Lake Zurich, IL – February 7, 2010
Three and a half months ago when Illinois 8th District Republican Nominee Joe Walsh began his run for the nomination, he called himself a “tea party conservative first and a Republican second.” At the time, he was the only candidate articulating the belief that most Republicans and Independents were scared and angry with the crazy growth of government spending and were holding both parties accountable. This past Tuesday, Walsh won by a wide margin in a crowded field, becoming the first tea party-endorsed Republican Candidate nominated this year in a Primary election. Illinois held the first Primary election of 2010.

The win has received national attention. The Wall Street Journal on February 7 wrote, “The Tea Party movement boasts of at least one primary victory so far. Illinois venture capitalist Joe Walsh won a six-way contest on Feb. 2 to be the party’s nominee against well-funded incumbent Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean in a suburban Chicago swing district.”

This morning on Fox News Sunday, panelist Bill Kristol commented on the tea party movement and the Illinois primaries noting the tea party movement won an important victory in the Illinois 8th District, where a tea party candidate defeated an elected official and the Party establishment’s pick. Kristol predicted that Walsh would present a strong challenge to Bean in the fall.

Walsh spoke in Nashville this past Friday at the National Tea Party Convention on what it was like to run as a tea party candidate. “Many in the media are curious to see if I’ll continue as a tea party candidate in the General. The answer is quite easy — yes.” said Joe Walsh. “To me this has nothing to do with party and this is not a fringe movement by any means. I’m convinced the tea party movement consists of Republicans, Independents, and quite a few Democrats who are fed up, frustrated, and scared by the rapid growth in government spending and want accountability from their elected officials. That’s a coalition of voters I’ll be happy to represent in the general election.”