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*** UPDATE *** McKenna’s out if Kirk is in…
Statement from ILGOP Chairman Andy McKenna
“As Party Chairman my goal has been to build Party unity. Mark Kirk and I met last evening as part of an ongoing discussion about the U. S. Senate race. I reassured Mark that if he chooses to be a candidate, I will not oppose him.”
[*** End of Update ***]
* You’ve probably heard the story by now. While I was driving to Chicago on Friday, the Washington Post broke the news that Mark Kirk wouldn’t run for US Senate. Apparently, Kirk was calling around to say he was out of the race…
[The calls] followed a meeting of the Illinois Republican congressional delegation on Thursday in which his colleagues refused to back Kirk in a primary against Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna due, in large part, to his vote in favor of President Barack Obama’s climate change bill.
* That story was only about a third true. For instance, the cap and trade claim was way overblown…
A source close to the delegation said that Members were taking the weekend to decide whom to support, with the exception of Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), who told a local newspaper Friday morning that she is behind Kirk.
“The Illinois delegation is still thinking about it,” the source said. “I don’t think anyone has made a decision to remain neutral. I think everyone’s made a decision to take the weekend to decide.”
if McKenna got out…
After much ‘Will he? Or won’t he?’ speculation this afternoon about GOP Rep. Mark Kirk’s desire to run for Senate in IL, Kirk said in an email to The Hotline that he was “still talking to Andy. We are trying to avoid a primary.”
The “Andy” he references is IL GOP Chair Andy McKenna, who has made serious signals in recent days of his intention to run. When asked if this means that he may ultimately forgo a run, Kirk replied: “I will run if Andy does not.”
This late Friday update is from the person who brought us the story in the first place…
Sources close to McKenna insist he will not blink and that he is in the race to stay. If McKenna can’t be talked out of the race, then Kirk will be out (again) — although there is not likely to be any resolution until Monday at the earliest, according to those close to the situation.
I cannot believe that McKenna stays in this thing for many, many reasons. For instance, he was made the state party chairman precisely because he had no electoral prospects after finishing a miserable fourth in a US Senate primary.
Even so, the fact that Kirk’s campaign roll-out has been so poorly managed suggests that his team and his own skill set will need a major upgrade if he does ultimately pull the trigger on a SEN race.
* Speaking of campaign skills, a conservative blogger claims that Kirk said this during a weekend town hall meeting in his district…
Kirk did insert the news flash that American obesity is the result of our gluttonous English and German heritage.
What?
* Meanwhile, GOP gubernatorial hopeful Sen. Kirk Dillard explains his “I look forward to having Lisa Madigan as attorney general when I’m the governor” quote…
Dillard said reporters started asking questions right after his speech, “with rock music blasting, people high-fiving me,” when he was asked about Madigan.
“I answered the question believing that it was if, and I underline if, Lisa Madigan were re-elected, whether I could work with her,” Dillard said.
He said he assumed the questioner knew he was for Birkett.
I’m not sure the quote matches up with the explanation, but whatever.
* Very bad timing for Giannoulias…
Broadway Bank is trying to recoup $12.9 million from two Chicago crime figures, rekindling a controversy as the bank’s former chief loan officer, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, gears up to run for the U.S. Senate.
In recently filed foreclosure suits, the Giannoulias family-owned North Side bank alleges loan defaults by four companies whose owners include two convicted Chicago bookmakers — one also convicted of promoting a nationwide prostitution ring. The loans are on a hodgepodge of properties, including a South Beach hotel and a South Side shopping center that has lost its grocery anchor. The defendants include 1201 South Western LLC, a Berwyn-based company whose activities include making short-term real estate loans at interest rates of 1% a week, property records show.
Questions about Mr. Giannoulias’ role in the loans surfaced in 2006, when he overcame concerns about his youth and inexperience to be elected treasurer. He defended the loans as sound business decisions, a claim undermined by the foreclosures.
Now, at age 33, he could face similar questions, particularly if there are more disclosures about the relationship between the convicted felons and Broadway.
* More campaign updates…
* County chairman race gets more crowded: Sen. Dan Cronin, R-21st, is hoping to transition from his role as a state legislator to DuPage County Board chairman.
* Burris Supporter Jumping in Senate Race: Anthony Williams is pastor at the Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in south suburban Robbins. He says he supported Burris because of his long history of public service.
