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Dillard closing the gap, but not enough for a recount yet

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* CBS2 has the margin at about 250…

On Tuesday, CBS 2’s informal survey found Dillard reducing Brady’s lead to about 250 votes. Brady’s own McLean County won’t tally its final absentees until later Wednesday so he’ll likely gain some. But there just aren’t many people downstate.

Take two Brady strongholds, for example. In Peoria, Brady added just three votes to his margin and, next door in Tazewell County, just two votes.

Dillard’s total is closer to what commenters came up with yesterday…

Dillard did downplay talk of a costly and legally difficult recount if he remains on the short end of the final vote tally. He said Tuesday his losing margin would have to be “something less” than the roughly 220 he believed he had Tuesday to consider a recount.

The Tribune says about the same thing…

Late unofficial vote counts from election authorities in the more-populous six-county Chicago region showed Dillard cutting into Brady’s lead by nearly 200 votes [from the original 420 AP total]. Still, final tallying continues in downstate counties where, despite fewer votes being cast, Brady has held an advantage over Dillard.

* Dillard repeated yesterday that he likely won’t call for a recount unless the margin is within 100 votes. As the Trib rightly points out, this could become a long, involved process if Dillard goes through with any recount…

But a challenge based on provisional votes could become a messy one, and Dillard said he’s unsure he would press for more of them to be counted. Dillard’s low threshold for considering a recount reflects the advances in electronic vote-tabulation technology. Local election officials have until Feb. 23 to re-test their results and send them to the state.

“The local election authorities need to canvass and have time to double-check their math,” Dillard said. “And I’d like to see a preliminary tabulation by the actual election authority, the State Board of Elections…especially when you’re talking about 200 votes out of about three-quarters of a million cast. Mistakes do happen.”

Comments

>Brady, if he is the GOP nominee, will need to convince Democrats and independents that they should give the Republicans another chance in the governor’s office.

I’d really like to know why these voters think Dems should get another chance with these past eight years of utter disaster with them at the helm.

Comment by Segatari Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 9:49 am
Dillard’s handled this the right way. He has a right, and a responsibility to his supporters, to let the official process play out. It’s gotta be killing him to be that close.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 9:51 am
Greg Hinz issues a correction about Bill Brady.

http://is.gd/8AnrM

Bill Brady is no Senator Blutarski.

Comment by Brennan Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 9:54 am
So far, Brady is making the right moves to build a solid team and is obviously very aware of his need to focus on the ‘burbs.

Folks in the chattering class will try to beat him over the head on gay marriage, but that issue only resonates with a limited population that he wasn’t going to get anyway. Among independents, it is an attempt by Dems to distract attention from the abject mess they have created in Springfield and the real issues that will favor Brady over Quinn.

At the end of the day, independents who are sick of the fiscal and ethical mess in Illinois aren’t going to base their votes on social issues. They are looking for someone who can keep the state form coming completely unhinged. If Brady can make that case, they will overlook conservative positions they may not completely like.

Fitzgerald convinced voters that even if he was more conservative than they were, he was far better than Carol Mosley Braun. He had lots of $$$ to make the case, but it proves that voters can prioritize.

Comment by Adam Smith Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 9:55 am
=== Folks in the chattering class will try to beat him over the head on gay marriage, but that issue only resonates with a limited population that he wasn’t going to get anyway. ===

I’m not sure what you base that on, but I can tell you my gay Republican uncle sees it a little differently, as does his family, as do his friends.

More importantly for Brady, he’s just made it that much easier for Democrats to paint him as an extremist.

And, for those in the middle of the political spectrum, he’s just sent a clear message: Creating Jobs and Balancing the State Budget are NOT my top priorities.

Brady reminds me of that famed line from Ali, that George Foreman was so afraid to fight him, he knocked himself out.

I mean, come on: He’s being chastised by the Tribune, which is no fan of Quinn’s.

Brady just landed a solid roundhouse on himself.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:09 am
True there may not be many votes downstate but from what I understand most of the areas that Dillard should win are in and most of the areas that are out are ones that Brady won. So even if Brady only picks up 2 or 3 votes on average from that will still move his margin of victory back up wards.
It must kill Dillard to have come this close and still have come up short but he going to have to make a tough decision in near future, but I think he will make the right one and step aside.

