Jump to content

Joe Walsh (Illinois politician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joe Walsh
Official portrait, 2011
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 8th district
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byMelissa Bean
Succeeded byTammy Duckworth
Personal details
Born
William Joseph Walsh

(1961-12-27) December 27, 1961 (age 62)
North Barrington, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (until 2020)
Independent (2020–present)[1]
Spouses
Laura Walsh
​
​
(m. 1987; div. 2002)​
​
(m. 2006)​
Children5
EducationGrinnell College
University of Iowa (BA)
University of Chicago (MPP)
WebsitePodcast website

William Joseph Walsh (born December 27, 1961) is an American politician, talk radio host, former social worker, and former 2020 Republican Party presidential candidate, who served one term in the United States House of Representatives representing Illinois's 8th congressional district.

Born and raised in the Chicago metropolitan area, Walsh began his career as a social worker providing education and job skills training to students in low-income areas, gradually becoming more politically active. Walsh had unsuccessfully campaigned for Congress in 1996 and the Illinois House of Representatives in 1998, but was elected to the U.S. House in 2010, defeating three-term incumbent Melissa Bean. Though he received little Republican Party support in his bid against Bean, he was popular with the Tea Party movement. In the 1990s, he identified as a moderate Republican, but he later became a conservative and a Tea Party activist.

During his time in Congress, Walsh was criticized for his often personal attacks against members of the Democratic Party and, specifically, President Barack Obama. He accused the president of abandoning the U.S.–Israel alliance and bankrupting the country. Walsh maintained a no-compromise approach to legislating that included rejecting any tax increases. He consistently voted against raising the federal debt ceiling and authored a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution. Walsh rejected the scientific consensus on climate change and supported tougher border control. Later, during his presidential campaign, Walsh expressed regret for some of the comments and stances he made during his time in Congress.

As a result of redistricting following the 2010 United States Census, Walsh's district was redrawn by the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly in 2012. While he initially planned to run in the newly drawn 14th district against fellow Republican Representative Randy Hultgren, he eventually decided to run in the remapped 8th district against Democratic candidate Tammy Duckworth. Walsh was defeated by Duckworth in the general election on November 6, 2012. After leaving office, Walsh began hosting a talk radio show. Though initially a strong supporter of Donald Trump, Walsh became increasingly critical of the president and, on August 25, 2019, he announced his presidential campaign in opposition to Trump. He dropped out of the race on February 7, 2020, after a poor showing in the Iowa caucus, and subsequently left the party.[2] He later endorsed and voted for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who won the election.

Early life and education

[edit]

Walsh was born and raised in the Chicago suburb of North Barrington, the fifth of nine children of Susan (Stanley) and Charles Melville Walsh, a real estate mortgage banker who had an appraisal business.[3][4] He graduated from Barrington High School in 1980, where he was the student body president and active in sports.[5] He attended Grinnell College then earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa in 1985.[3][6] In the mid-1980s, he embarked on an acting career, taking lessons in stage, theater and television at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City and Los Angeles.[5][7] He completed a Master of Public Policy at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy Studies in 1991.[6][8]

Early career

[edit]

As a social worker,[9][10][11] Walsh worked with the Jobs for Youth program in the inner-city Chicago area, teaching high school dropouts basic academic and job skills. He later taught American government and American history at Oakton Community College and the Hebrew Theological College.[12]

Walsh ran the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, a Chicago-based, privately funded program which grants scholarships to low-income students to attend private high schools. He raised funds for two organizations advocating school choice: the American Education Reform Council, and the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation.[12] In addition, Walsh raised nearly $1 million over a five-year period for the Fabretto Children's Foundation, an international charity which uses education and micro-enterprise to alleviate poverty among Nicaraguan children.[13]

Walsh also worked on state and local government policy issues for The Heartland Institute, a libertarian free-market think tank based in Chicago. He helped launch conservative organizations that seek to limit government and elect fiscal conservatives to state legislatures such as the Legislative Education Action Drive and the Americans for Limited Government. He also did consulting work with the United Republican Fund, an Illinois political action committee helping to elect Republican state legislators.[12]

He has raised venture capital for a living, according to the Chicago Tribune,[14] with his campaign website indicating that he worked for Ravenswood Advisors, a Chicago boutique investment banking group which raised early-stage investment capital for new and small businesses.[12][13] It was reported that Walsh earned $30,000 to $40,000 a year in the past.[7] In 2010, he had a negative net worth of $317,498 according to OpenSecrets.[15]

Early political campaigns

[edit]

1996

[edit]
See also: 1996 United States House of Representatives elections § Illinois

Walsh won the Republican nomination for Illinois's 9th congressional district and faced longtime Democratic liberal incumbent Sidney R. Yates, who was 87 years old, in the general election.[16] Walsh campaigned by riding his bicycle through the district. He engaged in self-admitted "outrageous" stunts during the campaign which included paying the doorman at Yates's Chicago apartment building $1,000 for being the first person to spot Yates in his district, and throwing a birthday party for Yates that included a cake decorated with 87 candles.[9][17] Walsh denied he was trying to play the "age card". Yates responded that his own age was not a factor, and that Walsh was too young and inexperienced for the job. Yates also commented that the district was too liberal for Walsh, and tried to tie Walsh to the conservative Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. In response, Walsh distanced himself from Gingrich and said he considered himself a "moderate Republican;"[9] he also ran as a pro-choice candidate in the liberal-leaning district,[18] and described himself as "the most gay friendly Republican around".[19] Yates defeated Walsh 63–37%.[20]

1998

[edit]

In 1998, Walsh challenged incumbent Democrat Jeffrey Schoenberg for the 58th district seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, which represents the Chicago North Shore suburbs of Wilmette and Evanston, Illinois. Walsh again ran as pro-choice on abortion.[18] He drove a yellow school bus throughout the district during his campaign to focus attention on the issue of public school funding.[21] He criticized Schoenberg for voting in favor of Republican Governor Jim Edgar's school-funding reform bill that would have increased state income taxes but given property tax relief to North Shore homeowners.[21][22] Walsh lost to Schoenberg, 62%–38%.[23]

U.S. House of Representatives

[edit]

Elections

[edit]
2010
See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois § District 8

On September 28, 2009, Walsh launched an exploratory committee to run for the United States House of Representatives in the Illinois's 8th congressional district. The district included parts of the northwest Chicago suburbs, such as Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Gurnee, Palatine, Mundelein, Zion, Barrington, Woodstock and Walsh's home in McHenry. It had long been reckoned as the most Republican district in the Chicago area, and by some measures in all of Illinois. However, in 2004, Democrat Melissa Bean had ousted 36-year Republican incumbent Phil Crane in a substantial upset, ending seventy years of Republican control.