* Brad Cole officially announces lieutenant governor run
* Nobody can take Senate title away from Burris
* Better late than never for Burris
* Illinois Republicans Not Surprised To See Burris Decide Against Run in 2010
* Burris decision raises questions of politics and race moving forward
* So many races, so many choices to make
* Rutherford to announce treasurer bid
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:16 am
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Can we please find anyone else who wants to run for Senate? It’s a 6 year term, you get to be called ‘Senator’ you have a staff and an office and apparently a nice pension.
Joe Birkett? Any of the Gubernatorial candidates? Anyone other than 4th Place Andy or Cap’n Trade Kirk?
Being a Senator is really a nice gig (just ask Roland Burris) someone else please run…
Comment by Bakersfield Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:24 am
You have to wonder how badly Kirk wants the Senate if he can be bluffed out by McKenna. I suspect contributors are taking note.
I give McKenna credit for sizing up his opponent.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:27 am
Ole Cap’n Kirk has infuriated me in the last month or so. Although I am upset about the climate bill vote, going back and forth between running is the worst. I will say the same thing I said about Blago (yeah, I can’t believe I am making this comparison), he is mentally unstable. Kirk, run or don’t. Just stop looking nutty.
Comment by Heartless Libertarian Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:33 am
Mckenna just posted on twitter that he’s out of the senate bid.
http://twitter.com/andy_mckenna
lisa madigan spent how many months pondering her optionns with potential reprucussions for the state budget and people give kirk heat for a weekend of contemplation? give me a break.
Kirk is a brilliant guy who is well read and highly educated. This leads to comments that document contemporary research and other facts he learns in his reading.
For housekeeping purposes, I propose your next intern start a list of reccomended Illinois twitterers to follow, i.e. mckenna, kirk, alexi, clizza at the post, kraushaar at politico so that you stay on top of the illinois political game.
Comment by shore Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:37 am
Andy McKenna should definitely run for senate. Every Republican deserves the opportunity to vote AGAINST this selfish goof, a guy whose awful leadership over 4-plus years as state chairman will pretty much guarantee another IL GOP disaster in 2010. This will be number three under Andy’s watch.
Also, since McKenna still opposes SB600, it will be nice for Republicans to take advantage of the voting opportunities they do have in order to send this failure back to the family’s paper mill.
Run Andy run!!
Comment by just sayin Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:42 am
Good lord, I agree with every comment here so far (except Shore)- boy does that make me crazy.
Shore, while Lisa was weighing her run, couldn’t Mark have been doing the same thing?
And again, he’s getting run off by Andy McKenna??? IT’S ANDY MCKENNA!!!! The guy finished 4th to a target of a whisper campaign, a guy no one liked, and someone with no cash.
Just make the decision today, McKenna said he’s out if Kirk’s in. If this lasts another 24 hours then he is the biggest chicken in current American politics.
Comment by Bakersfield Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:50 am
shore you can find a really good assortment of twitter feeds in a box down the right hand side at this link.
Comment by Scooby Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:50 am
I think Kirk was definately caught by surprise when McKenna didn’t fold his tent earlier. Kirk seems to want to let Andy get out with what little dignity he has left. This is such an utter betrayal by McKenna and his handlers (who were once Kirk loyalists too) that he was thrown off balance.
That being said, Kirk has to right the ship and get moving fast. He needs to get out and start campaigning like he means it. He hasn’t exactly taken the state by storm yet.
If he can get his house in order, Kirk will be the man to beat. (That remains a big “if.”)
Comment by Abe Froman Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 11:51 am
I think the Kirk-McKenna thing is a ruse to get the RSCC to commit big money to the race on behalf of Kirk. And I don’t think it is working very well either.
Andy McKenna is a nice guy but doesn’t have a chance. All he has is a (questionable) ability to self-finance, which is the primary criteria for the RSCC. It is the only thing that distinguishes McKenna from Kirk.
Kirk needs major millions from the national party to give up his safe House seat. McKenna is playing along to convince the DC crowd to pony up. Kirk doesn’t have much street cred with the national GOP establishment, especially Cornyn, so this expect the hang-wringing to continue for at least a little while. My guess is that the RSCC passes on IL and sends its money elsewhere to play defense.
It boils down to this false choice: a self-funding loser or invest millions in the only GOP candidate who might win. I’m guessing the money men at the RNC don’t think they have much of a chance in IL in 2010. My bet is they pass on the Senate and so will Kirk. And McKenna won’t even make it out of the primary.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:24 pm
Kirk has not announced one way or another what he is going to do. On Friday, WaPo breathlessly announced his stunning decision to get out of a race he hasn’t even entered yet and then had to back the story up. It’s fascinating, Kirk clears the first “circular firing squad” hurdle and looks like he’ll get a relatively clean primary.
