Durbin Blames Dold for Tea Party Gridlock in Congress

Never calling Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) a member of the Tea Party, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Springfield) and , blamed the freshman Congressman for the Tea Party’s role creating Congressional gridlock.

“We can’t get on the road to compromise until the Tea Party element is gone. The road map starts in the 10th District,” Durbin said. “We haven’t had the right person in a long time,” he added telling a room full of volunteers Schneider was the ideal person to put the seat in the Democratic column.

Earlier: Update: Dold Responds to Schneider

Durbin visited Schneider’s Northbrook office today to rally more than 40 volunteers making phone calls encouraging people to support the Deerfield Democrat.

Though the Dold campaign did not respond to telephone calls and emails to respond to the remarks of Durbin and Schneider, in the past Dold has blamed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) for the stalemates in Congress.

Dold has criticized Reid for not allowing Senate votes on legislation passed by the House of Representatives. “These bills will increase access to capital,” Dold said at a Rotary meeting in January referring to new securities regulation measures. “He (Reid) won’t allow a vote.” Ultimately that law was passed by the Senate.

Schneider did not call Dold a member of the Tea Party either, but claimed the Congressman has always voted with the House Republican majority on important votes including a continuing resolution last year that would have defunded Planned Parenthood.

“Bob Dold has never voted against the majority when it counted,” Schneider said. “He voted for the final bill.” He was referring to Dold’s vote for that continuing resolution after voting against the majority on an amendment to continue funding Planned Parenthood which was defeated.

Dold defended that vote in May. “I was the only Republican to speak on the House floor in favor of Planned Parenthood,” Dold told Patch in May when discussing that legislation. “I voted to keep the government running. I voted to pay our troops and for seniors to get their social security checks,” he added explaining his final vote.

Schneider also claimed endorsements he has received from groups which once supported Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) when Kirk represented the 10th District show the Democrat, not the Republican, is the moderate this time.

“I have been endorsed by the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, the Human Rights Campaign and the Associated Firefighters of Illinois,” Schneider said of groups which once backed Kirk. “They have all done that because my values are theirs.”

Dold’s campaign has not yet answered requests from Patch to discuss the endorsements. Earlier today, Dold spokesperson John McGovern did let Patch know in an email a poll of 400 likely 10th District voters conducted Sept. 11 and 12 showed the incumbent with a 44-37 lead.

Schneider Campaign Manager Reed Adamson had no current poll results to share with Patch but referred to a survey conducted in August by the House Majority PAC and the Service Employees International Union showing Dold and Schneider with 46 percent support each.