D.C. CONSERVATIVE TO JOIN GOP RACE FOR ILLINOIS SENATE

CHICAGO SUN TIMES | 08/16/03 | FRANK MAIN

[chicagolady]

D.C. conservative to join GOP race for Senate

August 16, 2003

BY FRANK MAIN Staff Reporter Advertisement

The already-crowded race for Illinois' open U.S. Senate seat has attracted a candidate who doesn't live in the state.

Antonio Davis-Fairman, an African-American conservative, announced Friday he's joining the contest to succeed Sen. Peter Fitzgerald.

The 37-year-old self-described entrepreneur said he would run in the Republican primary that has drawn 11 announced and potential candidates.

Davis-Fairman said he would fight to privatize Social Security and support federal funding for church-based social programs. He said he recently signed a pledge with Americans for Tax Reform that he would not raise taxes if elected. He said he would push for a federal "flat tax" and a third regional airport at Peotone.

Davis-Fairman lives in Washington, D.C., but is in the process of moving to the Chicago area, said a spokesman, Richard Pirovano. He has not yet filed his candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, Pirovano said. Davis-Fairman has never run for office, but he said he was a consultant for Ike Kelley, an unsuccessful candidate in a City Council race this year in Denver.

He attended Gordon Tech in Chicago and Northern Illinois University at DeKalb but did not graduate from the college, Pirovano said.

In a news conference at the Chicago Athletic Club, Davis-Fairman said he received encouragement to run from "folks," but would not say who they were.

Davis-Fairman released a resume saying he was a "former senior managing partner of a private investment firm." The name of the firm is Kane, Pirovano said. In his resume, Davis-Fairman said he led the formation of a $50 million merchant banking portfolio.

Davis-Fairman said he will need to raise at least $2 million to compete for the race and is starting from scratch.

At his news conference, he mentioned that his father was president of Public Benefit Corp. and ran D.C. General Hospital in Washington. John A. Fairman was fired amid allegations of mismanagement and fraud as his facility went bankrupt in 2000, according to the Washington Post.

Davis-Fairman also mentioned in his resume that his uncle is J.W. Fairman, who resigned in 1996 as head of Cook County Jail after being questioned about alleged improprieties there.

"I know my dad's a great man and my uncle is a great man, as well," Davis-Fairman said. "They passed through all those problems."

[Impy]

I'm leaning towards Ryan or McKenna.

But my hopes are low that we can hold the seat. :(

[Impy]

Bush got about 16% in both those seats. Winning either of them is a pipe dream.


I think Obama has good chance to win the rat nod.

[Amish]

I think a strong GOP candidate can take this one.

If Bush runs well here and takes the state, say 52%+, I would not count the GOP out. Depends on finding someone who has a bit of charisma to him, perhaps Jack Ryan. It won't be the gentleman moving from DC.

[chicagolady]

It surely won't be JACK! either.

[ninenot]

Who's who in this primary race besides the headliner on this thread??

Readers DEMAND to know!!!

[chicagolady]

The results of the Survey USA-WBBM/CBS-2 Poll of 364 registered Republican voters conducted August 9 - 12 are as follows:

Oberweis -- 22%
Ryan -- 14%
Cox -- 13%
McKenna -- 4%
Rauschenberger -- 3%
Borling -- 3%
Kathuria -- 2%

[chicagolady]

Jim Oberweis is a milk man who believes in second amendment rights..I like him, he is a self made Millionaire who sound like he knows how to run a business and bring in money to an ailing economy.

Ryan doesn't know where he stands on anything,was married to jeri Ryan and is wishy washy and if he wins I am REALLY moving!
John Cox is a yo-yo with a big mouth who cannot keep a secret. Something happened that I know about personally and I question his integrity. (like I really count?)

Mc Kenna I do not know too much about.
Nor do I know much about the others.

Kathuria is a billionaire Doctor who came from rags to riches and wears a turban..I believe he is from India.

This new African American guy is really interesting, I need to find out more about him. I would like to see the Republican Party become more diverse. If he is a Congressman WATTS so to speak..I will jump on the band wagon!

[nmh]

This is a mistake for any politician:

"support federal funding for church-based social programs. "

Wanna finance that religion of peace - Muslims? Wanna finance wiccans? Wanna finance Episcopalians (spelling), the ones that support gays as priests? When you give funding to one, you MUST give funding to all.

