Posted on 04/16/2003 10:34:02 PM PDT by LdSentinal
The race to succeed Illinois Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald was thrown wide open Tuesday after the first-term senator said he wouldn't seek reelection next year.
Fitzgerald's announcement at Chicago's Union League Club complicated GOP efforts not only to hold onto the seat but also to retain the party's paper-thin one-vote edge in the Senate.
Republicans who may seek the Senate seat include former Gov. Jim Edgar, former attorney general Jim Ryan, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, Chicago businessman Andrew McKenna Jr., and Rep. Ray LaHood of Peoria.
On the Democratic side of the race, potential candidates include investment bank Blair Hull, state comptroller Dan Hynes, Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas, Gery Chico, former chair of the Chicago school board and State Sen. Barack Obama.
"I could not be a Senator and a father during this campaign", Fitzgerald said , referring to his 10-year-old son. "I could only be a candidate."
The decision by the 42-year-old Fitzgerald not to run was fueled by tepid support within the top ranks of the Illinois Republican hierarchy, led by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert. White House officials had also been privately sending messages to Fitzgerald that it might be wise to step aside.
As a lone wolf, he irritated fellow Republicans, particularly in the state powerful congressional delegation, for failing to go along with their spending initiatives.
For their part, Democrats in Washington hailed Fitzgerald's move as a sign the GOP faces stiff odds in Illinois. "This is without a doubt our seat to lose now," Brad Woodhouse, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said. "This is just a huge blow to White House."
Chico, one of the Illinois Democrats vying for his party’s Senate nomination, said Fitzgerald's withdrawal would have little impact on the Democratic primary. "We still have to do our work to secure the Democratic nomination."
Chris Mather, Hynes' communications director, echoed Chico's remarks. "This doesn't change our focus," Mather said. "Today is about our [Federal Election Commission] numbers."
Mather added that Hynes had raised more money, nearly $900,000, in the first quarter of the year than any other candidates in the Democratic field, including Hull, a millionaire.
Members of Congress from both parties heaped praise on Fitzgerald, known as a budget hawk who had alienated many in his own party and the Illinois delegation by opposing such pet projects as the O'Hare International Airport expansion.
Hastert and former Illinois Gov. George Ryan strongly backed the O'Hare project.
"I was very surprised and saddened by Sen. Fitzgerald's announcement today that he would not seek a second term in the U.S. Senate," Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) said. "Sen. Fitzgerald, who I am honored to call a friend, is an honorable man and an excellent senator."
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said "people in our state had a great amount of affection for [the senator] because of his appointment of this U.S. attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, no relation. . . . I think a lot of Republican voters are appreciative of Sen. Fitzgerald for appointing a fearless prosecutor."
Patrick Fitzgerald was a U.S. prosecutor in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing case. Since being championed by Sen. Fitzgerald, the prosecutor was involved in the indictment or conviction of some 60 Illinois political figures who had been implicated in scandals that surrounded former Gov. Ryan, Kirk noted.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) commended Fitzgerald for his "independent voice." Jackson added: "For those who wonder if I'm interested in filling Sen. Fitzgerald's seat, I am not. I remain honored to serve the people of the 2nd Congressional District and strongly support Barack Obama for U.S. Senate."
But many GOP officials stressed there were deep rifts between Fitzgerald and other Republicans.
"The Illinois delegation on both sides of the aisle has a long tradition of working together," LaHood's spokesman, Tim Butler, said. "A lot of members feel that Sen. Fitzgerald hasn't lived up to that. He's kind of been a cowboy out there on his own. He hasn't been around the state much since he got elected five years ago."
In an interview with The Hill earlier this month, Hastert sounded, at best, lukewarm about Fitzgerald's reelection bid.
"We've had some differences about things that I thought were good for Illinois, and he had a different opinion," Hastert said. "And he's going to have to justify that with the voters back home when election time comes. The fact is, if he's the candidate, he's our candidate, and I've worked a long time to find a guy that would be a Republican member of the U.S. Senate from Illinois."
Anyone know how to get ahold of his voting records?
That was a long time ago, but if he meets conservative criteria, he is definitly electable
We sure dont want any candidate the moderates running the state party will give us.
The Republicans should, however, hold the Senate. It looks like Zell Miller's seat in Georgia will swing over to the Republicans. Hollings looks like he may retire (not much fundraising), but even if he runs, he's not in great shape, having won with small margins the last two times. Sure, SC is willing to elect old timers, but maybe not that particular one anymore. Let's hope not. Edwards's seat in NC is not a certainty, regardless of what happens with pretty boy's presidential aspirations. Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas may not make it, although if I had to guess, I'd say that seat will remain Dem.
but GA + SC + NC - IL = 53 Senate seats. And there are a few more possibles out there.
oops wait a minute, Walker was a Democrat
Edgar is at best a moderate Republican. He isn't as moderate as many of the other names being mentioned, but I want a conservative!!
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