"Brownsox" (hey, it's better than "brown stain" or something like that, I guess) over at Daily Kos declares that as far as the IL GOP bench for winning the governor's mansion, it "sure looks like Kirk or bust." It's a bit of a back-handed compliment, considering that blog's view of the IL GOP, but they are probably correct that Kirk seems to be one of the few Illinois GOP politicians that has figured out how to field a winning team, and then some, considering Kirk fought off a six million dollar national onslaught by a candidate back for a second try, and still wiped the floor with his opponent in a district that voted for both Kerry and Obama. Could Kirk win state-wide against the likes of Lisa Madigan or Dan Hynes (or even, I suppose, Blago, if the fates somehow smile on him)? Dunno, to tell the truth.
So, I don't know how much to read into this, considering the source, and considering that I know that Kirk has not made any irrevocable decisions (yet). But while I'd be happy to support Mark in whatever he does, I fear for what that would mean for the 10th District. Heck, that would be reason enough for even Dan Seals to stick around and declare yet a third try, in the desperate hope he'd be running against an essentially empty seat in a Dem district, considering I have no idea who the GOP could field that would have a chance of stepping into Mark's shoes.
TA's not available, so we'll have to look elsewhere if need be.
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TA, you'll have to forgive me if I find this post a little funny. You clearly agree with brownsox, as does every semi-cogent observer inside and outside the state. Your distaste for the source, however, apparently won't allow you to say that plainly, so you had to couch it in unfortunate ad hominem attacks. Without the gratuitious Kos- and Seals-bashing, this doesn't even come to a full post, just a link. So, I am amused. By the way, catch Guv Sanford's piece in Politico? Mark another one down on the "we weren't conservative enough" side of the brewing GOP civil war. I'm also amused by the dulcet tones of Keith Olbermann doing halftime for the Bears game...very eerie.
Tikki- yes, it was supposed to be a bit light-hearted, so I'm pleased I'm entertaining you.
But, at the root of all of this is the seed of a bigger problem that brownsox correctly identified, though he/she's hardly the first--the GOP has little or no bench strength, coming off of years of eating their young, playing footsie with the Dems, and killing each other because no one can agree 100% among fiscal responsibility, abortion, guns and immigration.
Until the GOP decides that rating their candidates' pedigree as to who is 'Republican enough' is a losing proposition, it's a moot point, because they'll never elect anyone of consequence.
If you REALLY want to be entertained, come watch me scream this at people in Central Committee meetings as I've been known to do sometimes...
TA-
That's a pretty comprehensive list of the problems with GOP recruiting. The solution, as far as my campaign experience informs, is go grassroots.
As much as I'm sure you love those meetings, screw the Central Committee, find someone worth electing and run them in a primary, talking to voters instead of insiders. They like to talk, but local structures don't have the power they like to think they have.
Andy Mckenna deserves pretty much any eipthet you and I can come up with, but instead of blowing all your energy replacing him, just marginalize him. A good candidate can go and win a primary, even without meeting every local litmus test, if they're good people. Get enough guys and gals like that down in Springfield, and on County Boards, the State party reforms itself fait accompli, and, from your perspective, at lease, some good governing gets done.
The point: It's not time for garment-rending, it's time for focused action.
I should probably clarify that I'm talking about the Lake County GOP Central Committee, not the state Central Committee.
I consider the state party to have issues that are not unsolveable, but any attempts to fix them always seem to be thwarted by the various personalities involved, and I simply don't have the time or the energy to play politics at the state level when I'm busy trying to clean Lake County of crooks like Terry Link and keep guys like Mark Kirk in office.
Some other schmo will have to take on the task of improving the state GOP situation, as we have our hands full here.
