Pelosi, Hoyer, Reid Donate to Tammy Duckworth
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (above) campaign account donated $2,000 to Tammy Duckworth on Oct. 19, and her leadership PAC gave Duckworth $5,000 on the same day.
Top House and Senate leaders cut checks for Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth’s (D-Ill.) House bid recently — a strong signal that top Democrats are ready to make a significant investment in her campaign for the 8th district.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) donated to Duckworth in the past couple of months via their campaigns or political action committees, according to the House hopeful’s campaign.
The disclosure comes only a few days after freshman Rep. Joe Walsh (R) announced he’ll seek re-election in the 8th district instead of running against his fellow GOP freshman Rep. Randy Hultgren. The donations are also notable because Duckworth faces former Illinois Deputy Treasurer Raja Krishnamoorthi in the Democratic primary this March.
Pelosi’s campaign account doled out $2,000 to Duckworth on Oct. 19, and her leadership PAC gave Duckworth $5,000 on the same day. Reid’s Searchlight Leadership PAC gave $2,500 on Nov. 28. Hoyer’s campaign gave $2,000 to Duckworth earlier this month, and that was followed with a $5,000 donation from his PAC.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), a vocal Duckworth backer, gave $5,000 through his PAC in September. Another top House Democrat, Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.), gave Duckworth $1,000 this month.
State Democrats redrew the 8th earlier this year, making it a much stronger district for the party — and an attractive seat for Duckworth to try for a second time to run for Congress. In 2006, Duckworth narrowly lost to Rep. Peter Roskam (R) in the 6th district.
