I just read that Judge Roberts donated to the conservative IN Senate candidate Peter Rusthoven, who failed to win the 1998 nomination to oppose popular Evan Bayh. Rusthoven, a former official in the Reagan administration, was defeated in the primary by a liberal Republican named Helmke. So hopefully Roberts' backing of the conservative in the primary means that he has no "Souter-like" surprise in store for us.
Peter Rusthoven was general counsel to the commission that investigated the space shuttle Columbia disaster.
Judge Roberts also donated to Senator Lugar and former Senator Peter Fitzgerald, who may yet have the dubious title as the "last Republican senator in the history of IL."