But the whole will he/won’t he thing is inside baseball - most voters will get the story when he makes an official announcement.
Comment by 10th Indy Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:38 pm
Perhaps Kirk and McKenna can claim that they have handled this poorly because they were distracted “with rock music blasting, people high-fiving (them)”. Could become the universal answer for poor political decisions.
Comment by Mitch C Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:45 pm
Geez, neither Kirk nor McKenna is at all desirable. Where’s the REAL CONSERVATIVE in the race?
Comment by Segatari Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:54 pm
Brad Cole? Brad Cole? Brad Cole? Riiiiiggghhhttttttttt!
Comment by Deep South Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:10 pm
47th clearly knows nothing about National Republican politics. Conservatives that want to take a pass on kirk are repeating the mistake of snobbish liberal democrats that waited 6 years to realize the way to stop bush was to elect moderate democrats who would agree with them on some stuff.
http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.co
m/2009/07/2010-senate-ratings.html
1. The GOP is at 40 senators right now down from 56 in 2006. There are several GOP retirements next year in states the gop lost or barely won (NH,FLA,OHIO,Missouri) and vulnerable gop incumbents in kentucky and north carolina polling sub 40 percent.
2. The GOP has very few seats to take. the best shots right now are both democrat heavyweights in blue states, nevada, and connecticut. This is the GOP’s best shot to take a seat next year.
3. The NRSC typically invests in 10 seats per cycle and spends around 50-80 million. Thats about 5 million a seat give or take. Plus the RNC wont have a POTUS race to fund next year and seeing as how we won’t be taking the white house or house of representatives, this is the best shot to stop obama.
4. Kirk doesn’t have a safe seat.
Comment by shore Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:19 pm
“Geez, neither Kirk nor McKenna is at all desirable. Where’s the REAL CONSERVATIVE in the race?”
Andy Martin?
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:19 pm
===lisa madigan spent how many months pondering her optionns with potential reprucussions for the state budget and people give kirk heat for a weekend of contemplation? give me a break.===
Shore, that’s at best disingenuous, and at worst patently false. Just like Kirk, LM never formally announced she was running for anything. Are you claiming that Kirk was only contemplating a run for the Senate over the past several days? And, as has been commented here ad nauseum, Kirk’s entry into the field was contingent on both LM and McKenna not running. Not exactly the paragon of virtue and courage, even for a politician.
I appreciate you supporting your guy, but it’s difficult to take you seriously when you make statements like the one above.
Comment by The Doc Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:29 pm
Well, it is pretty clear why Kirk and McKenna were both angling so hard for the GOP Senate nomination. Alexi is a walking, talking nightmare. No wonder the Dem Senate committee fought so hard for Lisa Madigan. Alexi is an absolute trainwreck.
Comment by Libertyville Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:41 pm
I’m glad that this all finally hopefully resolved, and that mark kirk is running. he will win. I just wish lisa madigan had not wasted everyone’s time.
Comment by Will County Woman Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:47 pm
===47th clearly knows nothing about National Republican politics===
No argument there Shore, and I’ll even take that as a compliment. So when is your guy going to announce? Is he waiting for Dr. Wallace and Andy Martin to bow out first? What will his next excuse be?
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:53 pm
What will happen first: A Kirk decision or a Cubs sale?
Comment by Bakersfield Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 2:47 pm
Louis, a real conservative, Dr. Eric Wallace, announced his U.S. Senate campaign, in June. Please read his site, www.wallaceforillinois.com.
Comment by Conservative Veteran Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 2:57 pm
47th Ward, “Kirk doesn’t have much street cred with the national GOP establishment, especially Cornyn”
47th, Cornyn hyped him a few months ago as being one of the best possible candidates for the GOP in Illinois. It drove the right-wing nuts at the time. Politically Cornyn is certainly to the right of Kirk, but that doesn’t blind him to local demographics.
–
10th Indy, “On Friday, WaPo breathlessly announced his stunning decision to get out of a race he hasn’t even entered yet and then had to back the story up.”
10th, According to Rich in his post it was Kirk himself that got on the phone to relay that news to WaPo.
Why he didn’t get a staffer to do it is unclear.
Why he went full bore “I’m out” only to walk that back himself a bit later is even more unclear.
Comment by Rob_N Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 3:14 pm
I would put one thought forward on the whole Kirk fracas: it’s only mid-July.
