Dold demands PAC stop linking him to Trump
U.S. Rep. Bob Dold's attorneys are demanding that a Democratic political action committee stop linking the Kenilworth Republican to Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
The attorneys sent a letter Monday to Alixandra Lapp, director of the House Majority PAC, saying "as you are certainly aware, congressman Dold was one of the first Republicans to publicly denounce Mr. Trump's candidacy ... congressman Dold does not and will not support Donald Trump's candidacy for president."
The mailer paid for by House Majority PAC says Dold "won't fight to stop Trump."
The PAC focuses on helping Democrats win in the U.S. House. Dold is bidding against Deerfield Democrat Brad Schneider, who held the seat from 2013 to 2015, in one of the most high-profile congressional races in the nation.
Schneider, in recent weeks, has blasted Dold for what he describes as "tepid" responses to some of Trump's controversial comments.
Dold said last year he could not support Trump after Trump dismissed U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona as "a war hero because he was captured." Dold called the comments "completely unacceptable" and said the issue was personal because his uncle was shot down in the Vietnam War and spent eight years as a prisoner of war.
Dold stayed home from the Republican National Convention, like some other top Republican officials.
Both parties see the 10th District, which covers eastern and central Lake County plus part of northern Cook County, as key and are devoting significant resources to the race.
Republicans aim to keep control of Congress by preventing any seats from turning over. Democrats see the 10th as an opportunity, with Park Ridge native Hillary Clinton at the top of the ticket and a trend of higher Democratic turnout in presidential years.
In recent months, each candidate has sought to portray himself as the truly independent voice in the district, while casting his opponent as toeing the party line.