[Theodore R.]

I agree with you about Cain. However, IL will elect another black senator, and a total liberal, in November with an unusual name: Barack Obama. The IL GOP is on life support at the statewide level.

I also am not sure if Collins supporters would support Cain in a runoff, but I think cain backers would support Collins in a runoff with pro-abortion Isakson.

Isakson must remain the favorite at this time based mostly on name ID: he was the GOP nominee for governor 14 years ago against the popular Zell Miller.

[UlsterDavy]

"I also am not sure if Collins supporters would support Cain in a runoff, but I think cain backers would support Collins in a runoff with pro-abortion Isakson."

Conservatives WILL unite against Isakson in the run off. You will see. I've talked to good Collins people who agree.

"Isakson must remain the favorite at this time based mostly on name ID: he was the GOP nominee for governor 14 years ago against the popular Zell Miller."

Favorite, yes. Atlanta name ID, yes. Statewide: no. A north metro Atlantan never wins a statewide race. Johnny has never won a statewide race. Isakson is a career politician. Get out the way Johnny! Here comes the Cain Train!

[AuH2ORepublican]

"However, IL will elect another black senator, and a total liberal, in November with an unusual name: Barack Obama."

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While I agree that Obama is the favorite right now, Republican nominee Jack Ryan is a formidable candidate, and I think the election will be very close. But even if Obama gets elected to the Senate, it will not take away from the salience of Cain's message. In fact, when blacks hear the respective life stories of Cain and Obama---Cain is from a poor rural black family, and his father worked three jobs to make sure he received his education, while Obama was born in Honolulu and his parents were a Nigerian doctor and a white woman from Kansas---I think they will relate much more to Herman Cain's Horatio Alger story. So regardless of what happens in Illinois, it would be a great boon to the GOP and to conservatives everywhere if Herman Cain gets elected to the Senate.