Media blitz takes Ryan to top poll position [IL Senate]

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | November 26, 2003 | Steve Neal

[JohnnyZ]

He's broken out of the pack. In his bid for the Senate seat that is being vacated by Republican Peter G. Fitzgerald, educator and investment banker Jack Ryan has established himself as the undisputed front-runner for the GOP nomination.

Ryan is ahead of the crowded GOP field in polls sponsored by news organizations, led his primary rivals in a DuPage Republican straw poll, and is first among senatorial hopefuls in his own state telephone poll of likely Republican voters, which showed that he is the first or second choice of 42 percent of likely GOP primary voters. The poll of 500 Republican primary voters was conducted by the Alexandria, Va., firm of Public Opinion Strategies.

When former Gov. Jim Edgar decided not to run for Fitzgerald's seat, White House political strategist Karl Rove was among the first to tout Ryan for that seat.

Among the reasons that Rove and the National GOP Senatorial Committee are excited about Ryan is that he has the personal wealth to fund a credible campaign in this Democratic state. Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and former chairman of Goldman Sachs, is Ryan's former boss and regards him as a viable contender. So does commodities millionaire Blair Hull, a contender for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, who likes and respects the GOP hopeful.

Ryan's net worth is estimated at between $37.9 million and $95.9 million. He is also actively raising money and has a finance committee that includes Bob Pritzker, Best Buy Chairman Dick Schulze, and Goldman Sachs CEO Hank Paulson. By going on television with early commercials, Ryan solidified his lead over his primary rivals.

Others in the Republican senatorial field include North Shore businessman Andrew McKenna, state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger (R-Elgin), retired Gen. John Borling, dairy owner Jim Oberweis, and Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria. McKenna and Rauschenberger have the potential to compete with Ryan but may not have enough time or money to catch him.

Ryan, 44, who quit his job at Goldman Sachs to teach at Hales Franciscan High School on the South Side, is bright, articulate, and is committed to improving public education, and says that government must ''stick up for the weak, the infirm, the aged, those who cannot speak up for themselves.''

The tall, dark-haired Ryan looks like the late John F. Kennedy Jr. and may also have California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ability to attract votes from beyond the GOP's base.

Ryan's television commercials have already moved his numbers up. Two-thirds of Republican primary voters are now familiar with him, compared with only half before the media blitz.

The early commercials have also helped Ryan to establish himself as a political newcomer not to be confused with former Gov. George H. Ryan, who left office earlier this year under the cloud of a federal corruption probe.

The former governor is rated unfavorably by 64 percent of GOP primary voters and is rated favorably by only 16 percent of the Republican electorate.

But Jack Ryan is being judged on his own terms. The poll indicated that 34 percent of GOP primary voters like him and only 5 percent don't.

By more than three to one, Ryan is regarded by GOP primary voters as the contender with ''the best chance of beating the Democratic candidate'' next November.

The last time that Republicans won an open seat for the U.S. Senate in Illinois was in 1928. In the 75 years since then, four Republcians have ousted sitting Democratic senators. But a GOP candidate hasn't won an open senatorial seat since Big Bill Thompson was mayor of Chicago.

Ryan's ads and his direct mail have already had impact in the GOP race. ''I just admire him for giving up money to get involved in politics,'' an elderly white conservative male said when interviewed by Public Opinion Strategies.

''He looks like the All-American guy,'' added a middle-age Republican woman from Chicago. ''I like his views on education and family issues.''

A thirtysomething male from Springfield said, ''I like that he seems to have strong values. He's a rich person who's not all about money. He seems very intelligent and very personable.''

''The first thing that came to mind,'' said a young male voter from the collar counties, ''was that his name is the same name as a character in a Tom Clancy novel.''

Jack Ryan doesn't mind that comparison. But some GOP voters are worried that he might be linked to the former governor.

''As far as Jack Ryan,'' said a young male voter from Chicago, ''he seems to set himself apart from the other Republicans. That would be a positive thing.'' But this same man noted, ''Jack Ryan is not a good name in the state right now. Not his name, or anybody with the last name Ryan. George Ryan kind of ruined anybody with the last name Ryan.''

But Jack Ryan has faith in the voting public and represents a new generation of leadership.

[JohnnyZ]

"George Ryan kind of ruined anybody with the last name Ryan."

That is the Democrats' mantra, which will be repeated by every gullible idiot without a brain to think for himself.

[JohnnyZ]

The former governor is rated unfavorably by 64 percent of GOP primary voters and is rated favorably by only 16 percent of the Republican electorate.

