Rep. Joe Walsh To Skip GOP Convention

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jul 19, 2012 9:30PM

Eighth Congressional District Rep. Joe Walsh announced Thursday he'll be skipping the GOP convention in Tampa, Fla. next month, and urged his Democratic opponent Tammy Duckworth to do the same.

Walsh said he would instead host a series of events in his congressional district, where he'll likely talk about how Duckworth talks about her military service all the time, instead of the issues. Walsh said in a statement announcing his decision:

"Not as a candidate or as a Congressman have I ever been one of the political class. I came to Washington to serve the people of my district and reclaim our country from the growth of government. Rather than mingle with Party insiders in Tampa, I will be in the 8th district to continue to serve as an independent voice for for the people."

Walsh added, "My opponent, Tammy Duckworth, has always been the preferred pick of Democrat Party insiders from Blagojevich to Emmanuel. Despite that, I hope she will join me in skipping the conventions to tour the district to discuss the real issues that matter to real people. The conventions are nothing more than an excuse to mingle with insiders and party with the elite. This district does not want just another insider to represent them; they want an independent who will fight for real solutions to the issues."

Walsh truly can't help but sound like churlish whenever he speaks or releases a statement.

Duckworth, for what it's worth, said that she would be in attendance at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC. Duckworth is vice-chair of the convention's rules committee. Her campaign office also announced that she'll be sticking to her own schedule. Which is wise, since she out-raised Walsh in campaign money by a better than 2-1 margin in the second quarter.