toward the general election. “I’m really looking forward to the general election,” he says. “The primaries were difficult because I’m used to having my Republican Party rallied behind me. Now, approaching the November election, I believe my track record and ability to get things done as a State Representative will really speak for me.”

Apparently, voters agree. Although Schock is just 26—one year older than the minimum age set by the Constitution to serve in the House—election results in February showed that his track record clearly overshadowed the hype concerning his age, marital status, and few years of experience. “These were issues that were really more of a concern among my two primary opponents, not among primary voters,” says Schock. “People want change. They are tired of the partisan bickering and the ‘blame game.’ They see that positive change is something I believe in and have worked hard to bring about in the General Assembly for the past four years.”

Having defeated an eight year incumbent Democrat state representative in the 2004 election to represent the only majority Democrat state house district wholly within the 18th Congressional District, Schock says he believes he’ll do well with voters in both political parties. “I think that I’m in a good position to win Democratic votes,” says Schock. “I have a strong connection among Democratic voters in Peoria. My opponent has never held political office, and she’s never passed a bill.”

Despite his big win in the primaries, Schock is taking his political career one step at a time with no plans—so far—for seeking higher office. “Politics can be strange—timing is everything,” he says. “I never thought I’d run for Congress. The way circumstances work can determine a lot.”

Right Place, Right Time – When it comes to making the right career move at the right time, 18th District Democratic candidate Colleen Callahan doesn’t let an opportunity pass her by. Callahan was the first Democrat to officially express an interest in running after Dick Versace, a former Bradley basketball coach, dropped out of the race. Democratic Party chairmen of the 18th Congressional District slated her as a candidate after their reorganization meetings March 5th due to the fact that no candidate ran in the Democratic Primaries. The chairmen weighted votes based on Democratic voting results in their respective counties. Appointed to run on the Democratic ticket in the November election, Callahan is the first Democrat since 1917 to represent the Peoria-based congressional district, and she is no stranger to politics, public speaking, or achieving success when the odds are—supposedly—against her.

But according to Callahan, her extensive experience was not the factor that triggered her decision to run for the congressional seat. “It was really the absolute ground swell of support and encouragement from the public,” she says. “People and friends across party lines asked me to consider. That was the impetus that caused me to decide.”

In addition to encouragement from outsiders, Callahan claims that family support pushed her in a positive direction. “The biggest factor was a conversation with my husband,” says Callahan. “I told him that more than anything I want to be able to help people. And that’s the bottom line when running for any kind of political office—helping people.”

Family Inspiration- Callahan’s Democratic roots run deep. Her late father, Fran Callahan, served as a Democratic Party chairman for 15 years in Republican Iroquois County. Having served as an aid to former U.S. Senator and Illinois Secretary of State Alan Dixon for 19 years, her uncle, Gene Callahan, is well-versed in Washington politics. A native of Milford, Illinois, Colleen grew up on a purebred Hampshire hog and Angus cattle farm and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Agricultural Communications in 1973. From there, she wasted no time beginning her colorful career. Just two weeks after graduation, Callahan started a job as Farm Director for WMBD Radio in Peoria and from there, tacked on over 30 years of professional experience in broadcasting and communications. Callahan lives near Kickapoo, just outside of Peoria with her husband, Dick Burns, who is a regional sales manager for Burrus Seed. Her daughter Brittney, an attorney, works for Democrat Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Legacy of Accomplishment – Callahan believes her years of experience in agriculture and communications will help her a great deal as a congressional candidate. Having engaged in farm broadcasting for thirty-four years with livestock reports aired on the RFD network on eighty-three Illinois radio stations, as well as having secured twenty-four years of television reporting experience with WMBD Peoria and WCIA Champaign, Callahan is no unfamiliar face—or voice—to 18th District voters. She recently begun operating her own business, Colleen Callahan Communications, honing her communication skills through motivational speaking, facilitating debates, and working with the public.

“I call it roots and wings,” says Callahan of her career. “My roots are in agriculture. Anyone who grows up on a farm knows that livestock are your responsibility and they are in your care. I grew up in that setting and learned what it takes to be responsible. My broadcast is my wings. I’ve communicated, I’ve engaged in public speaking, and I believe that it will serve me well in Washington, D.C.”

Clear and Confident – Callahan is confident her platform will take her there. Some of Callahan’s main focuses include improving the economy and bringing American soldiers home. According to Callahan, the roots of American economy lie in the country’s history. Says Callahan: “Judging from the standpoint of Roosevelt’s New Deal, as it relates to our economy now, I say it’s time for a better deal. Healthcare premiums are over $11,000. Gas prices are sky high. College tuition is up 40 percent. We’ve lost 3 million jobs.” Callahan suggests that investing in renewable energy and placing increased emphasis on science, research, and technology will better economic conditions.

Callahan continues: “Healthcare should not be a privilege but a right. We should invest in people and reward those who create jobs at home. We need not just to listen to what candidates are saying but pay attention to what is actually going on in our country.”

Callahan’s position on Iraq is just as clear. Having traveled to the country in the fall of 2003 with then Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman, Callahan claims that although she has witnessed firsthand the good work American soldiers have done building soccer fields and schools and the pride our serviceman have in that creation, she is also sensitive to their frustration with foreign policy. Says Callahan: “One reason Northern Iraq is flourishing is because we came, we did our job, and we got out. It’s time to leave the Southern part of Iraq now. I advocate a timeline of the removal of troops over time.”

A firm believer that “to communicate is the beginning of understanding,” Callahan plans to communicate her political issues in an exciting, effective way—the same manner in which she informed and educated the public on the air. In return, Callahan asks only that voters who are unfamiliar with her platform will pay attention to and respect her opinions. “My opinions are based on my experiences,” she says. “Listening is a two-way street. Voters who don’t know me can listen to what I have to say, and then I will listen to them. They may challenge my opinions, but I only ask that they respect what I’ve said.”

Callahan expects these tactics to win her not just Democratic votes but Republican votes. According to her, there’s no one political party with a corner on all of the candidates. “Campaigning involves asking for consideration,” says Callahan. “Whether Democrat or Republican, it’s about listening to the person and what they stand for and not necessarily about the politics.”

Switching Hats – Callahan has received numerous recognitions and awards including the 2005 Friend of Agriculture Award for making a significant improvement in Illinois agriculture. Among awards in communication and agriculture, she was also the recipient of WEEK-TV’s 25 Women in Leadership Award in 2004, the Outstanding Young Woman of America Award, the Excellence Award for Public Education, and the Silver Dome Award for the Illinois Broadcasters Association.

After decades of establishing close ties with the public, Callahan should have no trouble gaining the trust of voters in both parties. “To everything there is a season,” says Callahan. “This is definitely the right time, the right place, and the right season in my life to run for Congress.”

Best of luck to both candidates!