Impy, I disagree since you said that Chad has no name recognition. He has high name recognition, since he ran, statewide, four times.
That race has six candidates, Chad Koppie, Jim Oberweis, Doug Truax, William Lee, Joe Ruiz, and Almen Alveraz.
I eat dinner every night, does that prove I'm fat?
Commission a poll, I 100% guarantee you that Koppie has very low name recognition and that Lee almost none.
People who attend political meetings are not representative of the general electorate which is MUCH less politically engaged and knowledgeable. Those people vote for people they've heard of who are usually a)Major elected officials or people of similar prestige B)Guys who have the money (whether they're rich or able to raise it) to buy name recognition which Obie has already done and Traux can do.
You CANNOT win a US Senate race in this State with a piggy bank campaign fund, that is a fact. If Koppie wants to win an office he should try for one he can win like State House or County Board. 76 year old School board members who ran several third party campaigns (amongst one admirable long shot race against George Ryan) are not viable US Senate candidates.
Your criticism of Traux is completely valid. But as I see it he and Obie are the only 2 viable choices. I do not beleive Koppie (or of course, Lee) can compete seriously in the primary and am positive their chance in the general election would be ZERO even if Durbin was outed as a child molester.
I may well end up voting Koppie if Obie and Truax equally distasteful but it would be a protest vote, he will not win the primary. But if Truax is acceptable, I'd go with him. If he's another Sauberberg then I guess as much as I don't like or trust him (and think Durbin will kick the c rap out of him) I'll have to go with Obie in order to stop him. I'm not keen on wasting my vote. If I'm wrong (which I doubt) and Koppie polls viably I will consider him. "Who is Truax?" is the question that needs to be answered.
Never heard of him. Given the most recent attempt at reforming the Chicago Park District pension, I suggest not splitting our vote. The state is bankrupt financially, morally and intellectually.