Posted on 08/08/2004 6:26:50 PM PDT by Jeff Blogworthy
Republicans in Illinois have been scrambling to the fill the void left by U.S. Senate Nominee Jack Ryan. The Republican resigned amid a sex-scandal controversy, but now Republicans have chosen a new candidate.
Nearly six weeks of looking for a replacement U.S. Senate candidate came to an end on Sunday afternoon.
Former presidential candidate and current Maryland resident Alan Keyes has thrown his hat into the Illinois Senate Race where his biggest opponent will be Democrat Barack Obama.
“In a perfect setting this would have not unfolded obviously. Is he the right guy? We’re going to know that November,” says Senator Dan Rutherford.
U.S. Republican Representative Dan Brady says while Keyes has criticized other candidates for running in states where they don't live, these circumstances are different. And that Keyes will have to try to appeal to voters.
“Not just republicans, but to try to resonate with independent voters. I think one on one, it will be very interesting,” says Brady.
And though Keyes is not a state resident yet, officials with the Republican State Committee say it's just a minor detail.
“He will establish a residency in Illinois, which is not hard to do. He just signs a lease somewhere and moves to Illinois,” says Mary Alice Erickson from the Republican State Committee.
And Senator Dan Rutherford says Keyes is more in tune with local issues than others might give him credit for.
“I don't think that on the national scope Illinois issues aren’t too different from those of Maryland or California,” says Senator Dan Rutherford.
“This will no doubt be an uphill battle for Alan Keyes,” says Brady.
So for now, Keyes will focus on campaigning aggressively in Illinois and making up for lost time.
This is the first U.S. senate election with two African American candidates representing the major parties.
So no matter who wins, Illinois will definitely elect it's fifth black senator come November 2nd.
Was I right? I know Keyes was ON Hannity. Heard about an hour each of Rush & Boortz without a mention of Keyes, pro or con. Did I miss anything?
Thanks
I agree. He's as bad as they get.
Keyes was awesome on Hannity. I'd forgotten the eloquence of the man.
"Don't be so guillible."
Okay, I won't be so guillible when it comes to believing:
**Keyes asked the NYLP to consider him as the LP's Senate candidate in 1998.
**Keyes owed back taxes in Maryland, and didn't pay them until recently. (Imagine that.)
**Keyes (rightly) blasted Hillary for running in a state in which she did not live,...then turned around and did the same thing himself. He can candy it up all he wants, but that is exactly what he is doing.
**Pulled a "Kucinich" on Bush in 2000 by insisting on staying in the primary race long after it was over.
**Carried his debt from his Presidential race for YEARS. Many candidates take out loans to pay off debts.
**Cried poor, claiming he had no money for TV/radio ads in his 1992 Senate race in his HOME STATE OF MARYLAND - while all along paying himself $8500 per month out of his campaign account.
You're right. I shouldn't be so guillible. All I can say is if a Dem candidate for Senate had Keyes' track record, Freepers the board over would be tearing him a new one.
Well, that's it for me on this thread. Us guillible types have other hypocrisies to point out.
What a strange, wacky election this has turned out to be. I don't see Barak Obama losing, but Keyes should, at the very least, make this race entertaining.
What's going on? I've been truly surprised by the anti-Keyes animus on FR tonight - mainly from folk in the "neo-con" orbit.
Yes, but wasn't Keyes once a close friend of the head of the neo-cons, Bill Kristol? Have Keyes and Kristol fallen out?
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