Surprise Tea Party GOP winner already shaking up Congress

And he hasn't even been sworn in yet

From Eric Dondero:

We wrote here at LR on November 17 "Meet your Newest REPUBLICAN Congressman from Illinois":

Another Democrat-incumbent Congress Member bites the dust.

Fox News is reporting:

Three-term Congresswoman Melissa Bean tonight is flying home to her district in northeast Illinois having come-up just short in her re-election bid. Today, the last of the ballots were counted - absentees and provisional ballots - in portions of Cook, Lake and McHenry Counties. Out of over 200,000 votes cast, Bean trails by a scant 291 votes to Republican chalenger Joe Walsh.

Tomorrow [today], Bean has called a news conference in Schaumburg to discuss the results and what she may do next.

Walsh is a Tea Party member, an Anti-Tax Crusader and a Reaganite on National Defense.

Now Congressman-elect Walsh has made national news by announcing that he will refuse to take the lavish health care package for Congress members.

Turns down free Health Care, Pension and Retirement benefits

From the NY Times "Surprise Representative Plans Surprises of His Own in Washington" Dec. 27:

Mr. Walsh, 48, will get about $1.4 million annually to run his operation and plans as many as three district branches. He’ll sleep in his office in Washington, while his family stays here in McHenry. And get this: he’s turned down the usual congressional health care, pension and retirement packages.

“I don’t think congressmen should get pensions or cushy health care plans,” he said. His wife is not exhilarated with the latter decision; she has a pre-existing medical condition and is now forced to hunt for a plan.

The Times goes on to explain:

Mr. Walsh... was radioactive to most establishment Republicans, who were miffed over his surprise primary victory and gave him scant help and money during the general campaign.

Deemed extreme by Republican honchos, Mr. Walsh — an unabashed Tea Party member, a business consultant and graduate of the University of Chicago’s public policy school — stunned Melissa Bean, the incumbent moderate Democrat, even though he had been dramatically outspent.