Schakowsky Rips Cantor, Dold

A visit by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) today to boost the campaign of Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) prompted Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) to question Dold’s stance as a moderate Republican.

Dold is running for reelection against Democratic candidate Brad Schneider of Deerfield. The Republican running against Schakowsky is Tim Wolfe of Arlington Heights.

Cantor will headline a fundraiser for Dold today at a private Highland Park home and take some time with the North Shore Congressman at his Highland Park campaign office to join a phone bank sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition.

 “Eric Cantor is really the ideological leader of the Tea Party group (in Congress),” Schakowsky said. “His approach kept (House Speaker John) Boehner (R-OH) from passing a transportation bill.” Dold is not a member of the Tea Party caucus.

Dold’s association with Cantor makes Schakowsky question the moderate credentials Dold champions and has led to endorsements from both the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald.

“He (Dold) is a radical in moderate clothing. He is exposing who he really is when he hitches up with Eric Cantor,” Schakowsky said. “He (Cantor) is the one who pulls the rug out from under him (Boehner),” she added referring to times Cantor has used Tea Party leverage to nullify deals made with Democrats.

Neither Dold, Cantor nor their campaigns responded to calls or emails from Patch to respond to Schakowsky’s comment.

Schakowsky was critical of Cantor when leadership of the House and Senate, including Cantor, reached an agreement with President Barack Obama to increase the debt ceiling in August. Cantor then listened to members of the Tea Party caucus and pulled the plug on the deal, according to Schakowsky.

“Eric Cantor was willing to put the full faith and credit of the United States of America on the line for his fiscal madness,” Schakowsky said. She criticized Dold for going along. “He (Dold) is no (Sen. Mark) Kirk (R-Highland Park). He is much closer to Eric Cantor.”