Comment by RMW Stanford Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:10 am
Is the Tribune relevant? Endorsed McKenna, after all.

Comment by Tom Parking Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:11 am
Opposing civil unions is really awful move.

Comment by Brennan Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:11 am
@Adam Smith -

Fitzgerald won because he made Braun the issue, defined her as having values and prioirities that were out-of-touch, and she was an unknown in Southern Illinois after six years in office.

Brady is making himself the issue and defining himself as being out-of-the-mainstream when it comes to Values and Priorities.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:11 am
It’s good to see that the Brady quote was corrected … but what would have made all of us feel better would have been if Brady wouldn’t have put Founding Father Thomas Jefferson and “Jay-Jay” in the same sentence pertaining to age and experience …It was worse then Quale/Kennedy … Kennedy wasn’t a Founding Father … Yikes!

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:13 am
Maybe it’s just me but I get uneasy when a politician is fake smiling at me while he or she is talking. Gives me the willies, like they are up to something for their benefit and not mine.

Brady needs to loosen up on the civil union issue as he will continually get pounded on it. Who cares…..let folks have civil unions if the like. If the religious see no sanctity in gay marriages….fine.

Comment by Justice Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:18 am
Bill is a really good guy but he has to stop pandering to his base and move a bit to the center. That Civil Union stand was just crazy and really puzzling since he chose to jump out there on that. He wasn’t responding to a question, he put if forward as his first policy position. Just nuts. Bill….stick to economic issues….that is where you will win.

Comment by raising kane Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:18 am
You can’t “unring” a bell … The Social policies preferred by candidate Brady are now the subject, but, there is a funny thing about subjects, they can be changed. F I S C A L …. Brady crew; Fiscal issues. You gave the base some red meat, (like they need it in this economic enviorment and the Quinn record?????) so how about “Did you know every (place time frame here), a job is lost in IL since Rod and Pat took over the Guv’s office?”, “Did you know (place time frame here) another IL comnpany has either folded or left IL since Rod and Pat took over the Guv’s office?”

Please, make this a race about the economy, Bill. Get on the Fiscal Bus!

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:20 am
==Opposing civil unions is really awful move==

Voicing your opposition is a much tamer move. Actually proposing a constitutional amendment, I would agree, is not productive. This is Illinois, not North Dakota.

Comment by Former Card Carrying Repub Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:20 am
===It’s gotta be killing him to be that close===

It’s certainly killing voters like me who just barely… barely… chose Ryan over Dillard.

It’s like watching a very slow putt. And no matter how much you try to will the ball toward the hole with your eyes, it doesn’t seem to work. All you can do is twist up your face and watch. Painfully. Watch.

Comment by Keep Smiling Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:21 am
===Dillard’s handled this the right way. He has a right, and a responsibility to his supporters, to let the official process play out. It’s gotta be killing him to be that close.===

Brady and Dillard should be both applauded for the handling of this very intense situation.

The only negative was that “sun” thing. If Dillard was going to wait this out, then the deadlines of overtaking Brady seem a bit much.

It is difficult to think of a better way to have handled this then these two men.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:25 am
It’s amazing that when Bill Brady listed his priorities, the other three got lost because everybody’s got the fear of the election cycle.

What else is amazing is if it were a moderate winning and conservatives are questioning about the moderate’s stand on an issue, we get branded as a one-issue person and that we have to coalesse about the issues that we agree with the moderate.

Well why can’t the moderates coalesse on what they agree upon with Brady. He did mention three other fiscal priorities that we can agree with so why not come together on that. It’s time that moderates take the same advice they dish out.

Comment by Cutiemomma46 Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:26 am
Brady is no Fitzgerald because Quinn is no Braun and being a Governor in Illinois isn’t being one of two senators in Washington.

And Senator Fitzgerald knew this too. He got out in 2004 for a similar reason Senator Bayh did this week. Yeah, they could have won again - but time and political environment wasn’t a friend.

Brady and Dillard have both played this situation out well. I think it is because they have known one another for many years and respect one another’s ability.

Brady has to be completely open about who he is, what he represents and where he has been. He has so many electoral challenges, that to pretend otherwise would look obviously delusional. He has to admit he is a square peg that has to fit into a round hole. Voters will appreciate a candidate that acknowledges how different they are from the kind of previous candidates they had supported in the past. Brady has to recognize that the majority of Illinoisans wouldn’t normally vote for him.

