Republicans Shaking and Stirring in Illinois
If current rumors are right…and, remember, sometimes they are…the Republican party kaleidoscope in Illinois is being shaken up once again.
It appears that Andy McKenna who has long dreamed of a successful elective political career will shortly announce that he will be a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. But McKenna has a lot of wood to chop since as state Republican chairman, he didn’t win many adherents given the low estate of the state GOP under his tenure.
Be that as it may, the view is current that he has chosen young, vigorous State Sen. Matt Murphy, Palatine, to run for lieutenant governor. Although the primary does not allow linkage there is no problem with the two of them running unofficially as a team. Up to now Murphy has been a declared candidate for governor but will drop that bid. Murphy is a hugely popular candidate with conservatives. True, the two of them are Irish Catholics from the suburbs but geography may not mean much anymore in Illinois. Look at the Democrats: Quinn, Hynes, Lisa Madigan, Alexi Giannoulias, White—all from the Chicago area.
Also it appears that State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) will run with the same kind of unofficial linkage with a fresh, young face from downstate Edwardsville: Jason Plummer, 27, former Republican chairman of Madison county, the scion of Robert Plummer, a multi-millionaire CEO of R. P. Lumber, who owns a string of lumber retail stores throughout southern Illinois. Both Plummers are strong conservatives, Robert having been a mainstay financial backer of the Illinois Civil Justice League which has successfully supported tort reform. Jason Plummer will announce his formal campaign for lieutenant governor shortly.
If these rumors come to pass, it seems that the prime winner in this roundelay are Adam Andrzejewski (AnGEE-EF-ski) the new kid on the block, who has not held public office up to now and has with dynamism fired up the grassroots. Dan Proft, the conservative political consultant and pundit who has a gifted way with words is also helped. Andrzejewski will be a guest on my WLS radio program this coming Sunday along with Eugene Mullins, spokesman for Cook county board president Todd Stroger.
The reason I say this is that Andrzejewski and Proft seem to be the only ones who have campaigns that are up and running. Of the two, I would think Andrzejewski would be helped more…since as a successful business entrepreneur he has a quality Republican voters seem to pay more attention to. Also he appears to have a definite organization in place while Proft seems to depend more upon media and his hair-trigger, colorful responses. (Having said this, I expect to hear from Proft within minutes of this being posted).
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Tom Roeser is the Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Chicago Daily Observer
Considering that Andrzejewski parrots most of Proft’s message, the concern should be that THEY will cannibalize each other’s candidacies. As far as “since as a successful business entrepreneur he (Andrzejewski) has a quality Republican voters seem to pay more attention to”, that’s true, unless you think his style is as antiquated as the business (publishing phone books) he managed.
Illinois republicans need a hammer to go down to Springfield, and Proft is far more equipped for such a challenge. Seriously, which of these two is better prepared for the inevitable battle with Mike Madigan?
Paul-
As someone who has been around a bit, Adam was running since March, his platform has been available since then. His talking points haven’t changed much.
Exactly what kind of time warp is happening here where you can credibly suggest that Adam is cribbing from a candidate who declared three months after he did?
Having been a Republican from 1961-1974, and appropriately if not immodestly describing myself as the principal strategist of the party as a consultant to Roy Sandquist, Chuck Percy, Dick Ogilvie and Ed Kucharski during my early twenties, I am free of the animus that affects most Democrats. Therefore for many reasons I strongly see the possibility of a Republican victory for several offices in 2010, not unlike the elections of 1966 and 1968,which is the reason I so strongly support Dan Hynes and Lisa Madigan. They along with Jesse White, are the only Democrats who can totally avoid the Blago taint.
Tom Roeser’s remarks should be well heeded.
I know who would be the strongest Republican candidate for Governor in the General election but I’m not telling. Unfortunately, there are several.
I can predict this however: if Dan Hynes is the nominee he will win and probably be reelected, and whatever happens, Lisa Madigan will be elected Governor in 2018. This may seem far fetched to many, but remember that Jim Thompson served fourteen years in a row, and could win again in a nano second if he chose to run this time, having had a twenty year vacation.
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