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Illinois

Which Republican(s) will run for secretary of state?

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 2:28 am

Comments

What about Tom Cross? Is he going to stick it out in the legislature as a minority party leader forever? I’m a Dem who would vote for him in a minute.

Comment by GooGoo Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 7:02 am
Unless they catch Jesse in some compromising position or entangled in some political scandal, it won’t matter who runs against him.

As an incumbent, you don’t “lose” the Secretary of State’s office: you retire, you get indicted or you die mid-term.

However, someone from the GOP will have to fall on the sword just to keep J.W. busy.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 7:31 am
Tom Cross is ethically challenged himself. He could never beat White anyways. By the way, his law firm represents many municipalities in Cross’s district - Oswego, Aurora, etc. His mentor and former boss, Dallas Ingemunson, is a huge opportunist who does nothing while earning 120k a year representing the Fox Water Reclamation District while subcontracting the work. I’m afraid of Cross running the SOS or anything. It will be GOP cronyism big time. Is it right for state reps to have the cities in their district as their law clients ? isn’t that a conflict of interest ?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 8:02 am
How about Colin Powell? He did the job on a national basis. Maybe he could bunk in with Keyes to save some coin

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 8:08 am
I hope you won’t consider it rude for me to plug Blogging Blagojevich’s Blunders.

There’s a thread with two polls for the governor’s race: one Dem, one GOP.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 8:17 am
The Republican “best foot forward” ticket might look something like:

Gov–LaHood
LtGov–Poe
AG–Jim Ryan
SoS–Rutherford
Comp–Rauschenberger
Treas–Topinka

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 8:23 am
I object to the attacks on Tom Cross and Dallas Ingemunson. Why is it that some folks can’t play nice. The question was who do you think the Republicans will run for S.O.S. You belong on the Illinois Leader forum where all anyone does is criticize everyone else. I doubt Cross would run for S.O.S., what about Lauzen or Rauschenburger?

Comment by Leigh Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 9:19 am
Chris Lauzen or maybe Dan Cronin?
He can’t possibly win Hyde’s seat when Henry retires. Pankau and Roskam will be the race. If Cronin runs he’ll split the male vote and ala Mosley-Brown—Pankau wins! Cronin’s ego is toooo huge to stay as state senator. He needs to feed ‘it’.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 10:40 am
Rutherford’s looking hard at SoS. Maybe figures downstate votes plus his money ties in Chicago let him beat a juggernaut. Easier to take on Blago than JW

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 11:56 am
Seems the name you hear most often mentioned is Rutherford. But no matter who it is, I dont see anyone beating Jesse White.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 11:58 am
Jesse White is one of the most highly respected politicians and SOS’s ever. I believe the office is his as long as he wants it. By the way Clarence Rutherford has more name recognition than whoever the other Ruthford is ,I’m sorry.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 12:19 pm
Everyone keeps saying Manny Flores is looking to run in the primary.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 12:21 pm
Joe Birkett should run.

Then he can issue commemmorative plates that say “Domestic Violence burns me up!”

-Hal Burton

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 12:27 pm
I think Rutherford is too ambitious to take on Jesse. It’s a tough race and Rutherford is a pretty smart guy–he might have a theoretical way to take the guy on, but in a race where the other guy has his name in everyone’s pocket or purse, everything has to go just right and that is a hope, not a plan.

He did want to go after the SoS because he sees it as the gateway to the Mansion, but that was if it was open. With Jesse there, it’s a very tough race.

The problem is there aren’t open offices.

Hynes is a nearly impossible target as Comptroller. Madigan has done far better than most thought and has shown independence from her father–her biggest weakness in a race. Lt. Gov-your fate is at the hands of the top of the ticket in the general and you don’t know who that is until the primary is over. Treasurer–what does Topinka do? It may be the only open office. White, a black man, won every county last time as SoS. How do you beat that?

Every ambitious Republican politician has to look at the Governor’s race and the Treasurer’s race as their ‘big shot.’ Someone like Poe is a good Lt. Gov candidate because if it goes bad, he gets better name recognition, a statewide network and a leg up next cycle.

But if everyone is looking at those two races and Lt. Gov for the next tier, those are going to be some crowded and nasty primaries.

And it leaves the Comptroller and SoS race open for a movement conservative who can be very angry, and very far behind. Madigan probably attracts a mediocre social conservative who runs slightly better, but really adds more heat than light.

Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 12:36 pm
mike boland!

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 1:00 pm
Arch, you’re right if the GOP is operating as a bunch of individuals.

