On Friday I wrote that Christie's trip to Chicago was a big test for him. Would the Bridgegate scandal keep Republicans away from him as he flies into town fundraising for them as the the head of the RGA like they did in Texas?
Embattled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, struggling to get ahead of the bridge scandal, hits Chicago on Tuesday for Republican Governors Association fundraisers, but the four Republicans running for Illinois governor did not have plans to attend.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee is deploying former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland to helm a Chicago press conference Tuesday where he will highlight Christie’s George Washington Bridge controversy as Democrats are dogging Christie as he is starting to travel across the country in his new role as RGA chair, where his main job is to raise money to elect Republican governors in 2014.
I asked spokesmen for the four Illinois rivals in the March GOP governor’s primary on Thursday whether they would attend any of the fundraising events Christie will headline in Chicago on Tuesday.
Wes Bleed, a spokesman for state Sen. Kirk Dillard R-Hinsdale said, “no, we won’t be attending any Christie events.”
Brian Sterling, a spokesman for Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford, said “he knows nothing about the event and is not involved in any way.
”Dan Egler, a spokesman for state Sen. Bill Brady R-Bloomington, said “right now, no.”
Mike Schrimpf, a spokesman for investor Bruce Rauner — and a former RGA spokesman — told me, “We don’t have his schedule completely finalized for next week yet.”
That's just embarrassing. I don't remember ever seeing republicans ducking and taking cover from the RGA, who supply millions of important dollars to would be candidates. This just never happens. That is unless the head of the RGA is embroiled in a national scandal.
