[vollmond]

They don’t want to hold a special election - they’d lose the seat.

[madinmadtown]

You are right. If there were an election, even in Illinois, the GOP might win.
Plus, Burris has been in politics a long time in Illinois. He probably knows a few things about a few of his buddies that they don't want printed in the paper, not that it would make much of a difference. I am not sure that there is any offense that would embarrass a Rat or keep their Rat constituency from voting for them.