Then he has to tell us why this year is different.

If he goes around mouthing conservative babble, he will not win. If he runs as a typical conservative, he will not win. Brady has to tell us why we a man with his conservative beliefs is the right guy for Illinois at this time. If Brady can present himself in a fresh unstereotypical way, he will get noticed and evaluated fairly because Illinois is hurting.

However, if he goes around talking like a stereotypical conservative, blathering about not raising taxes, cutting waste, fraud and inefficiencies to balance our budget, or any other typical GOP bull crap - he will lose big.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:26 am
===It’s amazing that when Bill Brady listed his priorities, the other three got lost because everybody’s got the fear of the election cycle.===

Welcome to politics … and BTW, you can’t change ANY policy … unless you win first.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:31 am
–Please, make this a race about the economy, Bill. Get on the Fiscal Bus!–

That’s absolutely right, but he’s put himself in a tough spot there. He’s continually downplayed the size of the deficit and says you can get the job done with budget cuts and tax cuts for business.

The numbers being what they are, it’s just not realistic. And it’s like that all over the country.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:32 am
I hope Dillard pulls it out.

BTW, your intern did a very nice job on the interview with Brady.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:33 am
word …

Right on, but here is the rub; if Brady keeps talking Social, he has ZERO shot at winning this, with the economy the way it is. The Reagan Democrats he desperately needs will want the talk Fiscal… at least he could be in the ballgame with those issues, the Social are just too divisive.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:39 am
===Well why can’t the moderates coalesse on what they agree upon with Brady.===

That ain’t the way politics works. You go where the votes are.

That being said, Reagan didn’t bend a whole lot. But he also knew enough to focus on economic and other issues to win that center. Also, Peter Fitzgerald deliberately underplayed his conservative views and played up his environmentalism and his problems with the NRA.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:41 am
I agree with Brady personally on Gay Marriage, but would not have made this move politically. But lets not get ahead of ourselves and review some facts.

1. If gay rights is your issue, you will not vote for a conservative from Bloomington regardless of this issue.

2. It is the economy stupid. Isolated from the moral issue is the cost. Think of the health care cost gay marriage or civil unions will cost businesses in health care costs alone.

3. He made the move as long as possible before the general election. (Good if you are going to make the move).

In the end true independents don’t vote because you are for or against gay Marriage. Which is going to be a bigger issue in November. a dead amendment, or the fact almost every school district in the state will be laying off teachers because of Quinn and Madigan’s incompetence.

Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:48 am
As a conservative Democrat, I have a lot of problems with Brady as governor of Illinois. Right now, I wouldn’t want him to be governor, regardless of how we may agree on some issues.

I don’t expect him to change my mind either. Not the way he is talking right now. And don’t get me started on Plummer, who isn’t qualified beyond being an intern who goes for pizza runs.

I will vote, but it looks like I won’t cast a vote for a gubernatorial candidate.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:52 am
With all due respect Vanilla, that mentality is how we ended up with a second Blago Term. With the majorities in the House and Senate for the dems, there is not going to be much movement on the Social issues if Brady wins. But we HAVE to balance the budget. we know Quinn will not do this. In the end, we know Quinn won’t even try to make cuts and get us back on track. You may have to choose between a guy you know won’t try, and a guy you don’t like but may give it a shot.

Just remember a no vote or a green vote in IL is a vote for Quinn.

Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:02 am
Patriot, I think you are missing the point that many of us are trying to make. Coming out of the box on an issue like this totally plays into the stereotype that the Dems will try to apply to Bill. Their “he is a right-wing nut that is too risky for Illinois” strategy works from a million different cuts of this type of thing that many suburban voters will see as intolerant.

To be sure, there will be issues where Bill is more conservative than most. But why on earth call attention to them yourself? Especially when you haven’t given most voters any sense of who you really are. If Bill keeps leading with his right, he will make it very, very easy to paint him as an extremist.

Comment by raising kane Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:08 am
- Think of the health care cost gay marriage or civil unions will cost businesses in health care costs alone. -

So one of your arguments for discriminating against a group of people is that it will cost businesses more money? Nice. I call BS though, because many companies already offer these benefits to same sex couples and don’t seem to be losing their shirt over it.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:10 am
=”five-ten-thousandths of 1 percent difference”=

Actually I think it is 5 out of 10,000. Which equates to 0.05% or five-hundreths of a percent.

