First of all, Mike Jacobs and I have been friends since grade school. My bias is well known and obvious. I'm not hiding from anything.
While many people try to write Mike off as a product of "nepotism," they do so at their own peril. Mike is a brilliant, articulate and charismatic man. And, he raises the money. He is a great candidate for office and a great state senator.
Mike has been criticized for previous statements, however, this plays well with our base and the average joe. I'd rather have a state senator who would kick the governor's tail end, than a state senator who would prefer to sit down and have a "splendid conversation about policies affecting our state." We want an ass kicker, not an ass kisser. That's why I like Mike. He's been like that since we were young and he'll be like that till he dies.
Mike is one guy who we will be able to count on to slam Bobby Schilling for lowering taxes on the rich, not rescinding oil subsidies and for voting to repeal the new health care law -- which by the way ensured more than 30 million people and lowered the deficit.
He is neck and neck with Phil Hare for my favored candidate. I like that Mike is much younger than Phil and would be a local leader for the next decade or so.
The negative side to Mike is that he is more of a moderate -- which may be something that helps us rather than hurts us. I am a stickler for progressives, but since I've known Mike and because of his personality he is my number 1 tied with Phil.
