Anyone from Illinois? I have a question about Obama.

[La_Serpiente]

I have been watching the Senate elections for next year fairly closely. One seat that is up for grabs is the one in Illinois being vacated by Sen. Fitzgerald. I understand that the Primary is going to be pretty tough, and Obama has a good chance of being the nominee. I also think that he has the intellect and cleverness to be Senator. I don't think Republicans can put up a match against him.

My main question is, do you think he is going to get the nomination?

It is about time we had a Black Senator.

For those of you interested, here is his website:

http://www.obamaforillinois.com/index.shtml

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. I don't live in Obama's district,

but from everything I have read, he has an excellent progressive voting record. My vote is his.

[WENSTJDON]

2. I'm pretty sure I read in the Sun-Times

that he wasn't polling as well as some other high profile Democrats like Dan Hynes. I am planning on voting for Obama in the primary, and if he doesn't win the primary, I will vote for the Democratic nominee.

[madrchsod]

4. ole` danny boy

didn`t want to debate nancy skinner when another canidate dropped out of a debate not to long ago. danny will get the nod because of the daley democratic machine.obama or skinner would be nice but no one is going to beat the machine....hey it`s illinois

[GinaMaria]

13. Dan Hynes

has more name and face recognition than the others. It's not everything but, it's one thing to his advantage. I think it will be an interesting race. The best part is that fitzpuppet will be gone. I'm disappointed he won't be running, any dem candidate could have mopped the floor with him. If I could clone Durbin that would be my ideal senator. Durbin's a great guy. Fitzpuppet is proof that a senate seat can be bought. Good riddance to the blame Clinton partisan hack, fitz!

[kanrok]

3. I don't know if he'll get the nod

but I hope he does. I had a chance to meet him recently. He is extremely articulate and can think on his feet. He spoke extemporaneously at a fundraiser recently and was very impressive. He'll get my vote.

[Padraig18]

5. It's basically a 3-way tossup.

Hynes, Obama and Hull, most likely; yes, he has a decent shot, and color isn't much of a barrier in IL. Remember, we elected CMB in '92. :hi:

[cjm2222]

6. Illinois Senator race

Illinois has had a black senator: Carol M-B was elected senator and later lost to Peter Fitzgerald. I don't know much about Obama, except he is from the Chicago area. As a previous poster said, whomever Daley wants as a candidate will be the candidate. I think Jesse Jackson Jr. may run, but that is my feeling.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi cjm2222!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Bombtrack]

14. no he won't, he endorsed obama

i disagree, that it'll be an autocratic primary, although it seems that Hynes does have an advantage being sort from a party hack/status quo/political family background, similar to the south Boston irish boys that run the massachusetts dem party

i've never been to illinois but I'm paying attention to all the senate races

[chiburb]

7. I agree with those 3 candidates...

Being the leading contenders. It's still early, but Chico has run some commercials in the Chicago area that are pretty good. He also has some ties to the Daley regime, so I wouldn't count him out.
Personally, I'm leaning toward Obama or Hull.

[Padraig18]

8. I'm marginally leaning toward Hynes...

That could change, though, and in any event I'd be delighted to have any of the three get the nod. :hi:

[corarose]

10. He is from Palatine & I wouldn't be afraid

He is going to lose his seat because he barely won the seat when he took office.

Illinois is predominately Democratic and we will win that seat unless they steal it with black box voting.

[poskonig]

11. Why can't Obama's name be "John Smith?"

Baruck Obama sounds like the name of a terrorist, and I wonder how this will play in the general election.

Since Hull makes Gore look exciting, Hynes may be the best candidate since he is the most polished and all of the candidates are pretty close on the issues.

[Padraig18]

12. All of our candidates are good.

As you point out, they're all pretty close on the issues, too. I'm behind Hynes at the time because of the 'electability' thing-- he's proven he can wi---big--- statewide, and no one else has.

[Bombtrack]

15. Why it's unwise to go by that logic

Hynes won for comptroller, most people don't know or care what a comptroller does. People look at US senate races much differently.

Hynes is a typical born-into-politics, unspectacular, establishment, climb-the-latter candidate. When democrats like that run against republicans who aren't like that in important races in states like NY, MA, IL, CA, they come in with a distinct disadvantage.

The GOP nominee will probably be jack Ryan, so I just think that nominating Hynes is a matchup favorable to them, one that gives them the perfect opportunity to paint him as that typical more-of-the-same type of politician. I think that Obama would be a better, more likable, and no more risky of a candidate

[Padraig18]

17. Concur in part; dissent in part

Hynes has been extremely visible this year, because of the budget woes, so more people know who he is than would ordinarily be the case. He's also taken a very tight fiscal stance, which I think will impress the voters.

That said, I'd support and vote for Obama in a heartbeat! :hi:

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. His father was from Nigeria.

And Barack was named for his father.

[Cocoa]

18. some people might think he's Irish

:-)