In February 2010, Walsh won the Republican primary election, taking about 34 percent of the vote in a six-person field and moving into the district from Winnetka in April.[18][24] The Republican establishment refused to put much stock into the district with National Republican Congressional Committee member Tom Erickson, saying, "In the primary, we had really liked Dirk Beveridge or Maria Rodriguez. Those are the two candidates who we thought really had the potential to make this a very competitive race." Walsh's campaign responded that the GOP establishment was "a bit tone deaf when it comes to independent, conservative reform candidates".[25]

Walsh then advanced to face Bean in the general election. In 2006, Bean had been re-elected with 51 percent and in 2008 with 60 percent of the vote. Bean was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune,[18] the Chicago Sun-Times,[26] The Daily Herald,[27] and the Lake County News-Sun.[28]

Walsh criticized Bean for her 2010 votes in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act[14] and against the Stupak–Pitts Amendment that would have prohibited the use of federal funds to cover any part of the cost of any health plan that included coverage of abortion.[29] He described himself as a Tea Party conservative activist[30] and obtained endorsements from two Tea Party organizations, conservative radio talk show host Tom Roeser, and many others.[31]

The national Democratic and Republican parties did not compete or spend any money in the district, and the state GOP did not help Walsh.[32] As a result, during the 2010 election cycle, Walsh's campaign raised only one-quarter as much as Bean's.[7] He spent about $603,000 and ended the campaign about $362,000 in debt according to campaign finance reports,[33] (with much of the debt due to post election ballot counting of the close race).[34] As late as October, The New York Times forecast that Bean had an 88 percent chance at winning re-election. Even CQ Politics had the election as "Safe Democratic". Despite the lack of funding and his long-shot status, Walsh narrowly defeated Bean by a margin of 0.1% or 291 votes. The race was not called until two weeks after Election Day when provisional ballots were counted. It appeared that Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer was a factor in the race; he tallied 6,400 votes, far more than Walsh's margin of victory.[35][36]

2012
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois § District 8

During the 2011 redrawing of Illinois' election districts by the Democratic-controlled state legislature, Walsh's home, along with most of the McHenry County portion of his old district, was drawn into the 14th district, represented by fellow Republican Randy Hultgren. The 8th was reconfigured to favor a Democratic candidate. Walsh and nine other Republican Illinois Representatives filed a lawsuit alleging that the new borders discriminated against Republican and Latino voters.[37][38] On September 21, Walsh announced that if the new district lines were upheld in federal court, he would run for election in the then-heavily Republican 14th district against Hultgren.[39]

In late July 2011, Walsh was endorsed by the Club for Growth to run against Hultgren.[40][41] However, after several ethics issues regarding Walsh emerged, (such as charges of failing to pay child support, and driving on a suspended license), the Club for Growth distanced itself from Walsh, stating that it would wait until more facts were known before making a decision.[42] In November 2011, Walsh was cited by the Family Research Council Action committee for his "unwavering support of the family."[43]

In December 2011, Walsh decided to run in the redrawn 8th district instead,[44] where he would likely face Democratic candidate Tammy Duckworth, a former assistant secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,[45] in what posed a tough race for Walsh.[46][47] In January 2012, the conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity gave Walsh a 100 percent rating.[48]

The ensuing campaign between Walsh and Duckworth emerged as a bitter race. At a July 2012 campaign event, Walsh accused his opponent of politicizing both her military service as a helicopter pilot and her Iraq War injuries, which cost her both legs and the partial use of one arm. He said, "My God, that's all she talks about. Our true heroes, the men and women who served us, it's the last thing in the world they talk about."[49][50] Walsh later suggested that she was, in fact, a "true hero," but that she should not talk about her service so frequently,[51] and that her service should not command votes.[52] Walsh decided to skip the 2012 Republican National Convention, distancing himself from establishment Republicans.[47]

Walsh's campaign was bolstered by major financial support in the form of outside spending by conservative Super PACs.[53] In September 2012, Americans for Limited Government gave $1,950,000 to the Now or Never PAC, which then spent $2,022,039 to support Walsh and oppose Duckworth.[54] Over $6.6 million in outside spending was reported in the race, with Walsh receiving more than $6 million of that total.[55] Overall, Walsh outspent her $7 million to $4.7 million.

Despite his spending advantage, on November 6, 2012, Duckworth unseated Walsh 55 to 45 percent.[56][57][58] Despite his loss, Walsh outperformed the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, who received 41% of the vote in the 8th district.[59]

Tenure

[edit]
Walsh speaking at a Tea Party rally on March 31, 2011

Several days before being sworn into Congress, The New York Times criticized Walsh for his willingness to accept donations from political action committees and lobbyists.[34] After being sworn in, Walsh announced that consistent with his opposition to government-provided health care and the 2010 health care reform legislation, he would not accept congressional health care benefits.[60]

During his early months in Congress, he emerged as a vocal critic of the Democratic Party and President Obama's fiscal policies, and posted a YouTube video in which he accused President Obama of bankrupting the country. He also vowed, "I won't place one more dollar of debt upon the backs of my kids and grandkids unless we structurally reform the way this town [Washington, D.C.] spends money!"[61] He became a frequent fixture on cable TV,[7][61] advocating a "no compromise" approach to deficit reduction that rejects any tax increases on the wealthy.[61] He consistently voted against raising the federal debt ceiling and authored a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.[62] Walsh has also said that President Obama was elected "because he pushed that magical button: a black man who was articulate, liberal, the whole white guilt, all of that."[63] In his first six months in office, Walsh made over 30 appearances on television.[64]

During the election season, Walsh was asked what his approach to bipartisanship would be if elected. He replied it would "not be the time right now to extend your hand across the aisle".[27]

In September 2011, Walsh was among 19 members of Congress criticized for ethics violations in the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington annual report.[65]

In November 2011, Walsh was videotaped meeting with his constituents, becoming visibly aggressive and swearing at a woman who questioned him about his comment that the marketplace and the banks were not responsible "for the mess we're in right now." He later apologized for being "too passionate".[66]

While in Congress, Walsh held 363 town hall meetings, more than any other member of Congress.[67]

Committee assignments

[edit]

For the 112th Congress, Walsh was appointed to leadership positions on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security (vice chairman), and the House Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth (chairman). A list of all of his former committee assignments follows:

Caucus memberships

[edit]

Walsh held other memberships related to his work as a congressman including: the Congressional Hockey Caucus, the House Republican Israel Caucus, the Republican Study Committee and the Tea Party Caucus.[8]

Post-congressional career

[edit]

