In 2008, when Aaron Schock declared his leadership PAC-- the GOP Generation Y Fund-- was open for business, Schock was the youngest Member of Congress and he claimed the PAC was meant to help elect more young Republican Members. Last cycle Schock raised $782,233 and distributed 510,404 to Republicans to House seats. Electing "young" Republicans, however, doesn't seem to have been on his mind. Among recipients of his largesse were elderly conservatives like, to whom he handed out checks in $5 and $10 thousand increments:
• John Mica (FL-72 years old)• Brian Babin (TX- 67 years old)• Mike Kelly (PA-67 years old)• Mike Simpson (ID- 65 years old)• Richard Hanna (NY- 64 years old)• Tim Walberg (MI-64 years old)• Dan Benishek (MI- 63 years old)• Fred Upton (MI- 62 years old)• Bruce Poliquin (ME- 62 years old)• Doug Lamborn (CO- 61 years old)• Bradley Byrne (AL- 60 years old)• Mike Coffman (CO- 60 years old)• Glenn Grothman (WI- 60 years old)• Ted Yoho (FL- 60 years old)
Tonight the whole Illinois GOP delegation is holding a fundraiser for Darin LaHood, a state Senator, the son of long-time Rep. Ray LaHood and the Establishment pick to replace Schock as the congressman from IL-18. His father was a sensible moderate but LaHood the Younger is a far right sociopath who has been endorsed by all the extremists and teabaggers in the area.Meanwhile, it's worth noting that Dayne LaHood-- yes, a relative-- was Schock's district chief of staff and is one of the crooks the FBI just subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury investigating how Schock and his staff were able to bilk the government and taxpayers out of so much money.The last Democrat to represent the 18th was James Meeks-- back when FDR was still president. Six Republicans followed Meeks, including Minority Leader Robert Michel (1957-1995) and, of course, Ray LaHood (1995-2009, when Obama appointed him Secretary of Transportation). Monday was the last day of filing and the primary is July 7; the special election is September 10. LaHood is certainly seen as the front-runner for both the primary and the general. Donald Rients and Mike Flynn are the other Republicans in the race and Rob Mellon and Adam Lopez are the Democrats in the deep red, very gerrymandered district (PVI is R+11). So, will Aaron Schock be there tonight? He still has plenty of campaign cash. But is it considered to toxic for Republicans to accept?
