Posted on 06/24/2004 8:35:03 AM PDT by Condor51
WASHINGTON—-Beleaguered Senate Republican candidate Jack Ryan is considering quitting the race in the uproar touched off by the release of his divorce records, a Republican source told the Chicago Sun- Times on Thursday.
"He’s reassessing," the source said. Ryan canceled a trip to Washington today where he had planned to appear with Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) and attend a fund raiser headlined by Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), the chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Another fund raiser that had been set for this morning with House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) was also canceled when Hastert had a meeting at the White House. That cancellation contributed to the perception that the Ryan campaign was facing opposition from one of the top political leaders in the state.
The source said that Ryan was particularly concerned that the "tabloids are going after" Jeri Lynn Ryan, his former wife who alleged that Ryan brought her to sex clubs when they were married. Jeri Ryan is a television actress known for her roles on "Star Trek" and "Boston Public."
The couple found that it was "not helpful" to refight old fights, the source said.
Fitzgerald, who is leaving office after one term, and often has been at odds with the state’s GOP leaders, had been encouraging Ryan to stay in the race. The event scheduled for this morning was designed to show support for Ryan, who on Wednesday vowed to stay in the race against Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
Ryan has a fundraiser scheduled for Lincoln Park tonight. It is not know the status of that event. "Everything is on hold" in the campaign while Ryan decides his future, the source told the Sun-Times.
Jeri Ryan said Wednesday she stands by allegations she made in their 1999 divorce that Jack Ryan insisted she go to sex clubs during their marriage and asked her to have sex with him while others watched. However, she supports her ex-husband’s candidacy.
In Pike County in western Illinois, GOP County Chairman John Birch rescinded his invitation for a Ryan campaign representative to appear alongside local candidates at this weekend’s county fair and ordered no Ryan signs to be posted.
“We felt it might hurt the other candidates running,” Birch said.
A top GOP leader on Wednesday noted the pressure on Ryan to drop out.
“I’m amazed at how huge this is--Jay Leno, Katie Couric, ‘Entertainment Tonight.’ Somebody told me it was front page in Brisbane, Australia. It is insane, absolutely insane,’’ that source said.
Oh and thanks for nothing you arrogant jerk-weed!
Nothing 'embarrassing' in your divorce files, huh? And what Jack, did you go to school with Klintoon - it all depends on the meaning of 'embarrassing'!
The state's RINO leaders are backing Barack Obama. Now that Ryan's sidelined, they can all support whom they really want to see in Washington. Peter Fitzgerald, who is retiring, was too conservative for their liking.
Only the Illinois GOP could elect a county chairman named "John Birch"
The judgement of anyone who, having married Jeri Lynn Ryan, behaved in such a manner to give her reasonable grounds to leave him, is inherently in question.
There is ONE way the GOP can use this to their benefit..."let's see...Ryan's divorce records can be released, but Teresa's tax returns can't?"..if proiperly positioned...it could resonate..
A candidate who lied to party leaders and whose only regret is being caught with his pants down after the files became public, is both too dumb and unfit to serve in the U.S Senate.
Well if we're judging what is "unfit to serve"... wanting the office is a disqualifying in itself ;)
I know what you're getting at and the truth is, a sex scandal only helps Democrats. But we don't want a Clinton clone in our party.
Ahhhhh
Never mess with Borg collective JACK
Rauschenberger may not have won against Obama, but his nomination would have signalled a departure from the "Ryan" curse... (what's with that name?)
I'm just kidding around... this kind of stuff is so mind-boggling, in the "how could he possibly do that?" sense, that I can't help but ridicule. On the serious side, Ryan needs to be drummed out of the GOP promptly. We, unlike the Democrats, cannot tolerate liars and keep together the coalition.
George and Jack Ryan are no relations but they'll be remembered for doing to the Illinois GOP what the Democrats could never do; deep-six it from power for a generation. Illinois is a Democratic stronghold.
Regards, Ivan
Tell me again why I am still living in this state?!
Bill in Morton
That's putting it mildly, they hate his guts.
He was a hero for knocking out Carol Mosely Braun. I won't forget that triumph.
Regards, Ivan
I think it was probably Fitzgerald's personal decision that he not run -- I suspect that he also knew that he could not win again because IL is so Democrat in political orientation.
As I recall, Fitzgerald's approval rating was like 35% with his re-elect number around the same.
I think the leadership would quickly rally behind ex-governor Edgar. He can win and give many people a reason not to vote for Barak Obama. Obama will be a huge mistake if elected just like Braun was.
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