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Posted on 10/28/2002 5:36:29 PM PST by SheLion

SPRINGFIELD - Libertarian Cal Skinner is taking an unusual route in trying to turn the state's political system on its ear by winning the race for governor.

He's courting the smoking vote.

"That's 26 percent of the vote - smokers," said Skinner, 60, of Lakewood. "I'm probably the first politician in 30 years to go after smokers' (votes). And I started the no-smoking section on the House floor."

Courting smokers may be politically incorrect - he says his opponents will raise cigarette taxes if elected - but it's classic Skinner. After all, Cal Skinner, who as a Republican state representative from 1973 to 1981 and again from 1993 to 2000, was an unyielding social and fiscal conservative who blasted Republicans and Democrats alike as "tax eaters." He frequently was the only lawmaker to vote against the state budget, and he suggested arming teachers with guns to reduce school violence.

Just when political watchers thought they had him pegged, Skinner fought for Illinois' prisoners, lobbying for measures to protect inmates from rape and AIDS. His idea was to segregate HIV-positive inmates from those testing negative for the virus that causes AIDS. His attempt at prison changes often found the white, Republican, McHenry County resident teaming with black, Democratic, inner-city lawmakers.

"This was my social conscience cause for the 1990s," he said, calling it a true example of "compassionate conservatism."

Of course, that's not the rallying cry of the Libertarian Party, of which Skinner is its standard bearer in this race. His transformation from Republican to Libertarian was sudden, and his road to the $150,691-per-year governor's job is steep.

He said the Libertarians contacted him about running this spring and gave him a week to decide.

They thought he could get 5 percent of the statewide vote, making it easier for Libertarian candidates to get on future ballots. Skinner knew the Libertarians were skilled at petition drives and could help him with a pet cause - a vote on a constitutional amendment limiting legislative leaders' terms to six years.

It is a political marriage of opportunity, and, as in many marriages, there are disagreements. Skinner does not support the Libertarian Party's view that drugs should be legalized. He opposes abortion rights, while the general Libertarian philosophy is government should stay out of people's lives - including abortion decisions. They do agree, however, that tax dollars should not be used to fund abortions for poor women.

Skinner, who voted Republican in the March primary, received the Libertarian nomination for governor that same month.

Previously a candidate for Congress and state comptroller, Skinner has yet to significantly register in the polls and has been denied the opportunity to appear in debates. He also has been all but ignored by most media outlets including the major downtown newspapers, making his campaign tougher. However, Skinner touts the fact that the late syndicated newspaper columnist Mike Royko years ago called him "honest."

In 1998, Skinner was in a heated Republican primary with Rosemary Kurtz of Crystal Lake when a campaign mailer alleged he had been accused of sex abuse 15 years prior. His former father-in-law claimed to have walked in on Skinner performing a lewd act while in a room with his infant daughter in 1983.

The allegations came during a heated divorce case, and Skinner has called them part of an "obsessive attempt" by his ex-wife to get custody. He never was charged and two judges later ruled the allegations unfounded, giving him unrestricted access to his daughter. However, his ex-wife had left the state with his daughter by then.

Kurtz went on to win the race and was re-elected in 2002.

Skinner said his years in Springfield taught him political power is too concentrated in the hands of legislative leaders, and money equals influence.

He decided to run to change all that, he said.

"In short, wouldn't it be nice to have a state government you can be proud of? Where the fix isn't in? Where what happens in policy decisions doesn't depend on who hired what lobbyist?" Skinner said.

Skinner's reason for courting smokers' votes is based on his belief the other candidates will raise cigarette taxes if elected. The General Assembly raised taxes on cigarettes this spring to help bridge a budget gap.

Democrat Rod Blagojevich proposed a cigarette tax hike to fund prescription drug and health-care programs, but backed off after lawmakers raised taxes.

Skinner blames Attorney General Jim Ryan's lawsuit against tobacco companies for increased prices once the lawsuit was settled. Ryan now is the Republican nominee for governor.

"Why would a cigarette smoker vote for either of these guys?" Skinner asked. "There must be some percentage of the public that considers themselves just taxpayers. If that's the case, why should they vote for either of these people?"

As for his chances for winning, Skinner points out that Jesse Ventura shocked the Minnesota political system four years ago by capturing the governor's office as a third-party candidate.

But Illinois' political system is a world away from Minnesota's.

The best statewide showing by a Libertarian candidate to date was Michael Ginsberg's 1994 campaign for comptroller. He won 3.85 percent of the vote statewide.

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