Illinois GOP Primary Results Bode Well for November
Illinois held its primary on Tuesday and the usual run of rogues and rascals vied with each other for the opportunity to make their fame and fortune purloining the public purse. Since the opportunities for graft and corruption in the state are nearly endless, one wag suggested that instead of the winners posing for the traditional picture taken in victory, they should make things easy on the voter and get their mug shot taken at the same time.
The Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor is Scott Lee Cohen, a pawnbroker and cleaning supply distributor by trade who financed his campaign from his own personal fortune. Cohen was arrested in 2005 on domestic battery charges, which were thrown out when his accuser failed to show up in court. This upstanding citizen could be a heartbeat — or an impeachment inquiry — away from the governor’s office. Just ask current Governor Pat Quinn, who slipped into the top job from his lieutenant governor’s post when disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached for, among other things, trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.
Perhaps it is symptomatic of the times that both the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial primaries ended the night too close to call. The fact is, there was not much excitement generated by any of the top-tier candidates for either governor or senator as evidenced by the paltry turnout of less than 30% of eligible voters. This compared to a usual primary turnout of more than 35%.
But if passions were at a low ebb, election night made up for it with some real nail-biters.
In the Democratic governor’s race, Quinn leads Comptroller Dan Hynes by a scant 7,300 votes with two percent of the precincts left to count. Quinn has lengthened his lead slightly since Tuesday night, when Hynes defiantly refused to concede. The governor took a call of congratulations from President Obama this morning, but this one has a ways to go before it’s over. While there is no automatic mechanism for a recount, once the results are certified on March 5, Hynes is free to petition the state Supreme Court for relief. Between now and then, the raw totals will be eyeballed for errors. If Hynes feels he has a case, he can try his luck with the courts.
On the Republican side, an interesting race developed between state senators Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady. Brady is a traditional conservative Republican socially and fiscally, while Dillard earned the enmity of almost everyone in the GOP establishment when he actually cut a campaign commercial for Barack Obama just prior to the Iowa caucuses. It was an upstate vs. downstate race, with Brady’s roots in Bloomington and Dillard cutting his political teeth in the south Chicago suburbs.
Dillard is the more pragmatic of the two candidates but is conservative enough for most Illinois voters. He was endorsed by the last Illinois governor not serving prison time or indicted — fellow moderate conservative Jim Edgar. With 99% of the precincts counted, he trails Brady by a mere 509 votes. How much do you think he is regretting making that Obama commercial now?
An interesting side note to the race was the late endorsement by Rush Limbaugh of Adam Andrzejewski, who generated some excitement from online conservatives the last few weeks of the campaign. Showing support in the single digits in a December poll, Andrzejewski surged to within a couple of percentage points of the frontrunners before falling back and finishing with 15%.
The tea party movement should consider Rep. Mark Kirk as a candidate worthy of its support. He is indeed imperfect—but will likely win in November. The odds are also that Kirk will behave himself once reaching Washington, DC. Things have changed dramatically and all Republican politicians now realize that it behooves them to embrace conservative economic policies. Compromising with Democrats to prove one “can reach across the aisle” is no longer a viable strategy. Even John McCain and Lindsey Graham are starting to act like fiscal conservatives.
I am trying to get excited by this article. Can somebody with more knowledge than me provide a list of Major Accomplishments of Illinois Republicans (post Lincoln)? Just so I can be ready for the good things that come.
I mean, I am assuming that the main benefit is the Republicans generally have shorter sentences when they convicted, as their crimes are more timid. Is that pretty much it?
@ David Thompson
You say “”Things have changed dramatically and all Republican politicians now realize that it behooves them to embrace conservative economic policies. Compromising with Democrats to prove one “can reach across the aisle” is no longer a viable strategy. Even John McCain and Lindsey Graham are starting to act like fiscal conservatives.”"
The fact that John McCain and Lindsay Graham can “act” is an interesting statement. Clearly differentiates their behavior from “being” conservative. Lindsay Graham is not “acting” very convincingly as he pushes for Global Warming legislation. David – should conservatives and Tea Party types vote for John McCain over JD Hayworth? Since McCain is now “acting” right?
Mark Kirk will never be anything more conservative than he has been. He will probably drift less, by associating with the others of his ilk – like Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. He will try to create a moderate/liberal wing in the Republican caucus. He will no more become conservative than Obama, in his State of the Union speech. People are what they are. They are defined by their actions. Not future expectations of different actions. Kirk would occasionally vote better than a Democrat, but from what I have seen on Cap and Trade, Second Amendment, TARP, federal employee benefits, First Amendment restrictions, expanding government generally, Mark Kirk is a moderate Democrat, not a Republican. His win would not be a victory for freedom or constitutional principles.
