We still do...if we can find a strong candidate. Burris is not going to shine as a Senator. And much depends on how long the Blagojevich thing lasts. The jury trial, that is. The Illinois Senate trial should be over sometime next month. But the jury trial, depending on what Fitzgerald "conjures" up, and how talkative Blago remains, will take many months, if not years.
BTW, the only dog the Republicans had in this hunt is the desire for an open election for the Senate seat. That was a non-starter because 1) The Illinois Constitution awards the Governor the right to appoint a successor, and 2) The Illinois Democrats who control both houses would never allow it.
If the R’s expect the D’s to obey the Constitution, they should support strict constructionism even when they don’t have a dog in the race.