But Jack Ryan is being judged on his own terms. The poll indicated that 34 percent of GOP primary voters like him and only 5 percent don't.

[JohnnyZ]

Tagline update

[azcap]

For those of us who don't follow Illinois politics how does Ryan rate on the Conservative vs RINO scale. Give us a Senatorial comparison. Is he an Olympia Snowe or a Rick Santorum?
Taxes- Pro-Life - 2nd Amendment?

[JohnnyZ]

Rick Santorum, but he avoids talking about "man-on-dog". Plus Norm Coleman, but he looks like an attractive movie star rather than Willem Dafoe. And JFK, but with principles.

[JohnnyZ]

By which I mean, he's an anti-tax conservative Catholic.

http://www.jackryan2004.com/issues/

JACK RYAN ON THE WAR ON TERRORISM

As a U.S. Senator, I will be committed to making our state and country as safe as possible. I believe, as President Bush does, that the U.S. government’s most important mission is to protect the homeland from those who would do us harm.

JACK RYAN ON CUTTING TAXES

As we learned from Ronald Reagan, low tax rates are what encourage people to work and invest, thereby driving economic growth. Families and individuals need the ability to spend, save, or invest more of their money for this positive growth to occur.

Illinois needs a Republican U.S. Senator in Washington that will support the President’s tax cuts and not be an obstacle to progress.

JACK RYAN ON EDUCATION

In 2000, I left Goldman Sachs as a partner to teach at Hales Franciscan High School - an all African-American, all-boys parochial school on the South Side of Chicago. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

JACK RYAN ON PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

As a nation, we need to be committed to the security of Israel as a Jewish state and the safety of the Israeli people. As leaders, we have the responsibility to work towards the common goal of having two states living side by side in peace and security.

JACK RYAN ON PROTECTING LIFE

I believe in protecting life from conception to natural death. It is crucial that, as a society, we work to create a culture of respect for life.

JACK RYAN ON THE 2ND AMENDMENT

One of my duties as a U.S. Senator from Illinois will be to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States, and that includes defending the 2nd Amendment from those who wish to dilute its meaning.

[teletech]

Doesn't our state have anybody with a last name OTHER tan Ryan to run on the GOP ticket. That name seems to spell disaster for the GOP candidate.

[JohnnyZ]

See post #1

[azcap]

Wow- He sounds like the real deal. That's good news. If IL isn't an easy pickup for the Rats it makes their 2004 uphill battle that much steeper. Even if he loses, IL is an expensive state and if they have to fight hard there it will cost them precious resources they need elsewhere.

[teletech]

See post #1

Sorry, just a knee jerk reaction when I see the name 'Ryan'.

[Cicero]

I'm absolutely delighted to hear that Karl Rove is backing a pro-lifer for a change, after some of the things he has done the past couple of years. This is a critical seat. I'm very pleased to hear about Jack Ryan--he sounds great.

[JohnnyZ]

I'm absolutely delighted to hear that Karl Rove is backing a pro-lifer for a change

I think GWB is pro-life.

[JohnnyZ]

Sorry, I'm full of commentary today.

There is split opinion on this senate race, and the nature of the Illinois electorate generally.

I'm quite optimistic about Jack Ryan's chances in the primary (I think he has it locked up: unless other candidates start dropping, it's Ryan and "others") and the general election (I'm not real impressed with the D candidates), where I think he has at least a 50-50 shot.

[Pubbie]

Ping

[Pubbie]

"There is split opinion on this senate race, and the nature of the Illinois electorate generally."

What is your opinion of the Illinois electorate? - I know that there are a lot of Socially Conservative White Union members that can be persuaded to vote Republican with the right candidate.

[Theodore R.]

That reminds me, JohnnyZ, of the popular Edmund "Pat" Brown, Sr., in CA who warned voters not to support the "actor" Reagan because it was "an actor who killed Lincoln." Still, it will be hard to sell anyone named "Ryan" or any Republican for that matter in IL. Not only is IL heavily Democrat, most of the Republicans that it has elected have come from the left: Percy, Thompson, Edgar.

[Kuksool]

Come March 2004, I will crossover to vote for the weakest RAT candidate in the primary election. Voter turnout in Illinois primaries are pathetic.

[Pubbie]

"Not only is IL heavily Democrat, most of the Republicans that it has elected have come from the left:"

I don't know, Fitzgerald is almost as Conservative as Santorum.

[Theodore R.]

Fitzgerald is conservative by IL standards, but he is also close to McCain, isn't he? He wouldn't seek reelection -- must have known that he could not win in this liberal state.