Comment by Bubs Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 3:18 pm
I’m getting a kick out of those attacking Kirk’s vote be ause they probably never read the bill, just know what it is based on what they saw on Fox news oe heard on Rush’s show. Hilarious.
Comment by Franklin Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 3:20 pm
I’m sure Kirk is still busy reading that cap and trade bill. He’ll hopefully have time to ponder this campaign thing when he’s done. Geez what a boob!
Comment by The Southern Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 3:28 pm
Rob_N,
I think we agree. My point about street cred was meant to suggest that while Kirk is the best possible candidate Cornyn can get in Illinois, the RSCC ain’t going to go all-in for him. I think Kirk is seeking a multi-million dollar commitment from the nationals, and I don’t see it coming for him.
Cornyn would be pleased as punch for Kirk to get in. He just isn’t going to write any blank checks to make it happen. If that changes, Kirk will announce. If that doesn’t change, McKenna has agreed to be the sacreficial lamb in the primary and the betting line changes on Eric Wallace.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 3:34 pm
Rob -
Don’t think Rich says that Kirk called WaPo. WaPo update says Kirk called “several national republicans” to say he would not run (if Andy was in?) that info could have come from sources other than Kirk. WaPo later references a Kirk e-mail to Hotline saying he was “still talking to Andy. We are trying to avoid a primary.”
Sounds to me like a lot of moving parts and a lot of maneuvering and stuff getting to the press from multiple sources. While certainly not ideal for team Kirk it’s not a monumental meltdown. He’ll go “full-bore” when he announces.
Comment by 10th Indy Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 3:50 pm
The NRSC will be thrilled to have Kirk if he can win, just as the DSCC was thrilled to have Ken Salazar or Jim Webb (who, at the time, seemed like a conservative choice) or whoever. It’s a GOP vote against cloture. And predictions this far out are pretty worthless, but given that Kirk has proven he can win Chicagoland, home turf of the opposition party (yes, even in northern Cook and Lake County), he will at least have a sporting chance to win.
Comment by Ramsin Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 4:15 pm
Cap’n'Trade Kirk first has to win the primary. Of course Dem attack videos like the one here helps Kirk win primary.
https://capitolfax.com/2009/07/09/the-crystal-ball-sez/
Comment by Ela Observer Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 4:38 pm
I would say that Kirk’s WaPo maneuvering, to the extent it actually went on, was his way of telling the Illinois GOP Congressional delegation something like:
“Fine, if you want Andy, whose election record consists of coming in 4th in a GOP primary, as opposed to me, who has won election and multiple re-election in what is now a Democratic leaning district, despite the very substantial efforts of the Democrats with a good candidate (whom I have now beaten twice), and who survived the Obama Avalanche of ‘08 in a borderline district that went Obama . . . be my guest.”
They got the message.
Comment by Bubs Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 5:03 pm
47th, A-ha. All is clear now.
–
Ramsin, Lake County is at best purple with a pretty even mix of GOP and Dem county officials and state legislators.
Even the NW Cook portion of the 10th District is very purple with Dems just starting to break the GOP’s lock on state legislative seats on some portions.
In fact, Rich and others have pointed the 10th is full of “proud ticket-splitters” (I think that was Rich’s phrase before the election last year). The area may have voted for Obama but despite strong challenges the area also returned Kirk and other GOP incumbents to office.
All in all, facts on the ground indicate the north and northwest suburbs aren’t exactly “home turf of the opposition party” despite your claim.
Comment by Rob_N Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 5:27 pm
The business community is awful mad at Kirk, 1.1 mill is a fine number to run if you were to run for treasurer; but a statewide Senate run and you have to convince your base your not a far left lib??? Seems to me unless Kirk was planning to say he was wrong and do a huge MIA-culpa on his cap and trade vote he is now all alone at home. The Republicans in the Senate could help fund him but it would have to be the rest 6 or 7 million. Kirk will need the million to reach out to the GOP without primary opposition, if someone conservative gets in he will have trouble. He has burned every bridge to the right that there is even his going against Bush and the surge. This will not be a gimme.
Comment by votecounter Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 6:09 pm
Interesting.
North Woods just published two 2004 Jack Ryan for US Senate ads on youtube that haven’t been around for a very long time.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 09 @ 12:32 am
[…] Kirk denied the report, and this week we find out via a statement from McKenna that he’ll stay out of the race if Kirk wants in. Well, apparently, Kirk does. […]
Pingback by Mark Kirk will run for Senate after all at The Civic Report Wednesday, Jul 15, 09 @ 4:32 pm