Hiram Wurf posts that Col. Jill Morgenthaler is preparing to challenge freshman Republican Representative Peter Roskam (IL-6). Mr. Wurf writes:

Col. Jill Morgenthaler, most recently Illinois’ Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety and Homeland Security Advisor, has entered the 6th Congressional District race as a Democratic challenger to first-term Republican Congressman Peter Roskam. Jill has over 30 years of military, government and private business experience, much of it focused on emergency preparedness, communications and business development.

Sounds like an ideal candidate for Republicans, let alone Dems. Hiram also indicates that Col. Morgenthaller indicates she is well aware of the daunting task ahead of her. Given the throw-all-the-bullcrap-they-can-and-see-what-sticks m.o. the Republicans had in the 6th district last year in trying to not just defeat but literally smear and stain Major Tammy Duckworth, here are just a few of the despicable tactics tha Colonel Morgenthaller can expect:

• The NRCC and/or other allied groups like a 527 or PAC may toss out a slew of annoying, subversive and downright misleading robocalls which seem designed mostly to sour voters and turn them off from the process rather than actually inform anyone of anything substantive
• Rather than considering a candidate who is a veteran, the VFW may rely on Republican backroom suggestions instead of actual service records while endorsing her opponent who has zero military experience
• The Repubs will photoshop pictures of the Colonel to make her look ominous and scarey. Boo!
• The Illinois GOP will use the memory of 9/11 for political hackery and imply that the Colonel is somehow best buds with that guy that Pres. Bush let escape Osama bin Forgotten
• Her home phone number will be given out by conserv-o-partisan hacks. No word on whether they’ll also encourage their lemmings to breathe heavy on the other end
• And, if none of those dirty tricks work, the cons may just flat-out lie and and lie again … and then your Republican opponent will demean your service and sacrifice to our great nation

Rich Miller notes that Major Duckworth lost to trial lawyer Peter Roskam by around 5,000 votes, but he also indicates the DCCC may be more interested in working on the open District 11 seat for 2008. Given the incredible imbalance in favor of the Dems’ flush with cash Congressional campaign versus the literally in-the-red Republican equivalent, it wouldn’t be inconceivable to see the DCCC throw some weight behind the Dem candidate in the 6th again in 2008. And if other groups such as EMILY’s List become involved, the 6th could definitely be Tier One again.