On March 25, 2013, Walsh aired his first radio show, The Joe Walsh Show, on Chicago's talk station WIND as a conservative political commentator.[68][69][70] After less than a year on the air in Chicago, The Joe Walsh Show also began airing on WNYM in New York City.[71] In April 2015, WNYM dropped Walsh from its radio platform.[72] As of September 2016, Walsh's radio talk show is aired in several major U.S. cities, including Chicago, New York City, Phoenix, Dallas, and Denver.[73]

On December 19, 2015, Walsh announced that, should Democratic presidential candidate, and later the nominee, Hillary Clinton win the 2016 United States presidential election, he would run for the office himself in 2020.[74][75][better source needed] However, Republican nominee Donald Trump won the 2016 election, defeating Clinton.[76]

In February 2017, The Joe Walsh Show received national syndication by the Salem Radio Network.[77] Walsh joined Newsmax TV in May 2018.[78] On August 26, 2019, a day after announcing his campaign for president, Walsh announced he had lost his radio show.[79][80] After concluding his run for president, Walsh resumed broadcasting in June 2020 with a two-hour call-in talk show on the GAB Radio Network and its Chicago flagship station WCGO. On May 26, 2021, Walsh announced that he lost that radio show because he was "anti-Trump".

In October 2021, Walsh launched his new podcast White Flag, which he claims has been in the works for months.[81] His first guest on the podcast was Andrew Yang.

Controversial statements

[edit]

According to various media outlets, Walsh has a history of making controversial statements.[82][83][84][85]

On August 8, 2012, while serving in the House, Walsh appeared at a town hall in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Walsh made several comments about the dangers of "radical Islam" and suggested that the danger was in nearby towns, and that Muslims are "trying to kill Americans every week."[86]

On June 19, 2014, Walsh was removed from his radio show for using racial slurs. He was on air again the next day. WIND general manager Jeff Reisman commented: "During the segment Joe intended to cite several common racial slurs as examples. He did not in any way use them in a defamatory or derogatory manner, simply as examples. However, AM 560 The Answer did not allow them to go on the air. AM 560 The Answer has a policy of not using certain words on the air that are highly inflammatory and offensive even in the context of a discussion of why those words are offensive. We will continue that policy."[87][88]

On January 14, 2015, following the Charlie Hebdo shooting, in a tweet which he described as satirical, Walsh called for Islamists to "behead" reporters on CNN and MSNBC and referred to them as "appeasing cowards" for not airing cartoons published by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo which depicts prophet Muhammad.[89][90] In another tweet, Walsh stated that not showing cartoons of Muhammad would lead to more attacks.[89]

On July 7, 2016, the night of the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers, Walsh wrote on Twitter, "This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out Black Lives Matter punks. Real America is coming after you." These comments were interpreted by some as threats.[91][92] After deleting the tweet (by his account, it was deleted by Twitter), Walsh wrote later, "I wasn't calling for violence, against Obama or anyone. Obama's words and BLM's deeds have gotten cops killed. Time for us to defend our cops."[93] The next morning, Walsh stated in an interview with the Chicago Tribune that Twitter suspended his account and deleted the tweet itself: "The pre-condition for me reopening my account was they had to delete that tweet." He said, "Of course I didn't mean 'let's go kill Obama and Black Lives Matter.' I was not trying to incite violence against Obama and Black Lives Matter. That's crazy and stupid and wrong. It would end my career and it's wrong."[94] Rep. Keith Ellison also called for the investigation of Walsh following the tweet.[95]

On October 24, 2016, Walsh wrote on Twitter, "On November 8th, I'm voting for Trump. On November 9th, if Trump loses, I'm grabbing my musket. You in?"[96] When Jake Tapper asked him what he meant, Walsh responded, "It means protesting. Participating in acts of civil disobedience. Doing what it takes to get our country back."[97] The New York Post wrote that "some took his tweet as a call for violent insurrection."[98]

On May 2, 2017, Walsh wrote on Twitter, "Sorry Jimmy Kimmel: your sad story doesn't obligate me or anybody else to pay for somebody else's health care."[99] in reference to a 13-minute monologue delivered by late night host Jimmy Kimmel discussing his son's congenital heart defect and his belief that covering pre-existing conditions is an important part of healthcare in the United States.[100]

On September 23, 2017, Walsh described Stevie Wonder as "Another ungrateful black multi millionaire" after Wonder had taken a knee at his concert in protest of what he termed police brutality.[101][102]

In 2018, Sacha Baron Cohen's satirical television program Who Is America? premiered showing Walsh supporting the hoax "kinderguardians program" which supported training toddlers with firearms.[103][104]

In August 2019, he stated that while he did not consider himself a racist, "I've said racist things on Twitter."[105]

2020 presidential campaign

[edit]
Main article: Joe Walsh 2020 presidential campaign

In an interview on This Week on August 25, 2019, Walsh announced that he would enter the 2020 Republican Party primary race, challenging incumbent President Donald Trump.[106][107] He stated that Trump's behavior in office motivated him to declare his candidacy.[108][109] Walsh admitted that some of his past comments might have "helped create Trump" and that Trump "made me reflect on some of the things I said in the past."[110][111][112][113] He stated he would not vote for Trump again and that he had not decided on whether to vote for a Democrat to prevent Trump's re-election.[114] Following his announcement, Salem Radio Network said it would cancel its national distribution of his talk show on September 26, 2019, and that Walsh will be free to sign up with a different syndicator if he chooses.[115] Walsh commented, "No more radio show, but that's OK. I'm going to campaign full time."[116] On November 13, 2019, Walsh filed to challenge Trump in the New Hampshire primaries.[117] On February 7, 2020, Walsh announced on CNN that he was ending his presidential campaign after receiving only 1.1% of the vote in the Iowa caucuses. He called the Republican Party a "cult" and said he was leaving the party.[2] He suggested he would likely support the Democratic nominee in the general election.[118][119] According to Walsh, no one could beat Trump in a Republican primary, because Trump supporters had become "followers" who think that Trump "can do no wrong", after absorbing misinformation "from 'conservative' media. They don't know what the truth is and – more importantly – they don't care."[120] In an interview with Fox News, Walsh reiterated he was willing to support a socialist over Trump in the general election,[121] and he repeated this sentiment in later comments.[122]

Political positions

[edit]
Walsh speaking at CPAC in 2011

In his failed 1996 congressional bid, Walsh was more socially liberal, favoring abortion rights and gun control.[5] By 2010, his views had become more conservative, and by 2019, he took some moderate positions and reversed some of his previously conservative positions.[123]

Economics

[edit]

