* It’s been known for several weeks that GOP state Sen. Matt Murphy was leaning heavily towards a gubernatorial bid. He’s now made it all but official…

“I’m very serious. I look at it as I really feel that among those in this, I give it the best chance for us to win,” Murphy, a Palatine Republican in his second term, told the Tribune. “It felt like everything kind of came together right in a strange sort of way. The feedback has been good enough. I’m ready to go forward. I’m in.” […]

“The issues that I have spent the most time focusing on are jobs and ethics. Those are the two most important things we’re going to be talking about for the next year and a half and doing things about thereafter,” said Murphy, whose Senate seat is not up for election next year.

“If you’re a Republican and afraid of anything in 2010, you shouldn’t be running,” said Murphy, who considered a bid for Cook County Board chairman. “The time to be afraid is over. What do we have to lose? If you’re not afraid to lose, you’re a whole lot better candidate. I think a compelling message is that there’s an electorate that is ready to fire these [Democrats], but we need to step up and see that we earn that piece of respect.”

* Laura Washington on Lisa Madigan, President Obama and Alexi Giannoulias…

Impeccable sources tell me that in that White House meeting, Obama made it clear he wants her to run for the Senate. […]

All that sputtering shows that Giannoulias has been knocked off his game. It makes you wonder just how well he really knows his old pal. When it comes to winning, pragmatism is Job 1 for Obama. The Obama-ites want to hold onto that seat at all costs, basketball buddies be damned. […]

All the same, she’ll take her time and may run her decision right up until August, when her nominating petitions must hit the streets. At best she could look indecisive, at worst, politically calculating. As the daughter of House Speaker Mike Madigan, that’s a perilous place to be.

The big question: Can Lisa Madigan really say no to the president of the United States? You bet.

I had a very similar analysis to this one last week and came to a somewhat opposite conclusion: Leaning towards.

* Related…

Will a name like Raja play in Peoria? - 35-year-old Indian American Krishnamoorthi eyes state comptroller post, chance to make history

* Dillard, Proft dubbed “serious” gubernatorial candidates