But maybe Topinka will provide enough leadership to make them function as a team.

If the GOP can settle on LaHood early then they can put their other strong candidates in supporting roles.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 1:20 pm
After electing one disastrous congressman to the state’s highest office, why should voters continue bringing that god-awful Washington, DC game to Illinois by backing LaHood? Let’s get DC out of Springfield.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 1:47 pm
“After electing one disastrous congressman to the state’s highest office, why should voters continue bringing that god-awful Washington, DC game to Illinois by backing LaHood? Let’s get DC out of Springfield.”

Right. Because the last guy we elected who wasn’t from DC did such a good job too.

Comment by IlliniPundit Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 1:51 pm
Such anger toward Tom Cross and Dallas Ingemunson? You might want to check your facts before calling Cross “ethically” challenged. Last I checked, being an “opportunist” isn’t against the law??

Comment by Lance Stevens Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 3:49 pm
Not to quibble over semantics, but it is possible to behave unethically and not violate the law.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 3:52 pm
semantics?? get your facts straight before you anonymously slam a dedicated, ethical, State Representative.

Comment by Lance Stevens Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 4:02 pm
Tom Cross is not being ethical in my humble opinion. He is the minority leader and should adhere to a higher standard than even the rank and file. Representing municipalities in his private law practice that are IN his district reflects a very cynical CASHING IN mentality that we need to end in Illinois. How many Democrats or other state reps represent CITIES that are IN their legislative districts in their private practice ? So is Cross a paid lobbyist for the cities in his district ? I thought he was elected to represent them in Springfield as a public official ? It seems he is both. Do Cities in his district feel compelled to hire his firm so they get their fair share of Springfield dollars ? I bet they do. I’m confused. Don’t you think the minority leader should set an example, especially given the culture of corruption that has existed recently in the GOP with George Ryan, etc. ?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 4:16 pm
Is Madigan’s law firm still doing property tax appeals?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 4:59 pm
Gee, are Tom Cross staffers using state time to post…

Honestly, I wouldn’t care if they were — but inane commentary might as well be consistent.

-Hal

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 5:18 pm
Hmm…most if not all of the “citizen legislators” have outside occupations which sometimes intertwine with the interests of the state or counties or municipalities. I don’t think we want to triple our representatives’ pay and bar them from any outside interests for their legislative term.

I could see a conflict of interest where a legislator’s law firm was representing an entity in an area where the legislator could also use their clout to advance legislation or give breaks to a client. I also do not think legislators can or should represent the state as an attorney. However, I do not see anything wrong with a legislator attorney, CPA, whatever, representing a municipality or county in routine, non-controversial matters where there is no political or regulatory advantage being sought or gained.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 7:17 pm
I didn’t know this about Cross’s law firm representing the cities as clients in his district. That seems kinda shady and like a conflict to me considering he’s the minority leader. there are plenty of possible part time jobs for cross, like real estate closings maybe ? don’t you think those cities feel compelled to hire his firm since he is the one who brings home the legislative bacon ? That part about it seems kinda dirty.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 8:49 pm
I think it is worth noting that to represent someone in a law firm is completely different than a lobbying/political consulting firm. Besides, I highly doubt that Cross (who it is worth mentioning is probably one of many partners) spends a lot of time at the law firm.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 8:57 pm
Rich, how did you let this get so out of hand? The question was simple. It had nothing to do with Cross’s ethics. These people need to get a life or take their dispute over to Toms blog. Don’t waste our time.

Now, George Ryan for Secretary of State. This will be the perfect irony — he will be able to make the lisence plates that he used to sell for the rest of his pathetic life. GO GEORGE.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 10:53 pm
I figured both sides were holding their own fairly well. No need to intervene.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 11:00 pm
I can’t understand why so many people like LaHood. He may well be a good person and well meaning potential candidate but he comes across as another boring old white guy.Whatever you think of the guv, he does not come across as old or boring. The Repubs need to run somebody for guv who can stay vivid in voters’ minds when they are in the poll booth. This is not
LaHood. It’s probably not Gidwitz.
It’s definitely not Rauschenberger.
Perhaps someone could beg Fitzgerald to run. He actually would have a chance against Blago.
Even Tom Cross perhaps. He’s at least no MORE corrupt than the guv.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 8, 05 @ 1:42 am
how could such a gem like the george ryan for SoS statement go without response? You people have no sense of humor. But seriously, he will be able to make some lisence plates.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 8, 05 @ 9:09 pm