Comment by Just Noticed Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:11 am
For crying out loud…reading some of these comments you’d think that Brady perched himself on the top of the capitol building and proclaimed that his nomination was a mandate against gay marriages. He didn’t hold a press conference. He didn’t have an availability. He didn’t issue a press release. He introduced a series of constitutional amendments, as he has done in the past, on issues important to him. And since then, virtually every time he speaks publicly, he speaks about the economy and jobs…which I agree will end up being his winning issue.

Comment by N'ville Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:12 am
Illinos is awash in red ink, high unemployment, schools not educating etc etc and we have a weak willed Dem candidate to boot yet the probable Repub candidate’s first pronouncement is about gay unions. Will the next 8 months of his campaign be nothing more than talking points on gay unions, abortion and gun rights? If so, call off the election and give it to PQ now so he can get to work. These are important issues but not the most pressing. We are so screwed

Comment by hank Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:18 am
Okay…I know this is superficial, but I can’t take it anymore. I watched the debates and have watched too many of these clips to not say anything…perhaps this is my entry to “Unsolicited Advice” a day late.

Dear Bill Brady,
Please stop doing the scary eyes and fake smile. Some of us find your votes, policy positions, proposed Constitutional amendments, and lack of understanding of the budget frightening as it is. Adding in the scary looks is simply terrifying…and it makes you seem a little too coached and disingenuous.

Thanks
Independent Voters of Illinois

Comment by imeanreally Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:23 am
I have researched Brady’s marriage and civil union proposal and however I do not agree with his stance I do agree with the process he is taking. He is giving the illinois voters the chance to vote on whether they want to define marriage between a man and a woman. The wording is how he favors marriage between a man and a woman but he is not forcing his view on people but giving the voters the opportunity to decide. He is making the correct decision in bypassing, proposing a law, then having it argued in the IL supreme court, like in iowa and letting the people of illinois decide without wasting all that money. I do not agree with him but I think the media is pathetic as always in portraying him as some nut who is trying to force his views on people. I have yet to see an article that says he just wants to give the people the chance to vote on it. But then again who can trust the media anymore anyway, they are bought, sold, rode hard and hung up wet more than anyone. I loved how they discovered the scott lee cohen specifics the day after he was elected. However Brady has a great chance to win this election if he focuses on jobs and corruption. Regarding his amendments, once again the media doesn’t say a word about gerrymandering or term limits, not surprising but I doubt the media knows what gerrymandering is so I can’t fault them there. No wonder all the papers are going broke.

Comment by Cook County R Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:23 am
CCR, that law is already on the books.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:30 am
Since today is ash Wednesday I will point out that Senator Brady’s stand on gay marriage goes with his religion he’s a Catholic. Since when is it extremist to follow your religion? It is not extreme to believe that marriage is between a man and a women.
Small town Lib- Health care costs are through the roof haven’t you been paying attention? The word discrimination means someone being treated differently than everyone else. Everyone has the same rights to marry. You guys mean special rights.

Comment by Prolifer Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 12:31 pm
===Since when is it extremist to follow your religion?===

Following your own religion is your right. Forcing everybody else to follow your religion is a far different matter.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 12:36 pm
===Everyone has the same rights to marry.===

Um, really? That one got by me here.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 12:37 pm
Yes
Everyone can marry anyone of the opposite sex. This state is full of Catholics and former Catholics and Born again Christians. Not a big % of Catholics or former Catholics would think that Brady is extream even if they don’t agree.
And how is it forcing if he is putting it to the people of Illinois to decide? Because it will pass? Come on face it not even Calf wants gay marriage, every time it’s on the ballot gay marriage loses. It is not extreme it is a position held by a majority of Americans

Comment by Prolifer Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 12:44 pm
The Tribune editorial board is 100 percent correct about Brady, and he deserved the harsh critique he got. Clearly he did not expect to win the primary otherwise starting out the gate he would’ve came with something much better than he did last week. I recall one of Dillard’s first statements when he announced: “i can beat Pat Quinn”. Dillard was right to say that
because it was/is true. Brady has never said that to my knowledge and his getting off to a bad start suggests that he is less than confident. I don’t know much about Brady’s campaign manager, bt for Brady’s sake i hope the guy is good and has a track record of winning. I hope the guy did not advise brady to push social policy last week. I hope the guy (and yes, I am aware of his name) tried to talk brady out of that last week. if the guy is good, i hope brady listens to the guy because brady seems like the type that a campaign manager of chief of staff has to protect fromm himself.

