Goobernatorial Primary is what I was thinking of labeling this.
Look, the Governor is a pain the ass. He’s like Al Gore in many ways in that he seems to want to piss me off everyday just to see what it would take to make me vote against him. Let’s be real though and deal with the current situation, his numbers are far better than Bob Holden when Holden lost the primary to Claire McCaskill. And Claire didn’t sound like Peter Brady–she has a deeper, more consistent voice. I can complain all I want about the Governor. And I will.
But ultimately the primary that matters is the Republican primary where we have four candidates (Andy Martin doesn’t count)
Ron Gidwitz who is a slumlord and the media is giving him a pass on the issues surrounding Evergreen Terrace.
Bill Brady who frighteningly enough has best kept his dignity, but doesn’t have the ability to win given his finances at this point.
Uberweis who every Blagojevich supporter has to be thinking about pulling a Republican ballot for.
Judy—not perfect, but a reasonable enough candidate to make me think about which party I’d vote for. Let’s face it, Kovarik’s story is lame, but, dude, Judy doesn’t have better taste than that? Jeeeshhh…
I suppose you can vote for Eisendrath as a protest vote and hell I might do it if I voted in Illinois–I didn’t vote for President in 1996 over welfare reform (but I did vote, I just didn’t cast a vote for Clinton). The reality for Democrats is that Rod Blagojevich is going to stand for reelection. He’s a flawed candidate and perhaps more importantly, an annoying candidate.
After the 21st the question is going to come down to what the Republicans do. If they vote for anyone besides Judy, it’s quite clear that a
1) Slumlord
2) Right wing downstate Senator who is none too bright
3) a right wing ass who sold his soul to the devil (AKA Jack Roeser)
means a vote for Blagojevich.
If Judy is the nominee, it’s more complex. Is she going to find a way to support an All Kids type proposal? So far no, but let’s see in the general
How will she address school funding?
Will she strongly back the pharmacy rule (so far she has)
Will she support reasonable immigration reform instead of pandering to Oberweis’ clan?
Is Rod going to avoid legal trouble?
Is Rod going to turn into annoying Rod again (He’s been on good behavior lately).
You can vote for Blagojevich or for Eisendrath. I’ll suggest whatever makes you feel best. That said, the real questions will be begun or ended on March 21st by the Republicans.
I’m voting in the Republican primary because of local races for which no Democrat is running, so I’ll also vote for Topinka.
That is exactly the wrong logic (if you’re a Democrat). Topinka, the best Republican, is far worse than Blagojevich. And she’s the only one who has a real chance of winning in November. I’m gonna take a GOP ballot and vote for Oberweis because a matchup with him and Blagojevich is the best thing Democrats can hope for. That’s the best strategy. Don’t vote with your feelings, vote with your head.
That is exactly the wrong logic (if you’re a Democrat). Topinka, the best Republican, is far worse than Blagojevich. And she’s the only one who has a real chance of winning in November. I’m gonna take a GOP ballot and vote for Oberweis because a matchup with him and Blagojevich is the best thing Democrats can hope for. That’s the best strategy. Don’t vote with your feelings, vote with your head.
I have to disagree with this strategy of voting for the worst/craziest of the other party’s candidates, in the hope of facing a weaker opponent. Yes, in one sense it will work — Illinois isn’t going to go for Oberweis over Blagojevich — but in the meantime, Oberweis gets eight months of the credibility* and attention associated with being the nominee of a major party to high office. The net result, it seems to me, is the Illinois political climate being dragged a little further to the right.
* Granted, that didn’t do Alan Keyes any good, but that was a special case.
Sorry, but I am voting with my head; Democrats who vote for Blagojevich are the ones who’ve abandoned their brains. He’s a disaster for the state.