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IL-SEN Mon Dec 28 2009
An Attack From The Right That Won't Hurt Kirk
Senate hopeful Andy Martin is trying to spread a rumor that Mark Kirk is gay:
Frequent candidate Andy Martin (R) has launched a statewide radio ad in IL accusing GOP frontrunner/Rep. Mark Kirk (R) of being gay.
[...]
Now, he has purchased time on IL radio stations to take after his primary rival, sparking outrage among IL GOPers.
"Today, I am fighting for the facts about Mark Kirk. Illinois Republican leader Jack Roeser says there is a solid rumor that Kirk is a homosexual. Roeser suggests that Kirk is a member of a Republican Party homosexual club," Martin says in the ad.
Kirk is serving on active duty in his role as a Naval Reseve intelligence officer, and so cannot comment on politics. But campaign manager Eric Elk issued a statement on behalf of the campaign.
"The ad is not true and is demeaning to the political process. The people of Illinois deserve better."
The IL GOP quickly issued a statement slamming Martin and disavowing him as a candidate.
"The Illinois Republican Party disavows the statements made today by Mr. Andrew Martin in his statewide radio advertisements. His statements today are consistent with his history of bizarre behavior and often times hate-filled speech which has no place in the Illinois Republican Party. Mr. Martin will no longer be recognized as a legitimate Republican Candidate by the Illinois Republican Party," party chairman Pat Brady said in a statement.
I think it's a pretty safe bet that while Kirk is vulnerable to a more conservative challenger, an attack like this won't hurt him.
Little Birdy / December 29, 2009 10:57 AM
Its actually a pre-emptive move with the non-entity Martin jumping on the grenade. Word was that the Democrats knew of the mattter and were going to wait until Kirk secured the primary nomination and then were going to leak the information.
What do you think happened to Blair Hull and Jack Ryan, among countless others?
Probably works out well for both sides. Conservatives will get an actual conservative on the ballot and democrats can continue to paint republicans as anti-gay.
Chicago politics... such a classless existence.