Posted on 12/06/2005 10:03:30 PM PST by LdSentinal
(AP) CHICAGO Steve Rauschenberger plans to drop his bid for the Republican nomination for governor and instead run for lieutenant governor as the running mate of Chicago businessman Ron Gidwitz, an individual familiar with the arrangement said Tuesday.
A Rauschenberger aide would not discuss the conservative state senator's plans. "We have no comment on the rumors," campaign manager Dan Proft said.
The plan would combine Gidwitz's personal fortune with Rauschenberger's appeal to conservatives, creating a potentially powerful challenge to the front-runner for the GOP nomination, state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka.
Rauschenberger is one of several candidates who have been splitting the support of the party's right wing. Gidwitz, a social moderate, has been unable to jump-start his campaign despite a series of early television ads.
GOP leaders have been trying to thin the field by encouraging gubernatorial candidates to run for something else, even pointing to poll results that show Topinka with a big lead.
The effort had yielded no results so far.
Rauschenberger plans to announce his decision Wednesday, said the individual familiar with the arrangement, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it was not supposed to be public yet.
A Topinka spokesman did not return a call seeking comment.
Gidwitz had no comment on Rauschenberger's plans, spokeswoman Terri Hickey said.
The plan carries risks for Gidwitz.
It reduces the number of social conservatives in the race to two -- Aurora businessman Jim Oberweis and Bloomington state Sen. Bill Brady. If conservatives unite behind a single candidate, they could overcome moderates who are divided between Gidwitz and Topinka.
And because the public casts separate votes for governor and lieutenant governor, there is no guarantee that both members of a team will win.
Gidwitz could win the governor's spot and end up paired with one of the other candidates for lieutenant governor, such as state Rep. Raymond Poe of Springfield. Or Topinka could win and have to run with Rauschenberger, an Elgin resident who has harshly criticized her as part of a dishonorable political establishment
Republican party in Illinois = Keystone Kops.
Actually with Rauschenberger out of the race it narrows the field of conservative candidates in the primary.
Rat party in Illinois = Daley puppets!
*ping*
I don't know what to make of this one. I was personally hoping for a Rauschenberger-Kathuria ticket. If Topinka gets the nomination, we might as well keep Blago.
Perhaps I should correct myself, Rauschenberger opted to serve as a running mate to a rich RINO. I'd say we just lost our best hope with that. What a shame. :-(
More than a little odd Rausch is teaming up with Gidwitz, but on the plus side we have a good chance at getting a good lt gov nominee regardless of the outcome of the governor's race.
Bill Brady's the only conservative option left for guv, to my mind -- Taliban Jim Oberweis surely cannot count.
1. Brady
2. Gidwitz
3. Write-in
No, I was serious. I read his platform. He doesn't appear to be a RINO. That would be interesting to have a devout Sikh in elective office. Do you know something about him that would be a problem ?
"More than a little odd Rausch is teaming up with Gidwitz, but on the plus side we have a good chance at getting a good lt gov nominee regardless of the outcome of the governor's race."
I'm still sticking with Dr. Kathuria. Rausch just jumped the shark.
"Bill Brady's the only conservative option left for guv, to my mind -- Taliban Jim Oberweis surely cannot count."
It's funny, I was talking about Brady yesterday evening. He was Speaker Hastert's choice for Congress when Tom Ewing's seat came open in 2000 (but the seat ended up going to George Ryan's choice, Tim V. Johnson).
Chirinjeev is a little off-kilter. The Trib really went after him during the Senate primary and while I didn't buy all of it there was certainly enough to make me wonder about the guy. He ended up finishing dead last, even behind Norm Hill.
Actually it might've been the Sun-Times.
Given liberal newspapers penchants for kneecapping in the most brutal fashion of non-Caucasian GOP candidates, I'd find any profile of a negative persuasion to be highly suspect.
BTW, after reading another thread regarding Bill Brady, he may also be damaged goods because of his strong links to the GOP establishment (think of him as a Topinka-lite). In which case, we may quite literally be left with no suitable candidates for the Governorship. Might have to endorse the Constitution Party candidate Scufflebutt.
This is bad news. As to Rauchenberger's running mate, I don't know anything about him.
Gidwitz is a banker for the RINO establishment. To say I'm floored that Rausch would delegate himself to being this guy's running mate... The only thing I can think of that makes any sense... Rausch must have skeletons in his closet.
I doubt he was going to be able to win the primary anyway with a statewide elected moderate in the race and a wealthy conservative as well.
Anyhow, I don't know enough about Illinois politics to really speak intellegently about it, but it sure would help for SOMEONE to take down Blagoavich. The state seems to have no real GOP leadership either. Hastert is too busy with national stuff, and everybody else sucks.
Oh well, here's to hoping.
brady may have a shot..
Let us all NEVER forget that Oberweis called pro-lifers the Taliban in 1982 even if he now wants to gull us by calling himself a lifelong Catholic pro-lifer.
Viva Pro-life Taliban!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Like I said, Rausch just jumped the shark with his stunt. I don't believe there is ANY candidate that is worthy of receiving the GOP nomination at this point... not even Brady (who appears to be the moneyman for the establishment).
Why have you not persuaded Mike Ditka to run?
THERE'S a Conservative!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.