Poshardian Geometry: Brady Plans to Lead on Economic Issues
The last time a true Downstater was nominated for governor — Kankakee’s George Ryan really was a Chicago City Hall man at heart — he got picked to death on hot-button social issues.
His name was Glenn Poshard, and the conservative Democrat’s 1998 campaign against Mr. Ryan never caught traction as Mr. Poshard spent the spring, summer and much of the fall that year talking about gays, guns and abortion.
Now it looks as if the GOP nominee for governor will be Bloomington state Sen. Bill Brady. He smiles a lot more than Mr. Poshard. But his views on social and economic issues make the “too conservative” Mr. Poshard look like a raging liberal. Is there a way out for him?
Wasn’t Jim Edgar (from Charleston in Coles County, Illinois) a “Downstate” candidate?
Hinz is always hung up on “gay issues.” It was curious to see activists of this sort abandoning Poshard in 1998 and embracing Ryan’s candidacy. Rick Garcia was scathing in his attacks upon Poshard. To be fair, numerous other Democratic leaders and constituency groups abandoned Glenn Poshard to line up at the trough with Ryan and the Combine.
With Illinois facing bankruptcy, it is time to ask how well did that work out?
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