On taxes, Walsh stated he favors extending the Bush tax cuts, abolishing the estate tax, and cutting both the capital gains and corporate tax rates. He blamed joblessness on a reluctance by small businesses to hire and traced that reluctance to an uncertainty on tax policy.[14] In November 2011, Walsh said that the Occupy movement was composed of "generally spoiled, pampered, unfocused, clueless young people and a smattering of other people who don't understand this country and are advocating anti-American solutions." When a constituent pointed out that veterans have also taken part in the Occupy movement, Walsh responded, "I don't know how many veterans are part of the Occupy protest. I can't imagine it's many. But anyone who would advocate socialist solutions to certain problems in this country ... they don't understand this country."[124]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Walsh supported the idea of businesses being compensated for a mandatory lockdown.[125]

Medicare and Social Security

[edit]

On entitlement reform, he suggested cuts would have to be made. "The first thing we need to do is acknowledge that everybody is going to have to give on Social Security reform and Medicare reform," he said. Walsh opposes the extension of unemployment benefits. He said the benefits have already been extended for too long and that attention should be paid to the cost.[14] Following President Obama's 2011 State of the Union address, Walsh remarked that he did not believe there should be a social safety net because it is not in the Constitution.[7]

Environment

[edit]

On global warming, he described the science behind it as "not definitive" and that U.S. economic interests should come first in any discussion of climate agreements.[14]

By 2019, Walsh changed his stance, accepting that climate change is real.[126][127]

Immigration

[edit]

Walsh also criticized President Obama's immigration policies, saying the president had made only token efforts toward securing the borders. In May 2011, while holding a toy alligator in his hand, Walsh announced on the House floor that he would support tough border legislation even if it involved building moats and filling them with alligators.[128]

Social issues

[edit]

Walsh also tends rightward on social issues. On abortion, he said to reporters in October 2012 that abortion is never medically necessary to save the life of the mother, saying that "with modern technology and science, you can't find one instance" of a medically necessary abortion.[129][130]

Walsh was often critical of Black Lives Matter. By 2020, however, he has changed his stance to be supportive of the movement.[131][132] He credits his change in stance to both conversations with African Americans who shared their perception of law enforcement, as well as with members of law enforcement.[133]

As of 2020, he is against the death penalty[134] and for the legalization of marijuana.[135]

Foreign affairs

[edit]

Walsh holds strongly pro-Israel views. In a May 2012 op-ed for the Washington Times, Walsh opposed the two-state solution, saying it has "failed" and was "insanity"; he advocated for total Israeli annexation of the Palestinian territories, arguing that the Palestinians living there could be given "limited voting power" within the Jewish state and encouraging them to move to Jordan.[136] This led to accusations that Walsh advocated apartheid and the "soft" ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their ancestral home.[137] He wrote a column in The Daily Caller stating that President Obama is "not Israel's friend" and should not have criticized Israel for continuing to build settlements in the occupied territories.[7]

In November 2011, Walsh, along with fellow Tea Partier Ron Paul, met leader of the French National Front and anti-Islamist activist Marine Le Pen during her visit to the United States.[138][139]

Walsh campaigned to get Narendra Modi, then the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat, a diplomatic visa to the United States, which had previously been denied to him due to allegations of violations of religious freedom against Muslims during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Walsh said that Modi had "quite a successful track record" of fiscal responsibility, described him as "kind of like a Tea Party free market guy in India, which I found very appealing," and noted that he "has been recognized across the world for establishing Gujarat as the most business-friendly state in India and is widely believed to be a serious contender for the 2014 election for Indian Prime Minister."[140][141] Modi did win the 2014 general election, becoming Prime Minister of India.

Donald Trump

[edit]

Originally a supporter of Donald Trump, Walsh evolved into a persistent critic of the former president despite affirming support for many of his policies.[142][143][144] Walsh supported Donald Trump's presidential candidacy, even though he did not believe Trump could win Illinois.[145] After the election, Walsh condemned some of Trump's cabinet nominations for their connections to Goldman Sachs.[146] Contrary to the opinions of many other conservatives, Walsh voiced support for and confidence in Robert Mueller and his Special Counsel investigation.[142][147][148] In July 2018, Walsh rescinded his support for Trump after his Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying "I will never support Trump again" and calling him "a danger to this country."[149][150][151] In October 2018, Walsh criticized Trump for making statements he thought promoted violence.[152] In April 2019, Walsh called for a primary challenge to Trump for the 2020 presidential election,[153] and he reiterated that call in August 2019.[154][155][156] In July 2019, Walsh said that he was considering primarying Trump, as well as saying that Trump's "entire life is a lie".[157] Walsh suggested using the Twenty-fifth Amendment to remove Trump from office.[158]

On January 31, 2020, Walsh stated he would support any of the Democratic Party presidential candidates over Trump in the general election.[159] He endorsed Joe Biden in that year's election.[160] Walsh also supported Biden against Trump in the 2024 election followed by his running mate and Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden ended his campaign.[161]

Personal life

[edit]

Walsh has been married twice, and has three children and two stepchildren.[13][162] His second marriage, in 2006, was to Helene Miller, who served as an Illinois state representative from 2018 to 2019.[163] He is Catholic.[164]

Following Walsh's victory in the 2010 Republican primary, it was reported that a bank had foreclosed on his condo and he had been evicted in October 2009, but that he and his family were living in a rented house in the Chicago North Shore suburb of Winnetka at the time. A GOP spokesman said that voters would likely identify with Walsh's financial troubles. He was also reportedly facing a lawsuit by a former campaign manager who claimed Walsh owed him $20,000 for services[165] and had federal and state tax liens in the 1980s and 1990s (all paid by 2001). Walsh explained that the major portion of the past due taxes were on a college trust fund he received from his grandfather and that neither he nor his family had been aware that the funds were taxable. He also explained that his more recent financial struggles have made him more attuned to the difficulties faced by the average constituent.[3]

In July 2011, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Walsh's ex-wife, Laura, was suing him for $117,437 for past due child support dating from 2005 for their three children.[61] Walsh allegedly had told his ex-wife that he did not have the money because he was out of work; she had later seen from his campaign disclosures that he had been employed.[61][166] Walsh's attorney said that Walsh did not owe "anywhere near that amount," and that he had had no more problems paying child support than "any other average guy".[166] Walsh and his ex-wife began working out a settlement of the disputed past due amount in late July 2011.[61] Walsh's financial problems inspired the proposal of a bill which would forbid people owing more than $10,000 in back child support from running for office in Illinois.[167] On April 20, 2012, a settlement was reached, and the case dismissed. As part of the settlement, Walsh issued a statement on behalf of himself and his ex-wife which read, in part, "Having resolved these issues together and cleared up these mistakes in private, we now agree that Joe is not and was not a 'deadbeat dad' and does not owe child support."[168]

