[ken5050]

Kudos..most excellent essay...please put me on your ping list for future efforts...BTW, I thought the race was view a toss-up now...you seem to imply that Obama has it locked up....any new polls...?

[stars & stripes forever]

Jack Ryan will be the next Illinois Senator if conservatives get out the vote. Many conservative Democrats are VERY uneasy about the social agenda of the Democratic Party.

[Mike Bates]

BTW, I thought the race was view a toss-up now...you seem to imply that Obama has it locked up....any new polls...?

No polls of which I'm aware. I view Obama as the favorite because Illinois has moved solidly into the Democratic ranks in recent years (only one state-wide office holder) and because so many of the Republicans are, IMHO, RINOs.