Posted on 08/06/2004 2:57:01 AM PDT by kattracks
CHICAGO - Former presidential hopeful and talk-show host Alan Keyes (news - web sites) has agreed to become Illinois Republicans' U.S. Senate candidate, according to a newspaper report.Keyes planned to announce his decision to accept the GOP nomination at a public launch on Sunday, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times reported in Friday editions, citing unnamed Republican sources.
Bill Pascoe, a political adviser and Keyes friend, said Thursday he could not confirm that Keyes had accepted the nomination. "He thinks he owes it to them to take the time to deliberate," Pascoe said.
The committee asked Keyes to make the run late Wednesday after spending weeks searching for a replacement for primary winner Jack Ryan.
Keyes would face Barack Obama in the race for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (news, bio, voting record), a Republican. Obama, a state senator making his first run for national office, gained prominence as a keynote speaker at last month's Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Keyes, a two-time presidential hopeful who also ran two failed U.S. Senate campaigns from his home state of Maryland, opposes abortion and gay rights, wants to replace the income tax with a national sales tax and calls affirmative action a "government patronage program."
The race would be the first U.S. Senate election with two black candidates representing the major parties and almost assure Illinois would produce the fifth black senator in history.
Keyes will have to establish residency in Illinois by Election Day, according to federal law.
Yea Baby, Yea!!
Go Keyes Go!!
It's going to be exciting!
Very cool.
And if the demos yell carpetbagger, the Pubbies can say that Bobby Kennedy and Hillary set the precedent.
If Keyes were elected, would he join the Black Caucus?
They should put these debates on pay-per-view!
This would also give Keyes a chance to build toward a later presidential run.
Yes, but he'll have to win. Boortz claimed yesterday that Keyes didn't have a prayer (without explanation). What's the voter mix in Illinois? Have they ever had a Republican senator?
ALL RIGHT!
Keyes as a U.S. Senator.......that would be very good....indeed
Yee-haw! This is great news.
And remember we've also got Vernon Robinson in NC fighting for a House seat. I'd love to see them both make it.
The most famous in recent memory was the late Everitt Dirksen. (I probably just murdered the spelling of his name)
When I lived in (suburban) Chicago in the early 80's they had a Republican governor, Thompson.
Keyes, above all people, should realize the IDEAL of what the Senate is supposed to do, which is represent the states, not the "people." Yes, he's a great guy. Yes, he'll give Obama a run for his money in the debates, and yes, he'll get creamed in the general. Ditka would have been better for ILLINOIS.
Wow, that's a very telling description, isn't it? They're obviously not Keyesters. I wish him luck just the same.
Keyes is a remarkable orator. He just has to avoid coming off as high-strung.
he is going get routed.
Keyes is a very dymanic speaker and has an engaging intellect. I voted for him when he ran in Maryland. No idea how this will play in Illinois but it keeps things interesting. And, of course, he makes history here.
Will they now give him a prime slot to speak at the convention? Something to watch.
This begs the question, does Keyes REALISTICALLY have a chance?
If Keyes is elected, he'll be the Senatorial Black Causus.
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