In August 2011, the Chicago Tribune reported that Walsh lost his driving privileges from mid-April to mid-July 2011 because he let his insurance lapse. In response, Walsh criticized the Tribune for "wast[ing] time and ink scrutinizing [his] driving record over the last 22 years rather than Washington's unsustainable spending".[5]

On February 1, 2013, Walsh filed a motion to terminate child support obligations, claiming that as he was now unemployed he was unable to contribute to the support of his children.[169]

Electoral history

[edit]
Joe Walsh electoral history
1996 U.S. House of Representatives election in Illinois' 9th district[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sidney Yates (incumbent) 124,319 63.4
Republican Joe Walsh 71,763 36.6
Total votes 196,082 100
Turnout   66
Democratic hold
1998 Illinois House of Representatives election in the 58th district[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jeffrey Schoenberg (incumbent) 23,340 62
Republican Joe Walsh 14,324 38
Total votes 37,664 100
Turnout   52
Democratic hold
2010 Illinois' 8th U.S House of Representatives district Republican primary, February 2, 2010[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Walsh 16,162 34.2
Republican Dirk Beveridge 11,708 24.7
Republican Maria Rodriguez 9,803 20.7
Republican Chris Geissler 4,267 9.0
Republican John Dawson 3,921 8.3
Republican Greg Jacobs 1,445 3.1
Total votes 47,306 100
Turnout   23
2010 U.S. House of Representatives general election in Illinois' 8th district, November 2, 2010[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Walsh 98,115 48.5
Democratic Melissa Bean (incumbent) 97,824 48.3
Green Bill Scheurer 6,494 3.2
Total votes 202,433 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic
2012 Republican primary, March 20, 2012[170]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Walsh (incumbent) 35,102 99.9
Republican Robert Canfield (write-in) 54 0.1
Total votes 35,156 100
2012 U.S. House of Representatives general election in Illinois' 8th district, November 6, 2012[171]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tammy Duckworth 123,206 54.7
Republican Joe Walsh (incumbent) 101,860 45.3
Total votes 225,066 100
Democratic gain from Republican

Publications

[edit]
  • F*ck Silence: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man He Is (2020)

