Barney Frank Foe Challenging Illinois Rep. Schakowsky

By Greg Giroux | September 22, 2009 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A recent Harvard Law School graduate who had a spirited public exchange this spring with Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank about the financial crisis now wants to join Frank in Congress -- as the House member from Illinois' 9th District.

Republican Joel Pollak filed candidacy paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and previously announced his candidacy in Illinois' 9th, a strongly Democratic-leaning district in and around Evanston in which Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky will be seeking a seventh term.

Pollak's campaign Web site includes some footage of his encounter with Frank, who appeared at Harvard in April to talk about new regulations on the nation's financial system. During a question and answer period, Frank took umbrage at Pollak's statement that the financial crisis "happened on your watch" and his questions about whether Frank bore any responsibility.

Here's a link to the full video. (Pollak begins speaking at the 1:01:30 mark; after a lengthy answer from Frank, the exchange intensifies at the 1:04:30 mark.)

Pollak's Web site said that he decided to run for Congress after attending a town hall meeting on health care Schakowsky held in June. Pollak writes about that here.

He faces difficult odds trying to unseat Schakowsky, who has won 70 percent of more of the vote in each of her six general election campaigns. She won 75 percent of the vote in 2008, when Barack Obama, a former Illinois senator, won 72 percent of the district's presidential ballots. Those are the main reasons CQ Politics presently rates the Illinois 9 race as Safe Democratic.

To follow the 2010 House races, check out the CQ Politics election map

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