At CPAC the Say Anything Blog was lucky enough to run on to former Army Ranger and current nominated (in America’s earliest primary) Republican candidate for Illinois’ 5th Congressional District David Ratowitz.

Here’s what Ratowitz had to say about his campaign:

WASHINGTON – February 20, 2010 – U.S. House candidate David Ratowitz this week proclaimed his high-profile Illinois District 5 a bellwether of Republican success nationwide and his organization in ideal position to focus opposition resources close to home to limit Democrat victories elsewhere. “A win in Illinois 5,” Ratowitz said of the infamous district formerly represented by Rahm Emanuel and indicted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, “is a win for Republicans nationwide.”

Ratowitz, who won his hotly contested, three-way “First in the Nation” Primary to become the Republican nominee on February 2, made his comments in an interview with Breitbart.com “Big Hollywood” blogger and Stage Right Show radio host Larry O’Connor at this week’s Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

“The 5th Congressional District is very important strategically for Republicans all across the country,” Ratowitz explained. “The Chicago Machine sends its troops all over the country. If you look at every formerly red district that went blue in ’06 or ’08, you will see Chicago Machine troops knocking on doors, working those campaigns.

“Investment in Illinois’ 5th ultimately is an investment in races as far afield as Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, each battleground district.

“It’s time that we made the Chicago Machine fight – and lose – on its own home turf.”

View on Red County.

David was mentioned in The American Spectator in Robert Stacy McCain's report from CPAC.

"On the sidewalk outside the hotel, David Ratowitz displays his new shoes -- having worn out three pairs during his successful campaign to win the GOP nomination in Illinois' 5th District, which voted by more than 2-to-1 for Democrat Rep. Michael Quigley in an April 2009 special election to replace Rahm Emanuel, now President Obama's chief of staff."

Read the full story here.

U.S. House Candidate David Ratowitz Announces Small Business Listening Tour

Illinois District 5 U.S. House candidate David Ratowitz today announced that his campaign will undertake a three-month “Small Business Listening Tour.” The initiative, slated to kick off in early March, will involve an extended series of individual consultations with area entrepreneurs, culminating in a proposed economic recovery plan that aims to bolster the disenfranchised small business sector.

“Meetings with 5th District voters during the Primary season certainly revealed deep discontent with the federal government’s stimulus efforts and other top-down programming,” Ratowitz explained. “This listening tour will be about pinpointing the specific concerns of local small business owners – those who create 80 percent of new jobs – and identifying real, tangible economic repairs and policy solutions.

“A ‘jobless recovery’ is not only oxymoronic; it is unacceptable.”

Unemployment in Cook County now exceeds 10 percent, while recessionary job losses and payroll declines nationwide approximate those of the Depression era. Following more than $46 million in debt-generated stimulus spending in Congressional District 5 between October and December 2009, a mere 292.5 jobs were created, according to federal Recovery.gov tracking figures. The majority of all stimulus-subsidized jobs are in the public sector.

According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses February Small Business Economic Trends Report, “Optimism has clearly stalled in spite of the improvements in the economy in the second half of 2009. Small business owners entered 2010 the same way they left 2009 – depressed.”

“Advocacy groups like the NFIB are sounding the clarion call.” Ratowitz noted. “It is imperative that I personally meet with small business owners across the 5th District to gain a first-hand account of the current local business climate. I look forward to it.”

District 5 entrepreneurs interested in participating in the Ratowitz for Congress Small Business Listening Tour are invited and encouraged to contact the campaign at 773-897-5800 or 815-472-4159.

Small business owner, Army veteran and conservative activist David Ratowitz is the Republican challenger for Illinois Congressional District 5 representative. The Ratowitz for Congress campaign platform advocates a limited federal government, low taxes, fiscal discipline and accountability, free markets and individual liberty. Learn more at www.ratowitzforcongress.com.

Original here.

Nine No Climate Tax Pledge Signers Advance to General Election

The Illinois chapter of the free market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) today congratulated a list of nine lawmakers and candidates who have signed the group’s No Climate Tax pledge and will be in November’s general election. More than 325 lawmakers and candidates across the country on the federal, state and local levels are pledging to “oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”

Pledge signers in the Illinois’ general election:
* Mark Kirk – Candidate – U.S. Senate
* Isaac Hayes – Candidate – U.S. House 2nd District
* David Ratowitz – Candidate – U.S. House 5th District
* Joe Walsh – Candidate – U.S. House 8th District
* Robert Dold – Candidate – U.S. House 10th District
* Adam Kinzinger – Candidate – U.S. House 11th District
* Donald Manzullo – U.S. Representative – 16th District
* Bobby Schilling – Candidate – U.S. House 17th District
* Aaron Schock – U.S. Representative – 18th District

“The one thing elected officials should all be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-IL State Director Joe Calomino. “We encourage all of Illinois’ elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign.”

The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.

Original here.

Ratowitz, one of three very different contenders for the Republican 5th District Congressional nomination, defeated Illinois Minuteman founder Rosanna Pulido and former pharmaceutical executive Ashvin Lad for a chance to face Democratic incumbent Mike Quigley in November.

With 92 percent of all precincts reporting by press time, Ratowitz had 5,145 votes to Pulido's 4,268 and Lad's 3,592.

"We won because we waged a different kind of Republican campaign than I think voters have seen in a long time," Ratowitz said during a victory party at the Wise Fools Pub, 2270 N. Lincoln. "Our campaign was based on a very relentless grassroots effort. We gave a vision of an America that included all Americans as opposed to a small cabal of self-appointed wise men.

"The focus was on liberty and the voters responded. We look forward to representing this district in Washington."

It was a race dominated by promises of "jobs, jobs and more jobs" and public-works programs, as well as vows even from Republicans to crack down on Wall Street's "excesses."

Quigley, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the general election, won a special election last spring to fill the vacancy left when Rahm Emanuel became White House chief of staff.

Ratowitz, a thoroughgoing free-market supporter who believes every dollar spent by government is one less dollar in the marketplace, sees across-the-board spending cuts.

Original here.