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lemon, Jason (May 30, 2021). "Ex-GOP Rep. Joe Walsh Calls for 'Better and New' Alternative to Republican Party". Newsweek. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (October 24, 2020). "I was a lifelong Republican. I left the Party in February. Because the Party became a cult. And I didn't want to belong to a cult. The cult leader will lose in 10 days. But he will remain the cult leader. And the Party will remain a cult. Which is why we need something new" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b c Lester, Kerry (October 18, 2010). "Walsh money woes date back to the 1990s". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  4. ^ Skinner, Cal (June 3, 2019). "Susan Walsh, Joe Walsh's Mother, RIP". McHenry County Blog. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d Katherine Skiba; Steve Schmadeke (August 17, 2011). "Joe Walsh's unlikely road to D.C." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Joe Walsh (1961-)". Biographical Guide to the United States Congress. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Weigel, David (May 26, 2011). "What Did He Just Say? Meet Rep. Joe Walsh, the biggest media hound in the freshman class". Slate. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Representative Joe Walsh (IL) – Biographical Information". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  9. ^ a b c Terry, Don (October 24, 1996). "Illinois Lawmaker Proves a Tough Target for G.O.P." The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  10. ^ "Wall Street Journal Report with Maria Bartiroma". March 21, 2011. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  11. ^ Gizzi, John (November 10, 2010). "Joe Walsh: The Longest of Longshots". Human Events. Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d "Biography". Congressman Joe Walsh official website. Archived from the original on May 5, 2011. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  13. ^ a b c "About Joe Walsh". Joe Walsh for Congress Committee. 2010. Archived from the original on October 23, 2009. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  14. ^ a b c d e Hinkel, Dan; Skiba, Katherine (November 17, 2010). "Melissa Bean: I didn't underestimate Walsh". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  15. ^ Javers, Eamon (March 9, 2011). "Poorest Member of Congress—And Proud of It". CNBC. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  16. ^ a b Robin, Carle (July 29, 1997). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1996" (PDF). Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  17. ^ Neal, Steve (October 15, 1996). "In search of Sidney Yates". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  18. ^ a b c d "For the U.S. House". Chicago Tribune. October 7, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  19. ^ "Trump's Republican Challenger Has Racist, Homophobic Record".
  20. ^ "IL District 9 Race – Nov 05, 1996". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Spencer, LeAnn (August 13, 1998). "Candidate Uses Bus To Drive Home Views On School Funding". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  22. ^ Spencer, LeAnn (October 6, 1998). "School Funds Top District 58 Race Walsh Challenging Schoenberg in House". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  23. ^ a b "Ballots Cast: General Election – 11/3/1998, 58th Representative". Illinois State Board of Elections. November 3, 1998. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  24. ^ a b "Ballots Cast: General Primary, 8th Congress – 2/2/2010". Illinois State Board of Elections. February 2, 2010. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  25. ^ Lissau, Russell (March 4, 2010). "National GOP not putting stock in Walsh campaign". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 16, 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  26. ^ "Complete list of Chicago Sun-Times endorsements". Chicago Sun-Times. October 23, 2010. Archived from the original on October 29, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  27. ^ a b Daily Herald Editorial Board (October 28, 2010). "Congress, 8th District: Bean". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  28. ^ "Our View: Bean, Seals for Congress". Lake County News-Sun. October 14, 2010.
  29. ^ "Walsh Condemns Bean Health Care Vote; Bill Will Increase Taxes, Kill Jobs, Raise Premiums, Hurt Families" (Press release). Joe Walsh for Congress Committee. November 7, 2009. Archived from the original on October 21, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  30. ^ "An Open Letter from Joe Walsh Your Tea Party/Conservative Candidate" (Press release). Joe Walsh for Congress Committee. January 20, 2010. Archived from the original on October 21, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  31. ^ "Endorsements". Joe Walsh for Congress Committee. 2010. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  32. ^ Sroka, Diana (November 14, 2010). "Breaking down how Joe Walsh turned tide vs. Melissa Bean" (Pay per view). Northwest Herald. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  33. ^ "Representative Joe Walsh (IL) Campaign finances". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  34. ^ a b Warren, James (December 25, 2010). "Surprise Representative Plans Surprises of His Own in Washington". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  35. ^ a b Moran, Dan (November 17, 2010). "It's official: Walsh wins 8th District cliffhanger by 291 votes". Lake County News-Sun. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  36. ^ "IL – District 08 Race – Nov 02, 2010". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  37. ^ Sweet, Lynn (July 27, 2011). "Re. Joe Walsh, Tea Party leader gets boost from Club for Growth". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  38. ^ Sweet, Lynne (July 27, 2011). "Illinois Republican House incumbents sue state over Democratic remap". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  39. ^ Pallasch, Abdon (September 21, 2011). "U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh to run in 14th District; would face Hultgren in primary". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
  40. ^ Joseph, Cameron (July 27, 2011). "Club for Growth will back Rep. Joe Walsh in reelection". The Hill. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  41. ^ "Club for Growth PAC Will Support Joe Walsh in IL-14". Clubforgrowth.org. July 27, 2011. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  42. ^ Joseph, Cameron (August 26, 2011). "Club for Growth backs away from Walsh". The Hill. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  43. ^ Pallasch, Abdon M. (November 3, 2011). "Rep. Walsh lauded by group for being pro-family, though accused of owing child support". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  44. ^ "Walsh, Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi, Hultgren statements UPDATE". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on January 22, 2012.
  45. ^ "Joe Walsh Trailing Democrats in Illinois 8th District Poll: Duckworth Leading Krishnamoorthi". One Penny Sheet. January 26, 2012.
  46. ^ Baichwal, Ravi (February 22, 2012). "Emanuel endorses Duckworth in 8th District race". WLS-TV. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
  47. ^ a b Erbentraut, Joseph (July 19, 2012). "Joe Walsh, Tea Party Rep, Says He'll Skip GOP Convention". HuffPost. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  48. ^ McClelland, Edward (January 11, 2012). "Walsh Receives Perfect Score from Americans for Prosperity". nbcchicago.com.
  49. ^ "Walsh defends remarks on whether Duckworth is true hero". Chicago Tribune. July 3, 2012.
  50. ^ votevets.org (March 29, 2012). "New Low: Deadbeat Congressman Joe Walsh Insults Veterans' Sacrifice (press release)". votevets.org. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013.
  51. ^ Terkel, Amanda (July 12, 2012). "Iraq Veteran Tammy Duckworth Raises Record Amount For House Race". HuffPost.
  52. ^ Sudo, Chuck (July 10, 2012). "Rep. Joe Walsh Can't Stop Talking About Tammy Duckworth's Military Service". Chicagoist.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  53. ^ "Duckworth defeats Walsh in congressional contest". Chicago Tribune. November 7, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  54. ^ "Now or Never PAC – 2014 Influence Explorer". Reporting.sunlightfoundation.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  55. ^ "IL-8 (House) – Follow the Unlimited Money – Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group". Reporting.sunlightfoundation.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  56. ^ "Illinois House Election Results 2012 – Map, District Results, Live Updates". Politico. July 9, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  57. ^ Garcia, M.; Eldeib, D. (November 7, 2012). "Duckworth defeats Walsh in congressional contest". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  58. ^ Portero, Ashley (November 7, 2012). "House Election 2012: Joe Walsh Ousted; A Kennedy Returns To Congress". The International Business Times. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  59. ^ Barone, Michael; McCutcheon, Chuck (2013). The Almanac of American Politics 2014. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 572. ISBN 978-0-226-10544-4. Copyright National Journal.
  60. ^ Smith, Ben (January 4, 2011). "Schumer: Health care foes should forgo coverage". Politico. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  61. ^ a b c d e f Pallasch, Abdon M. (July 27, 2011). "Tea Party Rep. Joe Walsh sued for $100,000 in child support". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  62. ^ Pearson, Rick; Garcia, Monique (October 10, 2012). "Walsh, Duckworth hammer each other in debate". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  63. ^ Sargent, Greg (May 27, 2011). "GOP Rep. Walsh: Obama was elected because he is a 'black man who was articulate' – The Plum Line". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  64. ^ Skiba, Katherine (June 15, 2011). "Illinois' 5 Republican Freshmen Reflect on First 6 Months in Congress". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  65. ^ Yager, Jordy (September 20, 2011). "Watchdog spotlights lawmaker ethics in 'most corrupt' report". The Hill.
