From the perspective of Judy Baar Topinka, the more the merrier: The more candidates that run, the better are her prospects of winning the 2006 Republican primary for governor. Conversely, if she has only one opponent, she could lose.
If you have Birkett, Oberweis, Rauschenberger, Brady, and O’Malley in the race against LaHood and Topinka, one of the last two come out a winner.
Gidwitz ends up as roadkill no matter what.