Endorsements from Newspapers

2006

Rockford Register Star
November 2, 2006
"Manzullo's interest in championing manufacturing and small businesses, as well as his ability to work across party lines to maintain and grow jobs in this region have benefited the 16th District and earned our endorsement of his re-election bid."

Freeport Journal-Standard
October 26, 2006
"He has proven himself an effective advocate for Northwest Illinois. . . . Manzullo has the newspaper's endorsement."

Beloit Daily News
October 24, 2006
"Manzullo is a particularly effective legislator, who places common sense and constituent welfare above partisanship.  He is a veteran legislator with clout and connections in Washington, and he uses it to benefit the district and to promote his foremost interest, small business.  He is highly respected by members of both parties.  Manzullo has done an excellent job for the people of Northern Illinois.  We recommend his re-election."

Chicago Tribune
October 19, 2006
"GOP Rep. Don Manzullo is an advocate for smaller government and a strong supporter of business.  He is endorsed..."

Daily Herald
October 17, 2006
"...but Republican U.S. Rep. Donald Manzullo, who has represented the district for 14 years, clearly articulates and represents the district's beliefs on many topics and is endorsed.  ... Manzullo appears more in tune with 16th District voters, deserves kudos for bringing transportation dollars back to the McHenry County portion of his district and for providing a strong voice to small business owners."

Northwest Herald
October 9, 2006
"The choice for voters in the 16th Congressional district is Don Manzullo.  Manzullo, first elected in 1992, continues to be a champion of small businesses and fiscal responsibility in Congress. Manzullo has worked diligently for the residents of the 16th District and has secured millions of dollars for needed transportation improvements.  . . . Manzullo has correctly pointed out that Iraq has become a frontline in the war on terrorism and that a clear cut victory there is needed.
On the issue of spending, Republicans, despite having control of the Senate, House and White House, have been fiscally irresponsible. But, Manzullo is not the problem. He has consistently fought for responsible spending. We endorse the re-election of Manzullo in the 16th District."

2004

Northwest Herald
"The choice for voters in the 16th District of Congress is easy -- incumbent Don Manzullo.  He was elected in 1992, and he has earned high praise from colleagues and business owners for his hard work to create jobs."

Freeport Journal-Standard
"Our view: Don Manzullo's experience makes him the best choice to make meaningful economic changes."

Rockford Register Star
"On many issues -- including health care, the environment, the war in Iraq -- you can find several members of Congress willing to embrace the issues fully, to immerse themselves in detail and become eloquent and passionate advocates. But on manufacturing, you can find just one true crusader: Don Manzullo.  Does the 16th Congressional District ever need that.  Today we strongly endorse Manzullo, a Republican from Egan, for re-election to a seventh term. ... Don Manzullo is a seasoned, informed, dedicated public servant who has earned a trip back to Washington, D.C., to continue working for the district."

Beloit Daily News
"Manzullo is a leading expert in Congress on small business and trade issues. ...  Manzullo ... endorses [him] for election on November 2."

Chicago Tribune
"Rep. Donald Manzullo has quietly become an effective Republican advocate for small business.  He also has the guts to say that the McCain-Feingold campaign reform bill is an affront to the 1st Amendment.  Manzullo is endorsed.."

Daily Herald
"Manzullo ... has worked hard to help McHenry County communities with expensive infrastructure projects like highways and sewage treatment plants, and also convinced the Department of Veterans Affairs to set up a clinic within McHenry County to better serve local veterans."

2002

Rockford Register Star
October 26, 2002
"In the 16th District, Manzullo has expertise.

The congressman who accused a president of plotting a federal takeover of the schools and who promised to serve no more than 12 years has mellowed. We’re glad for it.

U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo still has dearly held principles. He can get weepy about American freedoms. He can gush like a kid about helping a small business cut through red tape.

THE FACT IS, AFTER 10 years in office, Manzullo, R-Egan, is in a better position to influence policy and help the 16th District. He should be re-elected to a sixth term.

Manzullo is rightly proud of his role in getting a $180 million rail-to-truck facility built in Rochelle. He found $300,000 in federal funds for a feasibility study. He linked officials of the Union Pacific railroad with Rochelle officials. The hub project won’t be done for a year. Already, it has spurred $100 million in building as companies locate in the area.

IN 2001, MANZULLO became chairman of the House Small Business Committee. The committee is not one of Capitol Hill’s plums. But it has given him an important platform for small business, which creates the majority of new jobs.

A champion of free trade, Manzullo has taken flak for encouraging trade with China. He is right. China abuses human rights; it has unfair trade restrictions. The only route to change, however, is through open doors. U.S. business only hurts itself by shutting out China’s market of 1.3 billion people.

According to Manzullo, the federal government can be a greater foe. Manufacturers find export licenses tough to obtain because of national security concerns. Too often, the concerns border on the ludicrous. If elected, the congressman should use his influence to change the situation. While he glories in detail, he must keep his eyes glued on the bigger picture.

He can evolve. In 1999, he lambasted former President Clinton for a proposed education reform that he said was a federal takeover. In 2002, Manzullo prides himself in bipartisanship. He works well with the ranking Democrat on his committee who, ironically, is not friendly to free trade.

YEARS AGO, MANZULLO was criticized for being an ideologue. Now, even though he is opposed to abortion, he doesn’t mind using the import of the abortion drug RU-486 as an example of how drug costs could be controlled.

He turned around on term limits, too. The measures were no good anyway. They limit lawmakers as they gain influence and deny the public of effective representation.

