Posted on 02/18/2010 7:52:35 AM PST by Maelstorm
So far, it's just talk — and there's good reason to think it never will amount to more than that.
But some conservative Republicans indeed are chattering about the possibility of fielding a hard-right champion to run this fall as an independent or third-party candidate for the U.S. Senate against Republican nominee Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias.
Fueling the talk is the fact that Mr. Kirk, a North Shore congressman who is considered a political moderate, got only about 56% of the vote in last week's GOP primary despite very strong backing from the Republican establishment.
Given that, "Mark Kirk would be very wise to listen to what some of the conservatives have to say," says Family-PAC's Paul Caprio, whose group has very strong feelings about the abortion issue.
"There are a lot of people who fear Mark could become another Arlen Specter," adds Mr. Caprio, referring to the Pennsylvania senator who recently left the GOP to become a Democrat.
But another top conservative activist, former gubernatorial hopeful Dan Proft, says the talk thus far is "nothing I take seriously. A lot of folks with grand visions and no plan. . . .I don't see anything credible on the horizon, at least not yet."
Indeed, no champion yet has emerged, though some say Matteson physician Eric Wallace, who considered running for the Senate last fall and still has a campaign Web site, or the Constitution Party's Randall Stufflebeam might do it.
Meanwhile, the Kirk campaign appears to be taking nothing for granted.
The congressman met right after the election with businessman Patrick Hughes and others who ran against him in the primary. Further, as yet unspecified outreach efforts reportedly are on the way.
Bottom line, the big conservative groups with the big money stayed out of the primary, and there's no sign they'd rather Mr. Giannoulias win. National Republicans say they're not concerned.
But any third candidate could create real problems for Mr. Kirk in this predominantly Democratic state. Team Kirk will need to be careful, because the situation could change, and definitely is worth watching.
I don’ care if Kirk is a “moderate” or not. He won the nomination fair and square. NO THIRD PARTIES. Period. This is a stupid idea.
A 3rd party run will hand the seat to the Greek thug.
Kirk will give us a seat in a very blue state and vote with us 60% plus of the time.
Resko’s guy will keep the Dems in power and vote with us 0% of the time.
The time to beat the RINO is in the primary. Get over it.
‘moderate’ is a term used by squirrels because they are correctly afraid to use the real one.
In no way would a conservative third-party candidate have even the remotest chance of winning. Hughes lost badly in the primary. Yes, Kirk is a turd for having voted for cap and tax, but he’s strong on immigration issues. Launching a third-party effort there when the GOP has a chance of landing that seat automatically hands it to the dem, who will march 100% to 0bama’s drum. At this point the third-party idea is a stupid one.
To accomplish nothing but hand the seat to the dem. Bad idea.
“I don’ care if Kirk is a “moderate” or not. He won the nomination fair and square. NO THIRD PARTIES. Period. This is a stupid idea.”
Agreed. he won the primary fair and square. this was not a back room deal it was not an appointment he won a primary election
now i hope he wins the general election
a rightward third party candidate will keep the seat for the Dems period
Damn right. I can’t stand moderates.
But they do vote against the Dem for majority leader. He won fair and square. Time to back the GOP. That’s what primaries are for. Now, it’s time to whip the Dems!
Good.
Kirk will give us a seat in a very blue state and vote with us 60% plus of the time.
He will not. Kirk is pro-abortion - even for partial-birth abortion. He is pro-cap and trade, and he supports amnesty and big spending. No thanks.
Resko’s guy will keep the Dems in power and vote with us 0% of the time
I would honestly have the Dem win rather than Kirk.
The time to beat the RINO is in the primary. Get over it.
There wasn't enough time. Dems rigged the IL primary for Zero when he ran for President to the 1st week of February. With all the attention paid to Hoffman and then to Brown, not to mention Christmas and New Year's, how the Hell can a conservative candidate mobilize in time?
Mark Kirk: the Return of Lincoln Chaffee! LOL!
Hopefully Kirk will keep his word and organize with the GOP, but I fear I see a Jumpin’ Jim Jeffords and a Slip-Sliding Spector on the horizon.
Expect him to vote with the Dems 80% of the time....in a good year.
Why don't you examine Kirk's socialist voting record and get back to me.
I supposed you criticized Hoffman for handing NY-23 to the Rat right.
If Kirk wins, he’s going to screw the Republicans over royally. If the GOP wins back the WH in 2012, he’s going to be the liberal media and Dems go-to guy for stopping GOP legislation. Mark my words...
(I agree. This is an “R” pickup right now. Running a third party candidate turns it back to “D”. Illinois is a “Blue” State and for an “R” to win it will have to be a flat out decision between the two parties.
Hughes lost because there were too many conservatives running alongside him. Also Kirk ran in the primary like a coward and refused to participate in any debates. Also I don’t believe a real conservative can’t win in Illinois. The problem in Illinois is lack of organization and conviction. Kirk will probably lose to the Democrat simply because he isn’t much different. If I were the Democrat I’d run ads focusing on Kirk’s record as a liberal. There were individuals like Peter Roskam who would’ve made a much better candidate given the current environment. Instead we get two liberals to choose from. That isn’t a choice and we don’t need Kirk in the Senate muddying the waters.
Yes he won the nomination "fair and square" in your eyes but it wasn't fair. There was no time for conservatives to mobilize against him in the primary and the gutless IL GOP did nothing to change the rules back when the Dems rigged it for Obama.
NY23 was totally different. You know that. I don’t like Kirk’s record as much as the next conservative, but he did win the primary by a big margin. The voters in Illinois have spoken.
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