The Illinois congressional candidate who once killed a beagle that bit his daughter is not happy the story resurfaced after all these years, but he was willing to crack a joke about it in an interview.
State Rep. Mike Bost (R), who has been dubbed "Mad Mike" by Democrats who want to stop him from unseating Rep. Bill Enyart (D-Ill.), has become famous for his angry rants on the state House floor that have gone viral on YouTube.
But he acquired a new layer of infamy after HuffPost reported on his 1986 shooting of a 10-year-old beagle named Rusty. The dog bit Bost's 4-year-old daughter in the face while she was chasing it, according to court records. She needed 24 stitches. Unsatisfied with officials' response, Bost got his gun, went to the pen where Rusty was locked up, and shot the dog, scaring neighbors, according to records.
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Bost admitted to being unhappy about the shooting story to a Politico reporter, saying, “It brings back memories I don’t really like. No one wants to go kill an animal.”
But then, when his own labradoodle ran in front of his car, with Politico's Alex Isenstadt in the passenger seat, he dropped a one-liner:
“What if I killed a second dog in front of a reporter?” he joked darkly as Betty scampered up the steps to his house.
Bost also explained his philosophy about anger, and perhaps inadvertently explained why he was willing to take the law into his own hands and execute a dog.
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“There’s nothing wrong with being angry,” Bost told Politico. “The question is, is that anger being directed at things to cure the problem?"
Bost also said Rusty's owner -- the cousin of Bost's wife -- continues to salute him with a single finger when he sees him in the neighborhood.
Before You Go
Florida-2
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Rep. Steve Southerland (R) has come under fire for holding a fundraiser for only men, obfuscating his record on violence against women legislation and making bizarre comments about lingerie. Democrats feel good about their nominee, attorney Gwen Graham. She is the daughter of Bob Graham, a popular former Democratic governor and senator.
Nebraska-2
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Rep. Lee Terry (R) and his Democratic challenger, Brad Ashford, are locked in a tight race in this Omaha-area district. Democrats have been hitting Terry over his comments on how he could not "handle" giving up his pay during last year's government shutdown because he felt he needed to maintain his "nice house and a kid in college."
Arizona-2
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Rep. Ron Barber (D) was injured during the Tucson, Arizona, attack that also wounded his boss, then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). That legacy may not be enough to protect him from a GOP challenge by retired Air Force combat pilot Martha McSally. Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, the gun-control group founded by Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, has been running ads targeting McSally in the hope of keeping Giffords' former seat in Democratic hands.
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Arizona-1
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Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D) faces a tough challenge in this swingy rural district, which she won in 2008 and then lost in 2010, only to win back in 2012. Though Arizona state House Speaker Andy Tobin (R) has trailed Kirkpatrick in fundraising, conservative outside groups have jumped into the race. Kirkpatrick's re-election may hinge on support from Native Americans, who make up 25 percent of the district's population.In contrast with other vulnerable Democratic incumbents, Kirkpatrick has defended, rather than fled from, the Affordable Care Act.
California-52
Carl DeMaio (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio, who is challenging freshman Rep. Scott Peters (D), could become the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress in November. The race between DeMaio and Peters is considered one of the true toss-ups of this election cycle. Peters has been emphasizing his business-friendly policies (he was one of only a handful of Democrats to have been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), while DeMaio is emphasizing his socially moderate stances.
West Virginia-3
Nick Rahall (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rep. Nick Rahall (D) is considered vulnerable because of the heavy amount of spending from conservative outside groups in his Republican-leaning district. Despite his attempts to put distance between himself and the Democratic Party, and his longtime representation of the district (he was first elected in 1976), Rahall may finally fall to state Sen. Evan Jenkins (R), who used to be a Democrat.
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New Hampshire-1
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This is the third time Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D) and former Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) have faced each other in the Granite State. Shea-Porter has been put on the defensive over the Affordable Care Act, while Democrats have accused Guinta of being too conservative for the district.
