Gutierrez says he will run again

Monies (0.00 / 0)

So what happens to the money that the candidates raised? Can they stash it away for the future? What are the limitations on their spending it? I feel like I should know the answers to those questions but I don't.

Also Mark Brown at the Trib had Cardenas staying in the race. Is it safe to assume he won't? (Though I doubt it matters to the outcome.)

ltsply2

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by: EricV @ Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:07:20 AM CDT

they can do with it as they like... (0.00 / 0)

as long as it fits within the very weak federal guidelines.  they could return the money to contributors, but i'd expect most will keep their accounts open, fund-raise a little, waiting for the day luis does retire.  they can also contribute to other federal candidates to build up their chits, as it were.

and i would expect ricky to take back the money he loaned himself (others who may have loaned money to their campaign, as well)...

"We have a lot of kids on the ground acting like adults and we have a lot of adults in this room acting like kids," President Obama told his advisors about all the infighting

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by: bored now @ Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:17:08 AM CDT

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I'm sure donors who (0.00 / 0)

gave Flores all that cash won't be happy if he doesn't run, or only runs a shell of a campaign.

Gutierrez should have stuck with his retirement. 

He's screwing up this race, he doesn't have much in the way of campaign funds, and the guys who entered the race and started fundraising did so under the assumption Gutierrez was retiring. 

I'm not a fan of this move.

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by: JCCPA @ Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:48:57 AM CDT

luis doesn't need much to win... (0.00 / 0)

if i were one of the candidates who will bow out, i'd contribute the legal limit to his campaign...

"We have a lot of kids on the ground acting like adults and we have a lot of adults in this room acting like kids," President Obama told his advisors about all the infighting

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by: bored now @ Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:56:18 PM CDT

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It's Crazy... (4.00 / 1)

...but I can't decide if I think this is a good or a bad thing.  Intersting development nonetheless.  I can't wait to see how the three candidates respond in the coming days.

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by: lou6092 @ Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:16:57 PM CDT

Loco Luis is back - ugh (3.00 / 1)

This guy is undeserving of another term.  Here's a guy that focuses on one issue and one issue only - immigration. I don't disagree it's a worthy issue, but it seems to me there are at least a couple of other issues he could have worked on for the past 15? years.  Here's a guy in a totally safe seat that never once spoke up against what the Bush administration has done to civil liberties, took no stand when the problems at Walter Reed came to light (remember he sits on the Veteran's Affairs committee), and hasn't expressed any outrage that I know of regarding a seemingly illegal war, the disgrace of Katrina or what's happening to healthcare.  I'll grant that being in the minority makes it nearly impossible to change anything, but others - Feingold, Durbin, Conyers, Frank, Emanuel to name a few from within Illinois and out - made the effort to fight against these things.  But not my congressman.  Not Luis Gutierrez.  He really should have stayed retired.  This isn't about anything except himself wanting to avoid becoming insignificant.  And finally, how many times do think he had to call the people that signed the letter asking him to run again?  This was no movement.  It was a calculated move on his part and a disgraceful insulting one at that.

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by: Political Agenda @ Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 23:43:22 PM CDT

Luis (3.00 / 1)

Luis is a member of the progressive caucus and the Out of Iraq caucus. He leads on the issue that he's passionate about, he significantly energizes and encourages a major growth demographic for the Democratic party, and he is a reliable and committed voice to every cause that we could hope for. I appreciate that the ideal might be for him to be the leader on these things, but realistically it just isn't possible.

You're talking about the need to get rid of a progressive caucus, Out of Iraq caucus, member because they aren't progressive enough. Really? Really?

ltsply2

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by: EricV @ Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 10:30:54 AM CDT

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No not really (0.00 / 0)

I think I was pretty clear in that he didn't stand up enough. He doesn't do too much from what I can tell. I'll grant that he raises money well for other Latino candidates and when he votes, he votes in a manner that I would agree with.  But the guy isn't a leader as far as I can tell.  What about the new "separate but equal" - the inequality in funding of public education?  I don't recall him stepping up for that.  How about taking a lead in "Green" issues?  The downward spiral in household incomes? Declining access to affordable healthcare? These are issues that I'm really concerned about and quite frankly, I don't think he represents me.  I also think these issues would have a positive effect on the Latino community as well in addition to the one issue he feels passionate about.  I think we need a change.  Being progressive is a good thing, but not doing anything is not. I know that he's gotten involved in local zoning issues and that doesn't seem very appropriate to me.  And just to be clear, I was opposed to him as my representative long before his on again/off again retirement. 

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by: Political Agenda @ Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 16:12:10 PM CDT

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