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Giannoulias admits to dirty trick with third-party campaign in IL « Hot Air

POLITICO just dropped a bombshell with a story Sunday evening about a leaked email written by Mark Kirk to his campaign manager Eric Elk on November 3, 2009. Full story: Kirk feared attack from right. POLITICO says the email came from a Democratic operative who in turn claims to have received it from “someone close to Kirk’s inner circle.” Could a certain “Svengali figure” be involved somehow? We just don’t know. In any case, the email and its instructions reflect some panic on Kirk’s part going into the campaign season for the February Primary. Kirk’s email was sent just a...

ay 18, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Republican Illinois Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk said Tuesday he opposes Arizona's new immigration law, taking a stand contrary to the conservative wing of his party. Kirk's stand comes in the wake of the flap at Highland Park High School where the girls' basketball team was stopped from attending a tournament in Arizona. Even though Highland Park High School lies within his 10th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk held his first news conference Tuesday since the Arizona trip controversy erupted last week. Kirk believes student athletes should not be...

By Jonathan Weisman Illinois Democrats are using the long-shot candidacy of libertarian Mike Labno to peel off conservative voters in the southern end of the state from Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk. A flier obtained by Washington Wire appears to be a Labno promotion. The first page is a picture of Rep. Kirk, asking “Congressman Mark Kirk, not a conservative?” with a quote from Mr. Labno questioning Mr. Kirk’s political beliefs. The next panel touts “Conservative Mike Labno” as “the only pro-life, pro-gun candidate for U.S. Senate.” It then portrays Mr. Kirk as a tax hiker who voted for President...

... The so-called major party Senate candidates and their supporters are slinging the televised campaign mud. One of the latest negative ads compares voting for Giannoulias to driving drunk, at the end of the ad saying, "friends don't let friends vote Alexi". The group American Crossroads is responsible for that ad. American Crossroads was founded by Karl Rove, former President George W. Bush's political guru. The group is helping republican Congressman Mark Kirk against Giannoulias. "Of course, he's gonna put up characters and cartoons because he can't talk about his own record in Washington, D.C.," said Giannoulias. "He voted against...