Minnesota-8
Rick Nolan (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rep. Rick Nolan (D) faces a well-financed challenger in Republican businessman Stewart Mills. Democrats are attempting to paint Mills as privileged and out-of-touch as they try to hold the seat.
Illinois-10
Bob Dold (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
This year's race is a rematch between former Rep. Bob Dold (R-Ill.) and Rep. Brad Schneider (D). Republicans are optimistic about their chances, given the unpopularity of Gov. Pat Quinn (D).
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Cailfornia-7
Ami Bera (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
First-term physician Rep. Ami Bera (D) is defending his seat against former Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.). Republicans have worked to tie Bera to Democrats in Congress, while Bera has insisted that he maintains distance from the party.
Florida-26
Joe Garcia (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rep. Joe Garcia (D) faces a strong challenge from Miami-Dade School Board member Carlos Curbelo (R). To cast Curbelo as too extreme for the district, Garcia's campaign has been running ads that highlight Curbelo's comments calling Social Security and Medicare a "Ponzi scheme."
New York-21
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With the retirement of Rep. Bill Owens (D), Republican former White House aide Elise Stefanik could become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. She is the favorite to take the seat over former filmmaker and organic grocery store owner Aaron Woolf (D).
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New Jersey-3
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Former insurance executive and former Randolph Mayor Tom MacArthur (R) and Burlington County Freeholder and attorney Aimee Belgard (D) are vying to succeed retiring Rep. Jon Runyan (R) in this competitive race. Belgard is considered the underdog, given MacArthur's ability to self-fund his campaign.
California-31
Paul Chabot (Congressional Quarterly via Getty Images)
California's 31st is one of the most Democratic districts in the country to be currently held by a Republican, retiring Rep. Gary Miller. But Democrats are nervous that low turnout could hurt their nominee, Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, against retired Navy officer and businessman Paul Chabot (R).
Maine-2
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State Sen. Emily Cain (D) and tea-party-backed businessman and former Maine Treasurer Bruce Poliquin (R) are engaged in a tight race in the district held by Rep. Michael Michaud (D), who is running for governor.Though Cain recently picked up the endorsement of independent U.S. Sen. Angus King, she has trailed Poliquin in recent polls.
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Colorado-6
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Rep. Mike Coffman's (R) chances against former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff (D) are looking better than they did earlier in the cycle.Coffman has disavowed his former support for personhood initiatives, which would grant fetuses full legal rights from the moment of fertilization, in an effort to neutralize Democratic attacks over reproductive rights. He has also begun learning Spanish to better appeal to the district's significant Latino population.
Illinois-12
Bill Enyart (Bill Clark via Getty Images)
Rep. Bill Enyart (D) may be dragged down by the unpopularity of Gov. Pat Quinn (D). The freshman congressman faces a challenge from state Rep. Mike Bost (R). Democrats have dubbed Bost "Meltdown Mike" in ads, highlighting his outbursts and temper tantrums during state legislative sessions.
New York-11
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Embattled Rep. Michael Grimm (R) may still prevail against former New York City Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr., his Democratic challenger. Despite Grimm's 20-count federal indictment and his well-publicized threat to throw a reporter off a congressional balcony, he remains well-liked in the Staten Island-based district. Democrats are spending heavily to boost Recchia and paint Grimm as too volatile.
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New York-1
Lee Zeldin (Tom Williams via Getty Images)
New York state Sen. Lee Zeldin (R) is mounting a tough challenge to Rep. Timothy Bishop (D) in this Long Island-based district.Democrats are calling Zeldin too extreme on women's issues, while Republican outside groups are hitting Bishop over his support for the Affordable Care Act. Zeldin's candidacy has attracted attention since he's a Jewish Republican. He could replace former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), who suffered a shocking loss in his primary earlier this year, as the only non-Christian Republican in Congress.
Iowa-3
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Former Iowa state Sen. Staci Appel (D) and Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) former chief of staff David Young are locked in a close race to succeed retiring Rep. Tom Latham (R). If elected, Appel or state Sen. Joni Ernst (R), who is running for the U.S. Senate, could become the first woman to represent the state in Congress.