Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a Democratic Senate candidate in Illinois, wasted little time taking advantage of Donald Trump’s decision to select Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate Friday.
Duckworth’s campaign blasted out a fundraising plea to supporters within minutes of Trump’s announcement asking for contributions to “stop the Trump-Pence agenda from becoming reality.”
“Indiana Governor Mike Pence is a staunch Tea Party conservative. He’s used his time in office to tear down LGBT rights and do everything he can to limit a woman’s right to choose,” Matt McGrath, Duckworth’s deputy campaign manager, wrote in the fundraising email. “And on the economy? Pence has championed tax cuts for the ultra-rich and supported a number of bad trade deals that have cost Americans jobs.”
Duckworth is presently locked in a competitive battle to unseat Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois.
Faced with the prospect of losing his Senate seat, Kirk has come out publicly against Trump in recent weeks.
However, Kirk has offered praise for Pence’s record this week, although his campaign said the Illinois senator would not waver in his opposition to Trump if Pence was added to the ticket.