I can't imagine Mark Kirk considering a run for the Governor's mansion. Not at all. Our Congressman has a huge interest in foreign affairs. When last I checked, that's not a part of what the head of a State has on his/her agenda. Nope, I don't see that in Mark Kirk's future. I hope he stays at the Congressman for the 10th District, whatever that means in the future. One of our responsibilities should be to find that 'farm team', begin to work with that person so we aren't caught flat-footed when the right opportunity comes along should Mark decide he wants to try for higher office. Just the thought that we'd have to endure another Seals effort is enough to make me run for the Alka Seltzer. And then we'd have that wacko, sicko catwoman to deal with again, her co-hort, Lauren Beth Trash, and others who lead the 10th Dems. We're obviously very late in casting the proverbial 'net' in an effort to recuit some solid, viable candidates for the future. I am sure impressed with Matt Murphy.
Whoever runs statewide for the democrats will raise north of 30 million,have the obama white house political operation at their disposal as well as his local operation. Mark will have half that,operatives who haven't done anything statewide, and a party in dissarray.
His best shot is if a nut gets appointed to the senate-danny davis ect and he looks more normal.
Good point Anon 9:14, I was wondering when someone was going to bring up Obama. Especially if the dem candidate ends up being Alexi. A Kirk run for Gov only seems to make sense if by some crazy circumstance Blago is the Dem candidate. IF he escapes indictment, and IF Lisa, Dan and Alexi or some combo thereof split the anti-incumbent primary vote, and Blago eeks out a primary win, then maybe a candidate like Kirk is in business, since Blago will get little or no help from Obama. But we won't know what will really happen until the primary.
Also, wait and see how successful Blago is in asking the White House for a billion in state aid per year over the next three years. Ain't gonna happen- Obama won't do anything that could so obviously be considered some kind of home-state nepotism, or help Blago in any way if he doesn't have to.
Mark would have a tough road ahead of him if he were to run for governor. Our politics in the tenth is a little more liberal than most and while I personally support Mark's positions I think he would not play that well downstate. That being said, to the extent he could win enough of the moderate collar county and city votes he might just be able to pull it off if Blago is indeed the nominee.
As far as bench, the 10th has a lot of promising young candidates. Although they basically received ZERO support from the party, etc. Keith Gray, Dan Sugrue, Tim Stratton are the future of our local party. These guys are the farm team and we should be setting them up for future success.
Stratton and Sugrue made some pretty big inroads against Karen May and Kathy Ryg. Stratton did about 8 points better than the last Republican to run against Karen May in this tough Dem year.
Wow, Ellen degenerate of the Tenth is really getting lost in la la land. From her latest rantings:
"The danger would be to focus too much on this shadow government and let them once again carry us off into the darker regions of human behavior."
Does anyone else find these words just a tad on the disturbing side?
Daily Kos is trying to goat kirk into the race. They want to get rid of kirk and take over his seat. Their motives are so transparent.
TA, I am glad we are in agreement for a change on local politics as I am anon 914. I also concur with the commenter that asked why mark would want to trade the ability to go to pakistan and work on high prestige issues for helping some downstate wreck of a city fix its roads. If trashy jesse jackson moves to the senate, as well mark will be the top illlinois member in the house in terms of his ability to deliver bacon, an enviable perch. There are also likely to be a number of old bull republicans ready to quit or move on and not wanting to be in the minority ahead of him on approps which would open up even more avenues to power there.
Finally there is Mrs. Kirk and whether she wants to dump d.c. for springfield.
Side note, TA in the interest of bettering this blog, I request that you make it so that we can post links. This is a good one.
http://dennisbyrne.blogspot.com/2008/03/illinois-gops-failures-are-so-stunning.html
Anon 8:37 I totally agree with you and others about Mark and the Governor's mansion. It's so not him. He has moved up significantly within the Appropriations committee. He becomes a very valuable member, able to do many of the things we need locally, state-wide, nationally and for sure on the international scene. I can't see him in Springfield.
And Lone Wolf.....boy are you spot on with that odd ball on her weird blog. She is sorely in need of major league help. She continues to be dangerously fixated on everything Mark Kirk says and does. She is one scary thing. And she won't allow a comment. Guess it's better that way.
I think it's time we begin to get some solid plans to help our rising stars begin to build names and war chests for the future. Tim Stratton, Keith Gray, and a few others need to start now to get the momentum going. Let's seriously begin to plan right after the first of the year.
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