I personally don't want to fund the religion of peace or liberals parading around as Christians or worse. How about you? How do you justify this as being conservative and sensible - having the GOVERNMENT fund this?

[chicagolady]

Well, We fund the Homosexual lifestyle by funding all kinds of social programs for them We are going to start funding Illegal aliens and their children to go to our schools.

We fund art that is down right despicable,

We probably fund "how many city workers does it take to change a light bulb, on a clear day when they are standing on the corner of walk and don't walk at 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday and they all have just devoured a case of hostess cupcakes" study .........
and you are worried about funding for religious purposes?
The bad guys ALREADY HAVE THE FUNDING or did'nt you know that?

[ninenot]

Thanks for the info. Are ANY of them rock-ribbed Conservatives (that is to say, Republicans?)

[BlackElk]

I live in Illinois. Oher folks send their tax dollars here from every state in the country. Let them contribute their thoughts as well. Whoever we elect will enact laws helping or ruining their lives too.

ChicagoLady: You are down on Jack Ryan (who, of course, is no relative of future federal guest and former governor RINO Lying George Ryan). Why? I have heard (and I could be wrong) that Jack Ryan went to Dartmouth, became an investment banker, made $40-50 million without benefit of his ancestors, quit and went to public school officials in CHICAGO, asked to teach in South Side ghetto high schools to teach his methods to black teenagers there. Ryan was asked the all-important: Are you certified question and said no, he had been too busy becoming a major success in life and was anxious to help poor kids do the same. Of course the educrats turned him down lest he free the slaves and do it without NEA approval. He went to work doing the same in a Catholic ghetto school on the South Side of Chicago where he had been working when approached to run against Durbin. He refused to run in 2002 because he wanted to continue at Franciscan (?) High teaching the black kids. Now he is ready to run. You apparently have negatives o him. Tell us what you know. Why is it wrong for him to be married to his wife Jeri? Is she disreputable somehow or realted to someone who is? What is he wishy-washy on. He is supposed to be solidly social conservative. Am I wrong? How?

Chicagolady: Oberweis is a CINO and a pro-abort but somewhat consrvative, or so he said last time. Cox is a rags to riches businessman with a large Illinois snackfood business who carried Northwest Illinois in primary last time (Rockford and prairie) and is a solid social conservative. I think that McKenna is the retired Air Force general who moved to Illinois (Rockford) upon retirement?

[chicagolady]

I will e-mail you privately about stuff that has been questioned about Jack Ryan. While it has not been proven true, because of sealed court documents..it has not been proven false either.
He is totally running on his looks and has no substance.
HE...... Jack is not Pro life either by any means...that is why he disguises it by saying in cases of rape incest and the life of the mother.
ANY PRO LIFER will tell you that means Loop Hole after LOOP hole so the do not have to stay with pro life. It is a cover up. Ask Concerned women for America.

[chicagolady]

At least Oberwiss comes out and says what he believes. Jack ryan skirts issues and is wobbly when it comes to homosexuals rights. Sounds like he is for them.


"Let them contribute their thoughts as well."
YOU let them contribute their thoughts to you! I stand by what I said. This is a FRee REpublic. What else do you want to tell me about how I should think? Are you a Commie?

[Kuksool]

After the way George Ryan managed the Secretary of State office, I doubt any Republican named Ryan could ever get elected in Illinois.

[Impy]

Who do you like?

[ninenot]

Psssssttt--your asking BE if he's a Commie almost cost me my computer screen and keyboard from coffee at high velocity. Thanks for the laugh of the day.

BE is a former YAF officer (national), headed Reagan's campaign in an East Coast State, and is a very Orthodox Catholic. None of that is as important as the fact that he married a brilliant and attractive woman, has a bunch of children, and never lost the fire for First Things in recent memory.

Thanks, BE and chiLady for the take on the Illinois race. Looks like Cox is a good one.

[Consort]

Antonio Davis-Fairman, an African-American conservative...

Can't we use un-hyphenated words?

[TheRightGuy]

I think that McKenna is the retired Air Force general who moved to Illinois (Rockford) upon retirement?

Wrong ... that would be Borling

McKenna is a Chicago-area businessman.

[Kuksool]

I am undecided at this point in time.