Tom Kacich is speculating that next year's GOP ticket could be too heavily weighted toward downstate:
Here's how that could play out:
For governor Bill Brady, Bloomington
For lieutenant governor, Raymond Poe, Springfield
For attorney general, Stewart Umholtz, Tazewell County
For secretary of state, Dan Rutherford, Chenoa
For treasurer, Christine Radogno, LaGrange
For comptroller, Carole Pankau, RoselleI'm all for downstaters on the ticket, but if the GOP comes up with a team that is 67 percent downstaters -- where there is less than a third of the statewide vote -- they're in trouble.
I think that scenario is a little unlikey, as Brady is well behind Topinka and Poe might not even be in the race on Monday. That said, I could very well envision a ticket that is half-downstate and half-Chicagoland - which is much, much better than the most likely Democratic ticket which will be entirely from The City.
can you get your message out, and where do you stand on the issues - I don't care where you live.
Downstaters might have to work harder to build local "ground troops" where most of the votes are - I would think that would be the biggest problem.
(Rutherford has been working hard in Chicago for a long time, appearing numerous times on WLS radio.)
Don't worry too much about Chicago. It's not very reliable in determining Illinois elections.
Sure, Cook County gave Blago half of his votes, but then Chitown also voted for Carter, Mondale and Dukakis, and in those years Illinois still went to the Republican presidential candidate.
The Kacich scenario is extremely unlikely, contingent upon Brady winning Governor and Poe winning LG (and in the case of the latter, he doesn't stand a chance in hell). Whatever the final ticket will look like, the GOP will have geographic diversity, unlike the Dems.
Brady winning the nomination is not as unlikely as you think. Topinka's base vote is just under 30% (the moderate block that gave Corrine Wood 27% in 2002). Gidwitz will probably get 10% at best. Conservatives have never really been that comfortable with the milkman (he compared pro-lifers to the Taliban when he ran in 2002). Conservatives will rally around Brady as the anti-Judy. There are surely enough conservatives in the primary to give Brady the 35% to 40% he needs to pull this off.
As for Lt. Governor, it will likely not be Poe or Rauschy. Rauschy has said he would resign the nomination if Gidwitz loses the guv primary, meaning that whomever the guv nominee is would get to pick a replacement running mate (or at least suggest one to the state central committee).
Sorry IP - I just saw you pretty much said the same thing. Great minds think alike I suppose.
Remember the good old days when every republican was from DuPage County? Too bad so many of them were indicted
Just out of curiousity, when was the last time we had a state-wide candidate, and a state-wide winner, from Champaign County?
Vernon L . Nickell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1930's
Correction, Nickell was Superintendent from 1943-1959
Poe is out of the LG race. Of course, so is Watson. Topinka has chosen Birkett. So much for downstate.
Topinka/Birkett vs Blago/Quinn?
I'll have to sit this one out.
Topinka/Birkett vs Blago/Quinn?
I'll have to sit this one out.
Wait 'til you see your choices for the 2008 Presidential election. :)
I think it's a little early to say the whole GOP slate is in trouble they have not even handed in their petitions yet The republicans that win always get their votes from the collars and downstate. It helps to have as many votes from Cook as possible to off set those Dem. votes. I think it's better to have Candidates from downstate we will have a state house still in Chicago Dem control it will give the state balance and will be an advantage in the election.