Just days after U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh announced that he would be running in Illinois' 8th District, one of his Democrat opponents released a video highlighting some of his more intense moments.
In an online video titled "Joe Walsh: Running and Screaming in IL-8," former director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth rips Walsh for his Tea Party rhetoric and cable television persona.
"Going on Fox News and spouting Tea Party slogans isn't fighting for your country," Duckworth says in the ad. "What we need now in Washington are more practical solutions, and a lot less screaming."
The video shows Walsh yelling at constituents during a Town Hall-style event in suburban Gurnee last month.
"Don't blame the banks ... that pisses me off" Walsh yelled, before telling the calm constituent that he was going to ask him to leave if he didn't stop talking. He later apologized for the outburst.
Duckworth is one of two popular Democrats taking on Walsh in the 8th, pending the results of a primary battle. Progressive Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi has previously called Walsh "unelectable." Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost both of her legs in combat, has been endorsed by Sen. Dick Durbin and Obama advisor David Axelrod.
Walsh has a tough road ahead in the 8th, which was recently redrawn by Illinois Democrats to be a more left-leaning district. He was previously going to run against fellow GOP Congressman Randy Hultgren in the 14th Distrct -- where he now lives given the remap -- but said he didn't want to give up the 8th District seat to a Democrat. The Daily Herald reported that Walsh was lured into the 8th after being promised financial help -- including $3.5 million in fundraising assistance from House Speaker John Boehner. Boehner's spokesman has since denied that claim, but the National Republican Congressional Committee told Politico they do plan on helping the congressman.
WATCH Duckworth's anti-Walsh ad here:
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