Ex-veep Quayle stumps for former staffer in 10th Dist. race
He's the president of his own business, but candidate Robert Dold got a boost from his former boss Thursday in the campaign for the Republican nomination in the 10th Congressional District.
Dan Quayle, an Indiana legislator who was elected to Congress at age 29 and ascended to the White House as the 44th Vice President in the original Bush administration, stumped for Dold at a Northbrook restaurant.
Dold, one of five GOP candidates in the Feb. 2 primary, worked as an advance man for Quayle in the early 1990s.
"I've watched him develop over the years," said Quayle, 63, who stopped between flights from New York to Phoenix for the fundraiser luncheon. "Business background. Young, Dynamic. Good ideas. Intelligent. What can I say?"
Dold has promised to bring "small business common sense to Washington."
Opponents downplayed the Quayle appearance.
State Rep. Beth Coulson, said she was proud of her endorsement by former Gov. Jim Edgar and most recently, former 10th District U.S. Rep. John Porter.
Porter retired in 2000 and was replaced by Republican Mark Kirk, who has held the seat since. Kirk is running for U.S. Senate.
Coulson touts a lengthy list of current and former local, state and federal officials as backers.
In a statement, she said was humbled by the support, and "each and every one" of them are "reaching out to their networks and helping spread the word about Beth ... "
Economist Dick Green of Winnetka has focused on a grass-roots campaign and personally has visited 3,000 homes in the district, according to spokesman Chris Hanson.
The Quayle appearance would have no impact, and shows Dold is a "Washington insider," Hanson said.
"We believe in personal, face-to-face voter contact," he said.
Highland Park pediatrician and former Navy helicopter pilot Arie Friedman said his campaign is growing and he's established himself as a formidable candidate.
According to his office, Friedman is fundraising and meeting with would-be constituents daily. He has been endorsed by the political action arm of National Taxpayers United of Illinois.
"Unlike everyone else in the race, Arie has strong organic support from natural constituencies: conservative Jewish voters, medical professionals and military," according to spokesman Stephen Eskilson.
Paul Hamann, an electrical engineer from Lake Forest, eschews the political connections.
"I am not an insider with connections to the establishment," Hamann said in an e-mail, "so if the people or voters want the status quo of special interests controlling government to continue, then I am not their candidate."