  66. ^ Montopoli, Brian (November 9, 2011). "Joe Walsh: I got "a bit too passionate" with my constituent". CBS News.
  67. ^ Illinois Forum Celebrates 25 Years Banding Together Freedom Lovers Archived October 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine The Heartland Institute, August 29, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014
  68. ^ "Former Rep. Joe Walsh gets his own radio show". The Hill. March 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  69. ^ "Former Rep. Joe Walsh to Host Radio Show". Northwest Herald. March 15, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  70. ^ Fuller, Jaime (September 2, 2014) "Where Are They Now? — The Congressional Edition". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  71. ^ "Monday April 7, 2014" – Front Page News Archived 2018-10-11 at the Wayback Machine. Talkers.com. Retrieved July 25, 2014
  72. ^ Feder, Robert (April 20, 2015). "Joe Walsh Loses New York Radio Platform". Robert Feder. Archived from the original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  73. ^ "The Joe Walsh Show". WalshFreedom.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  74. ^ "Former Congressman Joe Walsh Announces 2020 Presidential Bid". December 21, 2015. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016 – via YouTube.
  75. ^ "This Former Congressman Stated He'd Run For President in 2020 If Hillary Clinton Wins". Future Female Leaders. December 19, 2015. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  76. ^ "Trump Wins Presidency, Defeats Clinton in Historic Election Upset". Fox News. November 8, 2016. Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  77. ^ "Wednesday, February 8, 2017". Talkers.com. February 8, 2017. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  78. ^ "Who is Joe Walsh, the Republican running against Trump for president?". August 22, 2019.
  79. ^ Budryk, Zack (August 26, 2019). "Joe Walsh says he lost his national radio show". The Hill. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  80. ^ Wulfsohn, Joseph A. (August 26, 2019). "Joe Walsh says he's lost radio show since launching Trump challenge". Fox News. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  81. ^ "White Flag with Joe Walsh on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  82. ^ Shaw, Adam (August 15, 2019). "Newest anti-Trump Republican Joe Walsh tries to shed history of incendiary remarks". Fox News. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  83. ^ Perano, Ursula (August 22, 2019). "Potential Trump primary challenger has inflammatory record of his own". Axios. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  84. ^ Budryk, Zack (August 26, 2019). "Here are 5 controversial things Joe Walsh has said". The Hill. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  85. ^ Dunleavy, Jerry (August 26, 2019). "Beheading journalists, the N-word, and racist Obama voters: Joe Walsh's long history of incendiary statements". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  86. ^ Lutz, Eric (August 9, 2012). "Walsh: Muslims "trying to kill Americans"". Salon. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  87. ^ Walsh Will Be Back On the Air Tonight Archived 2017-11-07 at the Wayback Machine Daily Herald, June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2014
  88. ^ "Ex-Rep. Joe Walsh 'Kicked Off the Air' Over Racist Terms on Radio". Chicago Sun-Times. June 20, 2014. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014.
  89. ^ a b "Commentary: The Danger Behind Joe Walsh's 'Satirical' Call To 'Behead' Liberal Journalists". January 15, 2015.
  90. ^ "Ex-GOP Rep: My Call For Islamists To Behead U.S. Journalists Was 'Satire'". Talking Points Memo. January 14, 2015.
  91. ^ Gore, Leada (July 8, 2016). "Joe Walsh tweet on Dallas police shooting: Former Congressman blasts Obama, Black Lives Matter". al.com. Birmingham, Alabama. Archived from the original on July 8, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  92. ^ "Former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh threatens 'war' on Obama and Black Lives Matter protesters, blames them for deaths after Dallas attack". Daily News. New York. July 8, 2016. Archived from the original on July 8, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  93. ^ @@WalshFreedom (July 7, 2016). "I wasn't calling for violence" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  94. ^ Skiba, Katherine; Crepeau, Megan (July 8, 2016). "Ex-Illinois Rep. Walsh says Twitter took down Dallas tweet 'Watch out Obama'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 8, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  95. ^ Smilowitz, Elliot (July 16, 2016). "Dem calls for investigation into ex-rep's Obama tweet". The Hill.
  96. ^ "Former Republican congressman promises to lead an armed revolution – with muskets – should Donald Trump lose". The Week. October 26, 2016. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  97. ^ Schuba, Tom (October 26, 2016). "Joe Walsh: 'If Trump Loses, I'm Grabbing My Musket". nbcchicago.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  98. ^ Brennan, Christopher (October 26, 2016). "Former congressman Joe Walsh says he's 'grabbing his musket' if Trump loses". New York Post. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  99. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (May 2, 2017). "Sorry Jimmy Kimmel: your sad story doesn't obligate me or anybody else to pay for somebody else's health care" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  100. ^ Bitette, Nicole (May 3, 2017). "Former Congressman Joe Walsh Blasted for Insensitive Comments Made About Jimmy Kimmel's Son's Heart Condition". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  101. ^ Blay, Zeba (September 25, 2017). "What It Really Means When Black People Who Protest Are Called 'Ungrateful'". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  102. ^ Cobb, Jelani (September 24, 2017). "From Louis Armstrong to the N.F.L.: Ungrateful as the New Uppity". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  103. ^ Andrews, Travis (July 15, 2018). "Former Congressman Joe Walsh Explains How Sacha Baron Cohen Tricked Him into Supporting Arming Toddlers with Guns". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  104. ^ Park, Andrea (July 16, 2018). "Former Congressman Joe Walsh Explains How Sacha Baron Cohen Tricked Him on New Show". CBS News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  105. ^ Wise, Justin (August 26, 2019). "Joe Walsh: 'I wouldn't call myself racist' but 'I've said racist things'". The Hill. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  106. ^ Steakin, Will (August 25, 2019). "'THIS WEEK' EXCLUSIVE: Joe Walsh announces Republican primary challenge against Trump". ABC News. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  107. ^ Zilbermints, Regina (August 25, 2019). "Joe Walsh announces Republican challenge to Trump". The Hill. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  108. ^ Davies, Tom (August 25, 2019). "Ex-Rep. Joe Walsh making longshot GOP challenge to Trump". Associated Press. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  109. ^ Rubin, Richard (August 25, 2019). "Ex-Congressman Joe Walsh Begins Republican Campaign Against Trump". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  110. ^ Gibson, Ginger (August 25, 2019). "Joe Walsh becomes second Republican to challenge Trump for White House". Reuters. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  111. ^ Blitzer, Ronn (August 25, 2019). "Joe Walsh laments past controversial statements while blasting Trump: 'He's a child'". Fox News. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  112. ^ Brown, Jon (August 25, 2019). "Joe Walsh claims Trump helped him to 'reflect' on past racist and sexist comments". Washington Examiner. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  113. ^ Frazin, Rachel (August 26, 2019). "Joe Walsh says he's 'partly responsible for Trump'". The Hill. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  114. ^ Wulfsohn, Joseph A. (August 26, 2019). "Republican 2020 challenger Joe Walsh: 'I don't know' if I could vote for Dem to stop Trump". Fox News. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  115. ^ "Salem Will Drop Presidential Candidate Joe Walsh's Syndicated Show". Inside Radio. August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  116. ^ Wulfsohn, Joseph A. (August 27, 2019). "Joe Walsh says he's lost radio show since launching Trump challenge". Fox News. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  117. ^ "Joe Walsh files to challenge Trump in New Hampshire". AP NEWS. Associated Press. November 14, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  118. ^ Stracqualursi, Veronica (February 7, 2020). "Joe Walsh ends Republican primary challenge against Trump". CNN. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  119. ^ Lucey, Catherine (February 7, 2020). "Joe Walsh Ends His Longshot GOP Presidential Campaign". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  120. ^ Lyn Pence, Nicole (February 7, 2020). "'I would rather have a socialist in the White House than Donald Trump,' says Republican Joe Walsh". MarketWatch. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  121. ^ Singman, Brooke (February 7, 2020). "Joe Walsh, former Tea Partier, says he'd support 'socialist' over Trump after dropping primary bid". Fox News. