34 Comments - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:09 pm: Jim Oberweis brought torches and pitchforks numerous times to oust Pat Brady… Jim Oberweis goes to FL the week before the election and then, while on the phone, won’t confirm it, does the “Fake Phone Call” bit to Mary Ann Ahern… Then in his “Acceptance Speech” all but invokes Goodwin’s Law… And Mark Kirk is going to endorse Oberweis? Keep checking that phone Jim, keep checking… - Carl Nyberg - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:15 pm: I met Kirk and I really don’t like him. But for me this is pro-forma. Kirk should say, “I’m a Republican. I believe in the agenda of the Republican Party. I would like to think of myself as reaching out to some people who don’t always vote Republican. But when I run for election I also seek to motivate Republican activists. Senator Oberweis has a slightly different approach to elections. But this is reflective of Illinois being a large, diverse state. I expect Jim Oberweis voted for me when I ran for US Senate and I will be voting for him.” - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:17 pm: Überweis may have to earn Kirk’s support. Oberweis is popular with the wing of the party that demonizes Kirk to no end. Now that he needs his support . . . - 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:20 pm: Has anyone asked Rauner if he’ll be endorsing Oberweis? - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:20 pm: ==I expect Jim Oberweis voted for me when I ran for US Senate and I will be voting for him== If there’s any sort of third party option, any, I would expect many Republicans who feel as off-put by Oberweis to select option #3. He has as much of a shot at beating Durbin as I do at winning the Powerball, and nobody will feel guilty about not voting for him. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:24 pm: I wonder too if Rauner will endorse Oberweis and visa-versa… I mean, I have heard “Oberweis/Rauner” embraced by Sen. Durbin on WLS Radio on election night, so… - wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:27 pm: I imagine both Rauner and Kirk will issue some lukewarm statements of support in the future. But don’t expect any joint appearances. - Union Man - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:30 pm: Has any other Republican come out to endorse Oberweis? - dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:34 pm: Has Oberweis reached out to Rev Meeks? - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:36 pm: ==Has any other Republican come out to endorse Oberweis? == Do Naples/Bonita Springs, FL area politicians count? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:37 pm: “Florida Republicans for Oberweis” Jim could have his wife speak, just like Bruce. Fun. - Union Man - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:50 pm: I don’t think Mrs. O is behind this whole election idea. While Mr. O is campaigning, she’s in Florida. Have not seen or heard much of her the whole time. - votecounter - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 12:52 pm: “Unexpectedly close”? Oberweis didn’t get in the race until October and had no campaign until after signatures were turned in. He won by 13% I think, with Truax being in the race for a year. If Oberweis would have spent his time attacking Truax he could have crushed him but why? Truax is young and is the kind of person the GOP needs in the future; Truax would have been unelectable in the future if he had lost by 30 points. Nobody wanted that. - Wensicia - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:02 pm: I think both Rauner and Kirk will do their best to ignore Oberweis going forward. - Responsa - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:03 pm: After a meeting this morning I was talking with three people who had voted early on an R. ballot–not because they would be out of town on election day but just because it was “convenient”. They are kicking themselves now that they voted for the milkman but claim they had heard nothing about Truax or been contacted at all by Truax’ campaign. They assumed he was just some vanity fly-by nite who wanted his name on the ballot–until they found out otherwise— after they had cast their vote. I abhor such ignorance and there is no excuse for voters’ casual dismissal of someone whose name they simply do not recognize. I had to bite my tongue. But I think that because of the last two weeks of the Truax -Oberweis contest many more people are now aware that early voting comes with some real peril, because they know they absolutely would have voted differently on election day. - Smoggie - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:06 pm: Has there ever been a time in IL politics when both parties had such sharp internal divisions? Two posts today — one for each party — talking about dislike and distrust within the parties. Seems like we’ve had times when one party is badly divided, but not both. - Walker - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:07 pm: The only thing we can count on Kirk to do is what it takes to win. He’s a master politician. Been true for 20 years. - southwest - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:12 