Manzullo’s Democratic opponent, John Kutsch of Harvard, got into the race because he was enraged at free trade. He is a one-note candidate. Manzullo is our pick."

Northwest Herald
October 26, 2002
"16th: Manzullo

Johnsburg is the last community along the Fox River to pump untreated sewage into the river. And Johnsburg officials turned to U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, R-IL, for federal help. 

Getting the money from Congress was problematic until Manzullo approached House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-IL, to sign off on aid for Johnsburg.  It helps to have friends in high places.

Manzullo, a lawyer from Egan, is seeking his sixth term in Congress.  The experience serves the 16th District well.  The 16th District includes Crystal Lake, Harvard and Marengo.

Manzullo is chairman of the Small Business Committee.  He understands the importance small business plays in local economies.

Manzullo supports expansion of O'Hare International Airport, and supports expanded use of Rockford Airport instead of a new one in Peotone. 

Manzullo knows O'Hare is a major employer of McHenry County residents.  O'Hare is critical to the economy from McHenry County to Chicago. 

Last term, he secured $9 million for the western bypass of Algonquin.  A new transportation bill will be drafted next year, and Manzullo will fight for more federal money to improve roads here.

Manzullo is being challenged by Harvard Democrat John Kutsch, a self-employed industrial designer.

The focus of his campaign is the poor state of technical training in the 16th District, and the loss of manufacturing and white-collar to foreign countries, where wages, work conditions and environmental laws are limited or nonexistent.

But it is someone with Manzullo's experience and small business devotion that will best attack that problem.

We recommend that voters re-elect Manzullo on Nov. 5.

"He is rightly proud of his efforts to win Persian Gulf War veterans help for service-related maladies.  He supported the Patriot Act, which expanded federal powers, but also introduced legislation to improve the Equal Access to Justice Act of 1980 to help citizens defend against or challenge conduct of the federal government. 

"That makes him one of the few conservatives speaking about individual rights, a nice change from nationalistic excess.

"He is also proud of the assistance helped provide for Route 31 and 62 road improvements in Algonquin, the Union Pacific's intermodal transportation center in Rochelle and expansion at the Greater Rockford Airport.

"His help to securing funds for a sewage treatment plant will end Johnsburg's dubious role as the last Fox River community without sewage treatment, an environmental improvement of which Manzullo is understandably proud."

Beloit Daily News
October 30, 2002
"Don Manzullo has been an outstanding member of Congress.  Though he's soft-spoken, mannerly and self-effacing, don't let such gentlemanly characteristics fool anyone.  Manzullo knows what he believes in and stands firm for the kind of principles that matter to the 16th.

Daily Herald Endorsement
October 26, 2002
"Donald Manzullo of Egan, a Republican congressman since 1993, gets our endorsement over Democratic challenger John Kutsch of Harvard.  Kutsch is a small-businessman with strong views on trade issues, but unfortunately, he is up against Manzullo, a man who has long defended small business interests from his chairmanship of the Small Business Committee.

"Manzullo's experience, his fiscal conservatism, has support for O'Hare expansion and his concern for protecting our borders while worrying over civil liberties are among the reasons for our support.

"He is rightly proud of his efforts to win Persian Gulf War veterans help for service-related maladies.  He supported the Patriot Act, which expanded federal powers, but also introduced legislation to improve the Equal Access to Justice Act of 1980 to help citizens defend against or challenge conduct of the federal government. 

"That makes him one of the few conservatives speaking about individual rights, a nice change from nationalistic excess.

"He is also proud of the assistance helped provide for Route 31 and 62 road improvements in Algonquin, the Union Pacific's intermodal transportation center in Rochelle and expansion at the Greater Rockford Airport.

"His help to securing funds for a sewage treatment plant will end Johnsburg's dubious role as the last Fox River community without sewage treatment, an environmental improvement of which Manzullo is understandably proud."

Pioneer Press
October 31, 2002
"U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo has a record of getting federal money for projects in the 16th Congressional District and helping small businesses grow and succeed.  He deserves to be re-elected Tuesday.

His work as chairman of the House Committee on Small Business has helped develop new businesses in the district; he has brought federal funding back to the district to help with road projects and other expensive infrastructure improvements, such as $9 million for the construction of the Western Bypass in downtown Algonquin and $1.5 million to help Johnsburg build a wastewater treatment plant.  The plant will eliminate the 1 million gallons of raw and partially treated sewage the village sends into the Fox River each year.

If re-elected, Manzullo says he will make transportation issues and reinvigorating the local manufacturing base his top priorities.  We will hold him to those promises."

2000

Beloit Daily News
"The incumbent -- Congressman Don Manzullo, R-Egan has been an exceptional representative for the Northern Illinois area through the '90s. He strongly deserves the people's support and re-election to a fifth term in the U.S. Congress."

Chicago Tribune
"Conservative GOP Rep. Donald Manzullo has been well established in this district and gets the nod..."

Daily Herald
"Incumbent Republican Don Manzullo of Egan is our choice...Manzullo's priorities for his district include an effort to help McHenry County receive more federal dollars to improve its heavily stressed transportation systems, encouraging trade that helps the county's many exporting companies and trying to place a veterans nursing facility in his district."

Northwest Herald
"Congressman Don Manzullo, R-Egan, has had one of his most successful terms yet. ... Manzullo prides himself as being one of the most conservative members of Congress on tax matters.  When new programs are introduced, Manzullo is very nearly an automatic no vote.  He opposes 'big government.'  ... Manzullo has earned a fifth term."
 

Endorsements from Organizations