Rep. Joe Walsh, Tea Party, Ill., is getting a bailout from a Super PAC in Kansas City, far outside the 8th Congressional District of Illinois.
The Now or Never Super PAC, which is funded by the conservative Americans for Limited Government, is planning to spend $2.5 million on ads attacking Walsh’s opponent, Tammy Duckworth.
Why does Walsh need so much help?
Because in the last fundraising quarter, Duckworth raised $1.5 million, while Walsh raised only $250,000.
And why did Duckworth raise so much money?
Because on July 1 -- the very first day of that fundraising quarter -- Walsh disparaged Duckworth’s military record, saying, “Now I’m running against a woman who, my God, that’s all she talks about. Our true heroes, it’s the last thing in the world they talk about.”
The remarks, which were published on prominent liberal news sites, nationalize what had been a local congressional race, turned Duckworth into a Democratic hero, and resulted in a flood of sympathy donations. In the first week, Duckworth received $85,000 in online donations, many times the usual figure. Walsh responded by complaining that Duckworth was receiving most of her money from outside the district.
For that, he can blame himself. But she sure didn’t raise $2.5 million.
