The Tribune has a good roundup of the GOP scramble to succeed Congressman Henry Hyde.

On the Republican side, at least four people–two current state senators, a former state representative and a former DuPage County officeholder–are indicating interest in the Republican primary race for a seat that Hyde has held since his election in 1974. And some Republicans said privately they think the numbers could multiply.

That’s very possible, I agree. But unless another relatively big-name conservative Republican enters the race, I don’t think that Sen. Carole Pankau gets in.

Sen. Carole Pankau (R-Roselle), said she was “very seriously looking” at a bid for Hyde’s seat. Of the nine townships in Hyde’s congressional district, she said she has run and won in seven of them.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett continues to say that he won’t run. He’s currently trying to pay down debt from his ‘02 statewide race, and he couldn’t do that fast enough as a federal candidate. So, it’s still possible that he may jump in down the road, despite what he says now. If he does, or if someone like him does, Pankau probably enters the race because the conservative male vote will be split.

Then again, she may decide she can win regardless. A Pankau-Roskam race would be fun to watch, although I still give the edge to Roskam at the moment.