The only thing worse than a Democrat is an Illinois Republican.
@ kent: Rejoice, we conquer ?
I agree with DT above; A candidate whose
enlightened self interest trumps his ideology
is the most we can hope for, and all we need.
The are still some steps down the economic staircase
ahead of us, and a vicious Demon Sheep waiting at the bottom;
As in the Monty Python skit featuring the Attack Rabbit, it
is time to turn around and run away.
Rick:
“There is some grumbling from the right about Kirk, who voted for TARP and is pro-choice. He is also an unabashed moderate who is pro-environment and “pro-science.””
Mark Kirk was one of the few Republicans to vote for Waxman-Markey, the cap-and-trade bill meant to fight a nonexistent problem, global warming. Given what we know just of the scientific fraud revealed in climate change research, that makes him anything but “pro-science.”
“David – should conservatives and Tea Party types vote for John McCain over JD Hayworth?”
Tea Party types should vote for J.D. Hayworth over John McCain in the primary. And then they must support McCain in the general election. These citizens have to grab control
of their state’s Republican Party. This will take some effort, but it ultimately is the only way to go.
To 8. David Thomson:
Normally I would agree with you but McLaim may be the exception proving the rule. We are not likely to retake the Senate but we will make deep gains in it. This is an opportune time for Tea Partiers to make a national statement. Even if McLaim wins the primary he should face a real conservative in the General election. Yes it will split the vote and yes it will elect a Democrat. However it would also rid us of McLaim and send a very clear message that we will not support such again. And it would do so without changing the “Game’ in the Senate as far as votes. This next two years.
I loved the mug shot line Rick. Although I’m now 10 years gone in Az I was raised a Clevelander – and thus have an affinity for the ‘chicago way’ – having survived most of my childhood in a similar machine enviro.
I do hope Kirk drags Obama into the mix in this run as you say – although it’s a rather risky statewide strategy given how popular he is at home. I must admit my main pleasure watching this race is the the hope for a mid-year election trifecta. Even if we don’t take back either the house or senate – the strong possibilty of taking Obama’s seat, Reid’s seat and maybe retiring Barb Boxer – amounts to a pretty sweet back at ‘em considering where we’ve been the past few years.
9. Fantom: – why don’t you go get a dart board and put up John, ok. I don’t like people suggesting that we need to ‘learn’ by electing Dems to Arizona senate seats. Gits my Irish up. Besides draging down the livability here in the sunshine.
For’get’about it! Move to Tucson and sip green tea with the rest of the Prog nutters.
@10. Phoenix48:
Do not know why it would “get yur irish up” LOL. You have been electing a dem.. McLaim for some time now. I certainly will do my part to see it does not happen again.
That is , if it is ok with you. And really even if it is not.. capish?
When I heard that Kirk voted for the Waxman/Markey bill, I made the decision I would never vote for Kirk. The tough choice is whether I would vote for his opponent just to give Kirk a double-hit. Still thinking about that one.
I might reconsider my feelings toward Kirk if he published a “contract” with the voters stating what he will and won’t vote for as a senator. Number one on that list would be a promise not to vote for any legislation that proposes a “cap & trade” policy, or anything similar. Number two would be his promise to vote for legislation that stops the EPA from regulating CO2 emissions. Number three would be his promise not to vote for any health care legislation that Obama/Democrats/unions favor (if they favor it, it’s got to be bad).
I better stop there….maybe others could produce a contract for Kirk to sign that would provide evidence he is not just another big government Republican destined to vote for every Democratic tax & spend program.
Doubt anything like that would happen, so it at least means I won’t cast a vote for Kirk. Now, could I really vote for the mob-financed Democrat nominee…hmmm.
Mr. Moran:
Dillard is from the “West” Chicago suburbs – Hinsdale, DuPage County…the Orange County of IL. It would be a miracle if someone with Dillard’s pigmentation emerged as leading political figure from Chicago’s south suburbs nowadays.
One of the biggest bones of contention among conservatives here is the fact the Kirk and Brady voted for illegal aliens to receive benefits under the Dream ACT/receive instate tuition in their respective legislative bodies. I would wager they have only done the equivalent of what McCain did when he supported the Kennedy Bill. He bought the first drink, nothing more. A friend of mine told me his father told him always buy the first round because you will never have to buy another round again (thus Kirk, McCain, and even this guy Brady wont have 80%+ hispanics against them). Do I expect them to follow up on similar bills once elected – no, because of the economy, the specter of returning veterans en masse (remember Operation Wetback took place one year after the Korean War ended because of veterans complaining about job opportunities), and other sundry factors.