Posted on 01/09/2010 7:49:11 PM PST by Steelers6
Illinois Forum sets debate Jan. 10 in Champaign
By The News-Gazette Tuesday, December 29, 2009 8:16 AM CDT
CHAMPAIGN – The Illinois Forum, a conservative, grass-roots political group, will sponsor a debate among U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidates at 1 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Champaign City Building, 102 N. Neil St., C.
Only Republican candidates – and not even all of them – have agreed to attend the debate.
Of the seven Republican candidates for governor, five have said they would attend, said Robert Redfern, chairman of the organization.
Those five are state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, Adam Andrzejewski and Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, and Dan Proft and Andy McKenna of Chicago.
The candidates not attending include Republicans Jim Ryan of Elmhurst and Bob Schillerstrom of Naperville, Green Party candidate Rich Whitney of Carbondale, and Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes, both of whom are Democrats.
Only five of the 12 U.S. Senate candidates have agreed to participate. They include Republicans John Arrington of Harvey, Andy Martin of Chicago, Don Lowery of Golconda, Patrick Hughes of Hinsdale and Kathleen Thomas of Springfield.
Those not scheduled to attend include the presumed front-runners: Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park and Democrats Alexi Giannoulias, David Hoffman and Cheryle Jackson, all of Chicago.
"The Illinois Forum's goal is to open up the election process and give credible candidates the opportunity to share their political views with the people of the state of Illinois on how to move Illinois government in a new direction," Redfern said.
bttt
e-mail to friends if they live in East Central Illinois
What a race. 7 candidates in a super-early primary! Not really a clear front-runner. Only one is not from Chicago.
The electoral math doesn’t really add up for any of the candidates.
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