Comment by Will County Woman Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 12:57 pm
I just sent in my registration to join the Antacid of the Month Club. I hope they send liquids and not tablets. I could use a swig right now. I’ll vote for Brady but that guy is going to wear my tummy out with his hard right positions. I’m disappointed Dillard won’t be able to lead the way but we need - need - new management around here and the greenies are just not viable yet.

Comment by Joe.from Joliet Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 1:39 pm
YDD in all fairness to your gay republicasn uncle and his gay friends… brady is catholic, and as such i can appreciate his uncompromising stances on social issues e.g. gay marriage and abortion. he’s standing on principles based on his religious values. i may not agree with him entirely, but because i am comfortable that he won’t get his way with a democrat-controlled GA, i can overlook a lot of his rhetoric and voting record on social issues.

besides, it’s okay to agree to disagree sometimes, right? i hope your uncle and everyone else for that matter understands the dangers in being a single-issue voter, especially in this instance with brady. the role of the next governor of illinois will be to fix the budget and manage the state: he will be need to be a fiscal steward 100+ perecent of the time. Quinn has signaled repeatedly that budget/fiscal stuff ain’t his bag, baby. so hopefully brady has gotten all of the goofies out and is ready to step up to the plate and fill the void.

what good is gay marriage or civil union or abortion when a state is in total financial ruin?

Comment by Will County Woman Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 1:48 pm
Brady can still turn this thing around if he gets upfront and describes himself and his campaign in terms much like VM suggests. It is true Brady can’t hide behind his public statements from prior to the primary and he shouldn’t. He must, however, immediately start to focus on the issues that most citizens think should be the priorities. The economy, the economy and the economy. Brady must communicate in a unique and novel way who he is and why he can bring the state out of the doldrums. Oft repeated boilerplate GOP polspeak will not suffice. It will hurt rather than help. Brady will get the conservative GOP vote since they won’t vote for PQ no matter what. He must connect with the more moderate GOP and independents. If Brady ends up as the nominee he would be helped if he got the support of the other candidates, especially Dillard and Ryan. I’m not sure McKenna is still in the state at all, let alone worth consulting.

Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 1:53 pm
The McLean County Clerk’s office says there are seven provisional ballots and thirty five absentees to count. They did not give a party breakdown. On Election day Brady received 62.33% and Dillard 13.99% of the McLean County GOP vote.

Comment by WGLT Public Radio Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 2:53 pm
I initially thought it was a bad move by Brady, but now not so much. Consider that he got out front on these issues and now can focus on the economy and the budget. As much as everyone thinks this alienates independents, it does not. If you won’t vote for him because of this, you were not going to vote for him. Don’t forget that in almost every state where the issue of Gay Marriage or Civil Unions was placed before the people it was voted down. Even CA. So the polls will not reflect reality on this issue.

In the end, Brady can always stand by his opinion say this is my opinion on the issue. I felt the best way to decide what is right for Illinois is to let the people decide rather then a closed door negotiation that would involve pork and kickback which have nothing to do with the issue at hand. Like his stance on the issue or not, proposing an open debate and decision by the people is tough to argue against.

Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 3:27 pm
My belief is that these “other issues” that Brady had mentioned will silently fall by the wayside once Brady is acknowledged as our next Illinois governor. Brady had felt compelled (before the election) to “play to the crowds”. He will no longer feel that compulsion once he knows he is governor and these “other issues” (such as same-sex marriages)will quietly disappear like a light-waft of smoke.

Comment by Beowulf Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 3:28 pm
“and as such i can appreciate his uncompromising stances on social issues e.g. gay marriage and abortion”

Fine, Brady doesn’t have to marry a guy or get an abortion.

Comment by Bob Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 5:27 pm
Brady received 17 votes in McLean county’s count today to 6 for Dillard

Comment by RMW Stanford Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 5:40 pm
“But there just aren’t many people downstate.”

If that were true, Brady would not be in the lead.

