Mike Halpin's work on behalf of American veterans is commendable, but his efforts to con them into supporting his candidacy for state representative of Illinois House District 72 is not.
Halpin's not a vet himself, but in his case that's probably a good thing, because he's apparently prone to underestimating his foes and rushing into battle ill-prepared.
That's what he did when he attacked his Republican opponent, asserting that Brandi McGuire “won't fight” for veterans.
Mike Halpin, Democrat candidate for Illinois' 72nd District House seat
“Across the country, veterans have died because the system that was supposed to give them needed health care failed them,” Halpin wrote in a campaign mailer trashing McGuire. “Our military heroes deserve the best care, but Brandi McGuire opposed a budget plan that would provide millions of dollars in funding for hospitals and homes that care for Illinois veterans.”
Halpin must have a low opinion of the integrity of veterans if he thinks their support can be so easily bought. He must have a low opinion of their intelligence, too, if he thinks they won't understand that the budget plan McGuire opposed was the $7 billion unconstitutionally unbalanced one proposed by Mike Madigan.
But Halpin's biggest mistake was assuming that no veterans would defend McGuire against his misrepresentations.
Sgt. Sean Mulkey, U.S. Army Reserve (ret.), easily repelled Halpin's attack, affirming that “Brandi will fight for the families she seeks to represent in the Illinois General Assembly, including veterans and their families, with the same passion I fought to protect and defend this nation.”
How can Sgt. Mulkey be so sure about McGuire? Because her maiden name is Mulkey. Brandi is his sister.
“A politician who exploits veterans is the lowest of the low,” Mulkey declared, pointing out that Halpin “doesn't know anything about our family's service to the country we love and he either doesn't know anything about my sister or he just chose to lie about her.”
On election day, veterans should let Mike Halpin know that he's unfit for service.
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