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  122. ^ Coleman, Justine (February 25, 2020). "Joe Walsh: 'I'd rather have a socialist in the White House than a con man'". The Hill. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  123. ^ D'Elia, Alex (September 10, 2019). "What does Joe Walsh believe? Where the candidate stands on 6 issues". PBS News. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  124. ^ Sabella, Jen (November 21, 2011). "Joe Walsh: Veterans In Occupy Movement 'Don't Understand This Country' (VIDEO)". HuffPost. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  125. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (November 18, 2020). "A government that orders a restaurant to close down is a government that must compensate that restaurant for closing down" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  126. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (May 13, 2020). "@zoe_samuel @RobGeorge Zoe, I didn't intend to be a dick. I respect Greta & have said so before. I just don't think she's an expert on this virus. And I think it's silly for CNN to present her as one. On climate change, I've been very public that it's an issue I've wised up on. It's real, not a hoax" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  127. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (September 24, 2019). "The GOP has to acknowledge the facts: climate change is real and clearly we're impacting it" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  128. ^ Kasperowicz, Pete (May 13, 2011). "Rep. Walsh, gator doll in hand, calls for serious debate on immigration". The Hill. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  129. ^ Robillard, Kevin (October 19, 2012). "Walsh: Abortion Never Saves Mother". Politico. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  130. ^ Parnass, Sarah (October 19, 2012). "Rep. Walsh Says No Need for Abortion to Save Mother's Life". ABC News. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  131. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (May 29, 2020). "Whenever I used to hear "Black Lives Matter," I always reflexively responded with, "No, ALL lives matter." Now whenever I hear, "Black Lives Matter," I respond with, "Yes, Black lives DO matter."" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  132. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (September 23, 2020). "Black lives matter. It took me too damn long to get it, but it's true. Black lives do matter. And it's up to us white people to acknowledge this truth" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  133. ^ Fighting Donald Trump Within – Arian Foster and Joe Walsh Full Discussion – YouTube
  134. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (December 11, 2020). "Capital punishment is morally wrong. It's no deterrent. It's inhumane. No state should have that power. https://t.co/6bzTZ4iSmw" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  135. ^ Walsh, Joe [@WalshFreedom] (December 4, 2020). "Good. Now let's do the sensible thing and legalize marijuana everywhere. If a 21yr old anywhere in America can legally drink a beer, a 21yr old anywhere in America should be able to legally smoke a joint" (Tweet). Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via Twitter.
  136. ^ Walsh, Joe (May 3, 2012). "Myth of a two-state solution". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on November 5, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  137. ^ Wright, Robert (May 5, 2012). "Congressman Endorses Apartheid, Ethnic Cleansing for Palestinians". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  138. ^ "France's Marine Le Pen's Tea Party Embrace a Percolating Issue on the U.S. Right". Humanevents.com. November 4, 2011. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  139. ^ Associated, The (September 5, 2014). "French far-right candidate visits with Walsh | Northwest Herald". Nwherald.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  140. ^ "Walsh steps into political minefield with suburban Indian community". DailyHerald.com. June 3, 2012. Archived from the original on May 24, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  141. ^ "Congressman Walsh 'won't smile' till Modi is invited to US". Firstpost.com. June 6, 2012. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  142. ^ a b Grove, Lloyd (March 30, 2018). "How Shock Jock Joe Walsh Became Trump's Fiercest Conservative Critic". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  143. ^ Deaton, Chris (June 27, 2018). "Is Joe Walsh Really 'Woke'?". The Weekly Standard. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  144. ^ Wegmann, Philip (August 29, 2019). "From Trumpism to Trump Challenger: Joe Walsh on His 2020 Run". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  145. ^ Johnson, Jennifer (September 16, 2016). "Joe Walsh Says Trump Won't Win Illinois, Urges Maine Township Voters to Focus on Local Races". Chicago Tribune (in the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate). Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  146. ^ Alters, Kimberly (November 30, 2016). "Former Rep. Joe Walsh is Not Thrilled With Trump's Cabinet Choices". The Week. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  147. ^ Carter, Brandon (December 8, 2017). "Joe Walsh Rips Fox News, Calls Mueller an 'American Hero'". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  148. ^ Leach, Katie (March 27, 2018). "Joe Walsh tears into Republicans for lacking "courage and the decency" to tell Trump to lay off Mueller". Washington Examiner. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  149. ^ Shuham, Matt (July 16, 2018). "Joe Walsh: 'I Will Never Support Trump Again'". Talking Points Memo. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  150. ^ Fritze, John; Jackson, David; Collins, Eliza (July 16, 2018). "Republicans Blast Trump Meeting with Putin as 'Shameful' and 'Sign of Weakness'". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  151. ^ Marcotte, Amanda (July 26, 2018). "Right-wing talk show host Joe Walsh tells Salon: Donald Trump "betrayed his country"". Salon. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  152. ^ Bowden, John (October 19, 2018). "Joe Walsh to GOP: After Trump's Gianforte remarks, 'don't ever complain again' about left-wing violence". The Hill. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  153. ^ Rodrigo, Chris Mills (April 22, 2019). "Ex-GOP lawmaker Joe Walsh says Trump 'needs' a primary challenge". The Hill. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  154. ^ Joe Walsh, "Joe Walsh: Trump Needs a Primary Challenge," The New York Times, August 14, 2019.
  155. ^ Gstalter, Morgan (August 14, 2019). "Ex-GOP lawmaker argues for Trump primary challenge from the right". The Hill. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  156. ^ Vogt, Bailey (August 15, 2019). "Joe Walsh: Trump an 'unfit con man' who needs to be primaried in 2020". The Washington Times. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  157. ^ Brigham, Bob (July 5, 2019). "Ex-Congressman Joe Walsh considers primarying Trump: 'His entire life is a lie'". rawstory.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  158. ^ Zilbermints, Regina (August 25, 2019). "Walsh says employing 25th Amendment 'should be looked at'". The Hill. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  159. ^ York, Byron (February 1, 2020). "The quixotic run of anti-Trump Republican Joe Walsh". Washington Examiner. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  160. ^ Siu, Benjamin; King, Lauren (March 18, 2020). "Biden Projected to Win Arizona, Florida and Illinois Democratic Primaries". ABC News. Retrieved March 18, 2020. Former long-shot Trump challenger and one-time Republican congressman Joe Walsh announced on Twitter Tuesday he voted for a Democrat for the first time for president, casting his ballot for Joe Biden. Walsh's home state of Illinois is voting today.
  161. ^ Sweet, Lynn (August 4, 2024). "'Republicans for Harris' launches with Illinois GOPers Jim Edgar, Ray LaHood, Adam Kinzinger, Joe Walsh endorsing Kamala Harris". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  162. ^ Skiba, Katherine (December 2, 2014) – "Walsh Says Ex-Aide 'Should Have Kept Her Mouth Quiet' About Obamas". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  163. ^ Pearson, Rick; Skiba, Katherine (April 20, 2012). "Walsh, ex-wife settle child-support suit". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  164. ^ Lindsay, James M. (December 2, 2019). "Meet Joe Walsh, Republican Presidential Candidate". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  165. ^ Lissau, Russell (March 3, 2010). "What's next for Walsh? GOP unsure how foreclosure will play". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  166. ^ a b Epstein, Reid (July 28, 2011). "Tea Party rep. Joe Walsh sued for $117K in child support". Politico. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  167. ^ Craver, Kevin (December 20, 2012). "Bill seeks to ban 'deadbeat' parents from ballots". The Northwest Herald.
  168. ^ Pearson, Rick (April 20, 2012). "Walsh, ex-wife settle child-support suit". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  169. ^ Bobic, Igor (February 11, 2013) – "Ex-Rep. Joe Walsh: I Can't Afford Child Support Payments". Livewire.TalkingPointsMemo.com.
  170. ^ "2012 General Primary Official Vote Totals Book" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 22, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  171. ^ "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2012.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joe Walsh (Illinois politician).
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 8th congressional district
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Walsh_(Illinois_politician)&oldid=1256674441"