Many Illinois Democrats are calling for a special election to
fill the Senate seat that Barack Obama is vacating and that Rod
Blagojevich attempted to sell; that includes the leaders of both
houses of the state legislature, which probably makes a special
election inevitable. Contra
Jim Geraghty's reader, I wouldn't count on Jim Edgar running;
the Illinois GOP has tried before to get Edgar to come out of
retirement before and he hasn't seemed interested. Liberal
Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is considering a
run, however, and he'd be a strong candidate.
Why would a "Liberal Republican" be a strong candidate?
Sarge6| 12.10.08 @ 7:13PM
Mark Kirk is solid, definitely not a RINO. He represents the
North Shore suburbs (WASP, Jewish, and wealthy) so a red-meat
social conservative just ain't happening. He's also a serving
Naval Reserve intelligence officer. Webpage here:
http://www.house.gov/kirk/
Another guy to keep an eye on is Rep. Peter Roskum:
http://roskam.house.gov/
Interested Conservative| 12.10.08 @ 10:04PM
I live in the district, and have lived in Texas and Ohio as well,
and while Kirk might be "liberal" to those farther right, he's no
RINO, nor is he really liberal. He's actually in the mold of most
Illini GOP (not a hallmark of success lately) but very
experienced and solid.
He'd be very competitive, and Roskum to lesser extent.
On local radio today he was of course going after Blags, but
equally so the entire state governing class, even hinting in many
ways that it's clearly where Obama's come from.
In many ways he's a younger version of Sen. Lugar, and similar to
Gov. Daniels - the nearest most successful current GOP
officeholders.
He'd be a real plus, which is why the national dems don't want a
special, but the local reaction may force it.
Also, a quick vote could minimize the cash factor to an extent,
and perhaps dilute, however slightly, whatever weight the Obama
machine could bring to bear.
Stephen | 12.10.08 @ 4:54PM
Why would a "Liberal Republican" be a strong candidate?
Sarge6| 12.10.08 @ 7:13PM
Mark Kirk is solid, definitely not a RINO. He represents the North Shore suburbs (WASP, Jewish, and wealthy) so a red-meat social conservative just ain't happening. He's also a serving Naval Reserve intelligence officer. Webpage here: http://www.house.gov/kirk/
Another guy to keep an eye on is Rep. Peter Roskum: http://roskam.house.gov/
Interested Conservative| 12.10.08 @ 10:04PM
I live in the district, and have lived in Texas and Ohio as well, and while Kirk might be "liberal" to those farther right, he's no RINO, nor is he really liberal. He's actually in the mold of most Illini GOP (not a hallmark of success lately) but very experienced and solid.
He'd be very competitive, and Roskum to lesser extent.
On local radio today he was of course going after Blags, but equally so the entire state governing class, even hinting in many ways that it's clearly where Obama's come from.
In many ways he's a younger version of Sen. Lugar, and similar to Gov. Daniels - the nearest most successful current GOP officeholders.
He'd be a real plus, which is why the national dems don't want a special, but the local reaction may force it.
Also, a quick vote could minimize the cash factor to an extent, and perhaps dilute, however slightly, whatever weight the Obama machine could bring to bear.
Crusader| 12.10.08 @ 10:17PM
He's pro-abort & anti-gun; he's a RINO.
biniki| 8.28.09 @ 10:41PM
bikini
bikini swimwear