Democrats finally have a challenger to contest the open seat left behind by retiring Republican Rep. Ray LaHood: former NBA coach Dick Versace. The Peoria Journal-Star has the scoop:
Former NBA and Bradley basketball coach Dick Versace hopes to add another win to his record with a bid for Congress.“I’m all in,” Versace, a Democrat, said Thursday.
His confirmation ends several weeks of speculation about whether he would seek election for the 18th Congressional District seat held by Ray LaHood, who is not seeking re-election.
He said he’ll hold a news conference to officially announce his bid in the next couple weeks. After that, Versace will take off in a 38-foot motor home he will call “The Common Sense Express.”
“The Common Sense Express is going to visit all 20 counties in the district,” he said. “I’m going to go on a listening tour.”
Versace started his career as a teacher and later became a basketball coach, coaching at Bradley University from 1979 to 1986 and winning three Missouri Valley Conference championships and an NIT title. He later coached in the NBA, as an assistant coach for Detroit and head coach at Indiana. He was a television color commentator for Turner Broadcasting and NBC in Chicago and an assistant coach at Milwaukee. He also led an acquisition team to purchase the Vancouver Grizzlies and was president and later general manager of the team in Memphis.
With a PVI of R+5.5, the 18th District would be tough sledding for any Democrat (Bush won this district by 10% and 16% margins in 2000 and 2004, respectively), but not impossible. Versace is a wildcard option, but perhaps his semi-celebrity appeal and anti-war stance could spark an interesting campaign here.
Navy vet Chuck Giger has also entered the race as a Democrat, and former state Rep. Bill Edley is also considering joining the fray. State Rep. Aaron Schock, considered a “rising star” in Illinois GOP circles, is the Republican front runner.
Race Tracker: IL-18
Versace should be a great candidate. Dems tend to poll a little under strength among middle-aged white men, and an ex-coach has great appeal to this demographic. His sports celebrity status allows self-identified Repubs to cross the line to vote for him because they think they know him and they like him for his career, not because he is a Democrat. But he will attract independents and hold the Democrats, too.
His candidacy will encourage Democrats in many other races as well. Because of his sports/TV celebrity, his name will be reported as a Democrat repeatedy in political news reports throughout the year.
Add to that, as an experienced commentator for many basketball games, Versace will be very comfortable on TV as a candidate himself, with no coaching needed. 😉