pm: Truax graciously endorsed Oberweis. Will Kirk run again in 2016? I don’t know what Truax can do to keep his name in the spotlight for two years, but I’d love to see him in the senate! - John A Logan - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:18 pm: The race for The U.S. Senate Seat in Illinois is already over. It was over before the primary, and as long as Dick Durbin is the candidate, never really begins. - chad - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:25 pm: Nyberg says it all above. This is just pretty silly. Kirk should make the simple endoresement and forget about the guy. To hold out just makes Kirk look a bit silly. - John Boch - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:26 pm: John Logan is correct. Dick will win, thanks to name recognition and the Chicago vote. Who cares what Mark Kirk does? John - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:35 pm: I agree with what Carl said regarding Mr. Kirk. I supported him as both a Republican and a Moderate until it became impossible because of some of the “insider” games that group likes to play. With regard to Mr. Rauner, I’m making the assumption simply based on politeness and etiquette that he either has tried, or will try, to open communications with the Conservative wing of our party in an attempt to bridge as many divides as possible, thus uniting us as much as possible. I like to believe that while differences and some spats will continue, it’s not an impossible feat and have faith that Mr. Rauner’s ability to lead and/or negotiate will do more harm than good. - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 1:38 pm: lol Sorry. Obviously should read “I like to believe that while differences and some spats will continue, it’s not an impossible feat and have faith that Mr. Rauner’s ability to lead and/or negotiate will do more GOOD than HARM.” I’ve obviously been and perhaps even “suffered” a bit as an Illinois Republican for a very long time. But I’m a positive and hopeful person. - Chris Wetterich - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 2:09 pm: Kirk told WBEZ’s Tony Arnold on Election Day that he was backing Oberweis. https://twitter.com/tonyjarnold/status/446114555505438720 - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 2:47 pm: Yes, but in–I believe in an intervivew that Natasha conducted and which was recently posted on youtube, he says he’s protecting his relationship with Durbin. But then again, mixed messages seem to be inherent within Mr. Kirk’s campaigns. - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 2:50 pm: And I’ll add that while I understand and appreciate the importance of working as well as one can on both side of the aisle, it would seem that some topics require “precision.” If Mr. Kirk’s and Mr. Durbin’s working relationship is as good as it’s purported to be, it would seem it could survive a Republican clearly supporting another Republican just as clearly as a Democrat generally supports Democratic nominees. - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 2:56 pm: ==But then again, mixed messages seem to be inherent within Mr. Kirk’s campaigns== So is winning - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 3:07 pm: Mmhmm. Perhaps the art of adding and subtraction is overrated and one needs to dig deeper into other skills, such as negotiation, giving one the benefit of the doubt that one has gone through “life-changing” analyses, realizations, changes, etc. etc. etc. Some substance over hype, perhaps? Maybe one would then get more pluses v. minuses. - AFSCME Steward - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 3:22 pm: Probably out flying his helicopter. “Apparently, Oberweis didn’t get the message…” - Northsider - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 3:29 pm: And there’s a good point for voters to remember: Kirk is a Republican, even when he pretends to not be one. - Bardo - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 3:47 pm: Kirk misses an opportunity here, IMO. Thumbing his nose at the big O would have been understandable….and at the same time made it harder for Durbin to support Kirk’s eventual Dem opponent in 2016 (presuming Kirk runs again….which he very well may not.) - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 3:52 pm: ==and at the same time made it harder for Durbin to support Kirk’s eventual Dem opponent in 2016 (presuming Kirk runs again….which he very well may not.)== If Durbin’s mother ran as a Republican, he’d endorse the Democrat - Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 4:01 pm: Well, thank you for that thought “Anonymous.” This Anonymous chooses not to speculate on such personal matters even if Mr. Durbin went on record as saying so. Again, politeness and etiquette. I’ve always found that it helps to determine where lines should be drawn. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 20, 14 @ 5:49 pm: Unlike @FakeRutherfordDan, it appears Oberweis is either not on “The Twitter” to see he got a ringin endosrement. I’m going to miss Oberweis when he spends all his time between Washington or Florida after January… Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.