Mason Dixon Senate Poll

ArchPundit March 14, 2004 No Comments

Ryan and Obama stay well ahead

Democrats

Obama 37
Hynes 18
Hull 16
Pappas 8
Chico 5
Skinner 1
Washington 1
Undecided 14

Republicans

Ryan 45
McKenna 12
Oberweis 11
Rauschenberger 7
Borling 4
Wright 2
Kathuria 1

The telephone poll was conducted Monday through Wednesday by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. of Washington, D.C. Callers interviewed 400 likely Democratic primary voters and 400 likely Republican primary voters. The poll is considered accurate to within plus or minus 5 percentage points.

Breakdowns for the Dems are:

In the Chicago metropolitan area, Obama was getting 47 percent to 11 percent for Hynes, 10 percent for Hull, 9 percent for Pappas, 6 percent for Chico and 1 percent each for Skinner and Washington. Downstate, Hynes led with 39 percent to 30 percent for Hull, who has done extensive advertising outside of the Chicago area. Obama had only 9 percent of the downstate support. In that region, Pappas had 5 percent, Chico had 3 percent, and support for Skinner and Washington was negligible.

Among African-American voters, Obama was getting 72 percent to 6 percent for Hull, 3 percent for Joyce Washington, 2 percent for Hynes and 1 percent each for Pappas and Chico.

Among whites, 28 percent were for Obama, 22 percent for Hynes, 19 percent for Hull, 10 percent for Pappas, 6 percent for Chico and 1 percent for Skinner.

Fifteen percent of blacks and 14 percent of Whites were undecided.

Rockford Register Star Endorsements

ArchPundit March 14, 2004 No Comments

For the GOP…. Do I even have to tell you?

Rack another one up for Barack

The question about Illinois politics I’ve never been able to answer is why does no one care about Rockford? It is the most ignored place in the state.

Illinois Republican Senate Nomination Cattle Call 3-13

ArchPundit March 14, 2004 4 Comments

1. Ryan. No evidence of mass exodus and no hard evidence. Have to wonder if dangling will kill him.

2. Rauschenberger. If only.

3. Oberweis. Old white guys who don’t like minorities are a significant portion of the Republican voting block. However, Mark Brown is wrong about the price of his ice cream, it is indeed worth the price, especially for the pumpkin. Brown is correct about the 10,000 scoops of bigotry.

4. McKenna. Bus tour downstate. People confused over why the boring guy wants to shake their hand.

5. Borling. Mainly going for comedy at this point making fun of Ryan. The Channel 2 clip was classic.

6. Wright. Right wing Wright has a future.

7. Kathuria. Touts health benefits of hormone free cows for producing milk for his home delivery milk business on his resume.

Illinois Democratic Senate Cattle Call 3-13

ArchPundit March 13, 2004 3 Comments

1. Obama. On the air downstate. Strangely the only one I’ve seen today. Otherwise stable. Getting love from the DSCC, and Dodd gave him a call.

2. Hynes. Pumping up the machine, working on turnout.

3. Hull. All over the air apparently and workers everywhere. Halsted had volunteers on every corner.

4. Pappas. On the air south, but while the commercial introduces her well, it doesn’t tell anything about her views. A little late in the cycle.

5. Chico. Not much happening except that downstate Officer claims Hull’s people tried to bribe him.

6. Skinner. What is the point again?

7. Washington. Thanks for playing and I’m glad to hear you are successful in business. You have something to fall back on.

Illinois Republican Senate Nomination Cattle Call Comment Period 3-13

ArchPundit March 13, 2004 No Comments

What is the lit out there like? News is slow and even the Illinois Leader Message Board is in a lull. Is it the calm before the storm or has this run its course.

Democratic Cattle Call Comment Period 3-13

ArchPundit March 13, 2004 No Comments

Slow news day so tell me what is happening out there on the ground. Look for more endorsements and polls tomorrow.

Is the Hynes-Hull battle going on elsewhere? So far is is postive on TV.

Oops!

ArchPundit March 13, 2004 No Comments

Hull really didn’t think they were running negative ads.

The ad attacking Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes was broadcast Friday morning on stations serving Springfield and Champaign. But a station official conceded the ad aired inadvertently. “It was our fault,” said Cindy Larsen, an official for the NBC affiliates. “We pulled the wrong tape and put on the wrong spot.”

Ah, hell, both sides wanted to do it anyway.

Modern Vertebrate

ArchPundit March 12, 2004 No Comments

Endorses Obama and Rauschenberger

Direct Mail Takes Over

ArchPundit March 12, 2004 No Comments

It is clear that direct mail is going to be the final battleground for this campaign. I’m not getting any so put in comments what you are getting or drop me a line at archpundit@yahoo.com.

Trib Editorial on Ryan

ArchPundit March 12, 2004 No Comments

It’s time to open the files:

According to the portion of his divorce file that is public in Los Angeles Superior Court, his lawyers in 2000 sought to seal some 40 files, citing the interests of his son. The boy’s mother and Ryan’s ex-wife, actress Jeri Ryan, shared no such concerns at the time. Her lawyer argued that Jack Ryan sought to seal the files in order to protect “his potential political career.”

Initially, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Schnider denied Ryan’s request to seal the documents; the judge noted that they might contain “inflammatory, inappropriate and embarrassing material.”

“The allegation is that these materials might be embarrassing to the parties, might be damaging to [Jack Ryan],” the judge wrote. “This is exactly the case where the court should not seal material. Particularly when issues of potential political involvement and cases involving substantial assets are involved, the court proceeding should be open so that the perception of the courts as equal to all the parties is preserved.”

A year later, after the conviction of a man who had harassed Jeri Ryan, the judge reversed course. He granted the request to seal the files. Attorneys for the Chicago Tribune went to court Monday seeking to open those files.

With the files off-limits, voters are left to guess whether there is any import to the information Jack Ryan sought to keep hidden.

The issue here is not divorce. As a regrettable but commonplace occurrence, it by no means tarnishes those who seek public office.

The issue is whether there is information that may be germane to Ryan’s fitness to represent the state in the Senate. If there is, he should share it with voters now, before the Tuesday primary. And if there is not, he can emphatically demonstrate to whispering opponents that they are all wet.

The allegations (and that is all they are at this point) aren’t just personal behavior. They are far more serious than what Hull was questioned on. I suppose if I just wanted a weak Republican candidate, I’d suggest he wait. But the voters in the Illinois Republican primary deserve to know. And they deserve to know if the charges are bullshit too. If that is the case, both General Borling, even with his heroic past, and Rod McCulloch deserve a one-way ticket out of Illinois politics.