Walsh Addresses Full House in Huntley on Redistricting, Temper

Forgoing a formal introduction, Republican Congressman Joe Walsh, 8th District, brought the room to order by addressing the proverbial 800-pound gorilla in it.

“Alright, please pay attention; I don’t want to lose my temper,” quipped Walsh, whose recent heated exchange with a constituent has gone viral on the web.

Walsh’s remarks drew laughs from the capacity crowd that had gathered Saturday in a small banquet room in the Village Inn in Huntley for a coffee-and-pie, meet-and-greet with the freshman legislator. Among those in attendance was Frank Briguglio, who, at age 80, was attending his first-ever political gathering.

“I came here because of the way (Walsh) talks,” the Huntley resident said. “He says it like it is.”

Known for not mincing his words, Walsh discussed a wide-range of topics that included Obamacare, the federal deficit, Sharia Law in American courts, immigration, the possibility of Wisconsin being a swing state, and the current field of Republican presidential candidates.

He also addressed Illinois’ redrawn congressional map that could pair him and against fellow Republican Congressman Randy Hultgren of the 14th District in the 2012 primaries. 

“The Democrats in this state have drawn a horrific map, a horrible map,” said Walsh, who earlier in the day had met with constituents near Oswego. “The Democrats in Illinois are basically trying to rewrite an election, trying to overthrow an election. But before Democrats you hit over the head, like we want to do, understand the Republicans do this in states they control. Republicans did it in North Carolina. Republicans did it in Texas and it looks like that might be overturned. I hope this Democratic map is overturned. We’re going to find out in about a week to ten days if we can overturn it.”

Should the map remain in tact, Walsh, a Tea Party favorite, believes the GOP will favor Hultgren.

“They’ve already got his vote. They can control (Hultgren),” Walsh said. “They know they can’t control me so they probably don’t like me much. I think maybe privately they appreciate what (the Tea Party) is doing, but I know we scare them because we’re trying to change Washington.”

In responding to a question about term limits, Walsh reiterated his own term-limit promise and updated the crowd on his efforts to expand the idea.

“I introduced a bill two months ago calling for term limits,” Walsh said. “When I got elected I said I would limit myself to six years and I will. I’ve only got eight or nine people who’ve co-sponsored my bill, and I don’t think I’m going to get many more than that. I think until we elect enough people who lead by example we’re not going to hit it.”

In regard to the GOP presidential candidates, Walsh isn’t impressed.

“I have not endorsed anybody yet, and I probably won’t,” he said.  “Here’s where I am: anybody up on that (debate) stage tonight is better than who is in the White House right now.”

Walsh’s comment drew applause from the crowd.

After the event, when asked by a reporter to comment on an impending 60 Minutes news story about members of Congress being exempt from insider trading laws, Walsh said he wasn’t aware Congress was.

“If that’s true, then we got a problem,” Walsh said. “If insider trading is illegal out there, I don’t know why it wouldn’t be for members of Congress.”