I continue to enjoy the fact-free attacks on Plummer, especially the crazed attempt to create him a nickname.

Comment by T.J. Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 5:42 pm
The day after the primary Brady was on WGN radio (after being completely ignored by Chicago media), and he began ranting against the “Chicago politicians” who had mucked up state government. Now that sort of talk works south of I-80 but it did not go well in Chicago. To me that shows Brady is not ready for prime time in Illinois as a whole.

He managed to win a six-way primary election by persuading 20 percent of the voters that he was the right man for the job. He has never had to win votes outside of the Chicago-hating portion of the state, but that won’t get him elected in November.

Comment by DuPage Dave Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 5:50 pm
TJ, are they as enjoyable as the fact free claims that he is qualified to lead our state? Or are they as enjoyable as the fact free claims he made on his resume?

It’s public life…he paid over $1 million to get into it, so now he should accept the vetting that goes with the role.

And after all, Thomas Jefferson dealt with his own opposition, so I’m sure Jay-Jay is equally capable of dealing with it.

Comment by imeanreally Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 6:00 pm
dupage dave, i dunno. i actually think brady would be better served to talk about the chicago dems and tie quinn in, than talk about blago/rezko/quinn like he did late last week. mayor daley is very unpopular in chicago. quinn and daley became friendly last year, and now that quinn can no longer claim to be the honest reformer that he once was, it may be good for brady to highlight that. i don’t think all of quinn’s base is aware of just how entrenched he is with the chicago machine.

to me it seems that one of brady’s key arguments is to argue that the state needs check and balance and one way to accomplish/ensure that in the interest of fairnes to all illinoisans is with a GOP at the executive level and the GA controlled by the dems or vice versa. we all know that the GOP is not likely to control the GA anytime soon, so…

Comment by Will County Woman Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 6:38 pm
Brady picked up 2 votes in Saline County Dillard 0

Comment by anon Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 7:13 pm
I think that Brady would make a ok Governor, but I don’t see him getting elected in Illinois, not this time. He can try to move to the center, he can completely re-envent himself, but he can’t run from his record. If he appears to be easing up on some of his social views, his base will stay home on election. If he stays where he’s at, the moderate D’s and the I’s will go with Quinn…along with some of the moderate R’s. It’s just my opinion, but I think that Bill is in the trick-bag….deep.

Comment by Bob Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 7:25 pm
Dillards gains down state {the part of Ill. all seem to discount it seems}will be minimal at best. Outside of Chicagoland Dillard won only 4 counties & then marginally. What stenghth he may have had has evaporated with Chicago & the ‘burbs in. As to Brady, he’s got about 9 months to hone a message & plenty to run against given the bungling of the Dems the past 8 yrs.

Comment by downstater Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 7:49 pm
TJ -

“Jay-Jay” will be “Jay-Jay” …

Fact-Free?

No job besides internships and Daddy’s Resume Builder 2.0 titles …

“Jay-Jay” wants to match his experience up against anyone? “Jay-Jay” was never an officer with Celebry

===Chicago Tribune - “I’ve driven trucks, I’ve stacked lumber, I’ve worked sales, I’ve worked the development side,” Plummer told the Tribune Friday. “I know hard work, and I had to buy my car…”

I HAD TO BUY MY CAR …. Have Mercy!

===Chicago Tribune - Plummer frequently mentioned that among his experience and leadership traits was his status as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserves. What he didn’t stress, however, is that his commission as an ensign came only on Sept. 11, three days after announcing plans to run for office, Navy records show.===

Who is Fact-Free … “Jay-Jay” or … THE United States Navy?????

I guess… that is “Jay-Jay” being “Jay-Jay”

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 8:26 pm
Bob-

Please don’t take what i wrote out of context to suit your twisted purposes. Brady would be wise to use the standing on religious principle bit, and say something to the effect that his religion is a part of him, as a way to shield himself from probable/inevitable quinn social policy lines of attack. Brady’s views there are consistent with being a “good catholic” Quinn’s are not. Then Brady needs to quickly move the discuission away from social policy and not get mirred down by quinn’s attempts to stay there.

Comment by Will County Woman Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 8:45 pm
“what good is gay marriage or civil union or abortion when a state is in total financial ruin?”
True, but also imagine yourself in that same world that says “you can’t marry”…

Comment by James Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 9:37 pm