Posted on 07/08/2004 3:37:52 PM PDT by LandOfLincolnGOP
Rauschenberger takes pass on Senate race
By Rick Pearson
Tribune political reporter
Published July 8, 2004, 4:00 PM CDT
State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger took himself out of the running today to replace Jack Ryan as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, sending the GOP scrambling once again for a candidate to challenge Democrat Barack Obama.
In a brief statement, the Elgin Republican and 11-year state senator said he was grateful for the support he has received for his potential candidacy, but added, "Right now my full attention is needed in the Illinois Senate."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
I guess so. It was doomed from the beginning, let us hope we gain elsewhere and keep our other seats: Alaska, Colorado, Oklahoma...
The Illinois RINO machine doesn't want anyone to win who might want to continue the some of the corruption probes currently being undertaken by Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation to Peter Fitzgerald). If Peter Fitzgerald were in the race, the RINO machine would back Obama.
I thought Maine was corrupt, they are just stupid, Illinois is corrupt, from the Senior senator on down.
What about Henry HYde?
He's not that popular outside of DuPage. (And whispers are he may have an actual fight for his seat this time.) I also don't know that his, um, gravitas (read: age) would play that well against the young, energetic Obama.
SC is almost a lock for a pickup. DeMint will win big to give SC 2 Pub Senators.
What about Big Jim Thompson?
Nope. Number one, it would be tricky to run without resigning from the 9/11 Commission where he's a respected member (regardless of what some of us think about the commission). Number two, and more importantly, he's pretty much made it clear that he's not going to touch this race with a ten foot pole. And who can blame him? Obama has money and momentum. Jim Thompson doesn't want to be anyone's sacrificial lamb.
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