Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Friday, March 29

Gapers Block
Search

Gapers Block on Facebook Gapers Block on Flickr Gapers Block on Twitter The Gapers Block Tumblr


The Mechanics
« Impeachment Day was yesterday! Time to Let Go of "Special Election" Dreams »

State Politics Sun Jan 11 2009

So Who Do We Run?


As a Republican I have been thinking a bit about what our ideal candidate would look like and I have to admit I am of two very different minds.


Option One:

A statewide known entity, ideally a pro-choice woman: Judy Baar Topinka.

Yes, I think Judy Baar Topinka might be an answer. Yes, I understand that she would face a real primary battle but that being said I think this state may have a bit of 'buyers remorse' when it comes to Judy thanks to Rod, something we might be able to take advantage of.

Yes, a portion of the Republican party thinks Judy is the 3rd horseman of the RINO apocalypse. Yes, I wish she would be a better campaigner, but we don't have a host of other options.

Option Two:

A wealthy unknown or known who has been vetted in some way shape and form to avoid a Jack Ryan, Blair Hull surprise.

If you assume that Burris is going to be seated (and at this point I think it is going to happen) then you would assume that he is going to run for a full term. With Bobby Rush's recent statements it would be hard for a mainstream Democrat to challenge him when it comes time for the full term. Burris may face a primary challenge, but it will be a B-lister at best.

If we got a wealthy unknown, they could self fund and could use that as a tool against Burris in the general election.

Burris is going to face some fund raising challenges and could end up being in the unusual situation of being a sitting senator at a significant financial disadvantage. Who will have the 'taint' of political fund raising in this state.

We can have a candidate who would could say I will not take more than $150 from anyone running against someone who owes significant money to folks from previous state races.

I think a fresh face would be a good idea but if not I wonder what Jack Ryan is up to these days?

 
GB store

Pedro / January 12, 2009 11:01 AM

Well, just think about it for a second...

Why do you think it will be Burris? I bet it will be a candidate handpicked by the Obama camp.

Who was the candidate who engineered the unsealing of records of Jack Ryan and Blair Hull? Oh yeah, it was Obama. So you can believe that the same tactics that helped him will be used against any opposition.



Ramsin CanonAuthor Profile Page / January 12, 2009 6:59 PM

But OneMan, don't you think that JBT's statewide loss disqualifies her? You guys should be looking to the future--what about Kirk, or Aaron Shock (will he be old enough?)

GB store

Feature

Parents Still Steaming, but About More Than Just Boilers

By Phil Huckelberry / 2 Comments

It's now been 11 days since the carbon monoxide leak which sent over 80 Prussing Elementary School students and staff to the hospital. While officials from Chicago Public Schools have partially answered some questions, and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool has informed that he will be visiting the school to field more questions on Nov. 16, many parents remain irate at the CPS response to date. More...

Civics

Substance, Not Style, the Source of Rahm's Woes

By Ramsin Canon / 2 Comments

It's not surprising that some of Mayor Emanuel's sympathizers and supporters are confusing people's substantive disputes with the mayor as the effect of poor marketing on his part. It's exactly this insular worldview that has gotten the mayor in hot... More...

Special Series

Classroom Mechanics Oral History Project
GB store



About Mechanics

Mechanics is the politics section of Gapers Block, reflecting the diversity of viewpoints and beliefs of Chicagoans and Illinoisans. More...
Please see our submission guidelines.

Editor: Mike Ewing, mike@gapersblock.com
Mechanics staff inbox: mechanics@gapersblock.com

Archives

 

 Subscribe in a reader.

GB store

GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50

GB T-Shirt $12

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15