CHICAGO — The Northwest Side GOP Club will host benefactors Friday evening with food, drinks, a local celebrity and a chance to meet members of the newest right-leaning political group making waves in Chicago.
The We-bellion Bash will convene at 6:30 p.m. at the group's newly-established headquarters, 6122 N. Milwaukee Ave., before heading down the block to The Garage Bar & Sandwiches, 6154 N. Milwaukee Ave., for "drinks, appetizers, raffles and a silent auction," according to an event description.
"The room will not be filled with lobbyists," wrote Northwest Side GOP Club president Matt Podgorski in the announcement. "This is a grassroots fundraiser that will be attended by people from the neighborhood. It will be a ton of fun with plenty of prizes and entertainment."
Attendees will get the chance to meet former Republican congressman and radio personality Joe Walsh, who announced he'll attend the fundraiser as a guest.
Elected to a west-suburban U.S. House of Representatives district during the Tea Party wave of 2010 only to be unseated by now-Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) two years later, Walsh has since gained popularity as the host of a conservative talk radio show airing in Chicago and New York. He's also come under fire for statements interpreted as incitements of violence, like after three Dallas police officers were shot and killed last year, when he tweeted "This is now war. Watch out Obama ... Real America is coming after you."
Established as a political party committee just before Election Day last year, the Northwest Side GOP Club has posed itself as a new force for grassroots organizing with eyes on both local and statewide races. It's also rallied neighbors against a proposal to build mixed-income apartments in Jefferson Park, zeroing in on Ald. John Arena (45th) as an early target.
The group has already raised nearly $5,000, including a $2,000 donation from conservative talk show host Dan Proft's Liberty Principles PAC.
Tickets for the We-bellion Bash can be bought in advance on the Northwest Side GOP Club's website. They cost $75 each, or $125 for a couple.
