Jim Gilchrist On Hugh Hewitt's Show

I didn't actually get to hear the audio of the interview, but Hugh's producer Duane has transcribed the interview and provided the audio here. I thought is was a fair interview. Jim should be asked some tough questions about his positions and personal dealings and he was. I wish Hugh would ask John Campbell some tough questions too, but I guess we'll leave that to John & Ken. This has been an exhilarating campaign for me personally. I've learned a lot about what happens on the inside of a congressional campaign. There were some pleasant and not so pleasant surprises for me. One of the best things about these types of campaigns is all the great people I've met and connections that I've made. I jumped on the Gilchrist bandwagon early because Jim has such a great message. I knew that with Jim running as an independent, there would be little margin for error. Alas though, there have been a lot of mistakes made by Jim's campaign. I say that as a loyal supporter of his. Most of the mistakes could have been overcome if the candidate had raised a substantial sum of money, but Jim just doesn't have the type of personality to get on the phone and ask for money. I wish it were different, but he is just terrified of picking up the phone and asking for money. Without the necessary money to run a campaign, he is going to be dead in the water. With Jim's message, he could be raising a crapload of cash from local donors and donors across the country who are fed up with the national GOP party commitees. All those people that are telling the RNC, RNSC, and the NRCC to buzz off, still want to give to good candidates and issues. I am one of those people. It's moot point though because he won't do it.

So where does this leave us? It's obvious that without the money to run an effective campaign that John Campbell is going to be the next Congressman from the 48th district. John's tenure for the next year will be his probationary period for me. If he votes right on illegal immigration and other conservative issues near and dear to me and others then he will be getting my vote in 2006. If he decides to appease President Bush though and vote for the McCain/Kennedy amnesty bill and other legislative abominations, then I and others will simply not support him. It's easy. You do what's right and you will have no problems with the voters. Hopefully John realizes what a mistake it was to have the kind of attitude on illegal immigration that he came in to office with back in 2000. Time will tell I guess.