David Gill reflects on recent campaign
Updated: November 15, 2012
BLOOMINGTON -- The dust has finally settled in one of the most heated races this election season, the 13th Congressional District.
Democrat David Gill discussed his fourth run at congress and his future in politics.
He's lost three times prior to his recent run for congress. But he admits this one hurts the most. Especially since he felt this time was his best chance to win. He was running in a redrawn district and against a different opponent. But for Dr. David Gill, it was unfortunately the same result.
"I'd like to not approach this in the mode of a sore loser or sour grapes. I think that the vote is the vote, people speak, there's no place for whining on my part," he said. "But I'm also filled with more pride than ever before with regards to all the wonderful work people did on my behalf. I was hoping to be able to win the thing to reward all those who worked so hard, but that wasn't to be."
Gill came closer than ever before to finally landing a seat in congress.
"We spent 2 1/2 days studying the numbers, looking for discrepancies. By Friday afternoon it was clear that wasn't the case."
He was short by a little more than a thousand votes. Votes he says might have gone towards independent John Hartman.
"His views and mine are very similar when it comes to corporate funding of politics, climate change, health care, women's reproductive rights, gay marriage," Gill said. "You will never know for sure what impact he had, but I think common sense would suggest that he may well have cost me more votes than he cost Mr. Davis."
But it wasn't just Hartman. Gill admits he could have done more in the areas he felt the strongest support, like Champaign, Decatur and Springfield. The negative ads against him didn't help either. Gill feels those were stuck in voters' minds, even though democratic committees slung mud on his behalf too.
"The political experts say it's necessary. Is it? I don't know. Ultimately, I have people telling me we would have lost by more if the democratic party wasn't running those commercials. Is that true? I don't know," he said.
But what he that does know is that another run at congress is not out of the question.
"I'll be watching Washington (D.C.) very closely. I'll be watching Mr. Davis very closely, and seeing what the tenor of this country is," said Gill.
We also asked Gill if he might take a break at running for congress and maybe try the state house or senate. But he says representing his community on a federal level has always been his goal.
He's lost three times prior to his recent run for congress. But he admits this one hurts the most. Especially since he felt this time was his best chance to win. He was running in a redrawn district and against a different opponent. But for Dr. David Gill, it was unfortunately the same result.
"I'd like to not approach this in the mode of a sore loser or sour grapes. I think that the vote is the vote, people speak, there's no place for whining on my part," he said. "But I'm also filled with more pride than ever before with regards to all the wonderful work people did on my behalf. I was hoping to be able to win the thing to reward all those who worked so hard, but that wasn't to be."
Gill came closer than ever before to finally landing a seat in congress.
"We spent 2 1/2 days studying the numbers, looking for discrepancies. By Friday afternoon it was clear that wasn't the case."
He was short by a little more than a thousand votes. Votes he says might have gone towards independent John Hartman.
"His views and mine are very similar when it comes to corporate funding of politics, climate change, health care, women's reproductive rights, gay marriage," Gill said. "You will never know for sure what impact he had, but I think common sense would suggest that he may well have cost me more votes than he cost Mr. Davis."
But it wasn't just Hartman. Gill admits he could have done more in the areas he felt the strongest support, like Champaign, Decatur and Springfield. The negative ads against him didn't help either. Gill feels those were stuck in voters' minds, even though democratic committees slung mud on his behalf too.
"The political experts say it's necessary. Is it? I don't know. Ultimately, I have people telling me we would have lost by more if the democratic party wasn't running those commercials. Is that true? I don't know," he said.
But what he that does know is that another run at congress is not out of the question.
"I'll be watching Washington (D.C.) very closely. I'll be watching Mr. Davis very closely, and seeing what the tenor of this country is," said Gill.
We also asked Gill if he might take a break at running for congress and maybe try the state house or senate. But he says representing his community on a federal level has always been his goal.
