Possible Blago primary challenge contender

[sjgman9]

Im just curious, if Blago keeps pissing everyone off, and LaHood starts gathering steam, im wondering if some Dem would challenge Rod in the primary.

Id like to see Dan Hynes take out Rod. I think Dan would be an excellent Governor. Or hell, Lisa Madigan. Why not?

Any other ideas?

[murielm99]

1. I agree with you on Hynes,

but I can't see him challenging Blago.

Hynes is a very loyal guy. LOTS of establishment Democrats would have to be pissed off for that to happen.

[sjgman9]

2. what is the level of anger directed at blago now? (NT)

[Tweed]

4. Yeah, I can't see Hynes challenging him because he got 23%...

of the vote when he ran for Senate. Granted he was running against Obama, but Obama mania was not nearly what it is now during the primary. If my memory serves me, Hynes was second in fundraising to Hull. Not only that, Hynes had the backing of a majority of Chicago alderman. Not only that, but his move to have Illinois research Stem Cells could get fundamentalists from around the country to give money against him. If LaHood does get the nod, we don't need to give the fundamentalists any reason to get involved. LaHood is a moderate and probably won't get fervent support from the far right unless the Democrat does something wildly liberal.

[seventythree]

6. not my choice . I am SICK AND TIRED of

the machine dynasty crap -- I also consider him intellectually dishonest, but he might have been at the mercy of his handlers -- which says he has no back bone.

[Radical Activist]

3. I think a Democrat should run against him

I just can't think of anyone would do it that could raise enough money in the primary and win in the general election. Part of the problem is that we don't have many strong downstate Democratic leaders to help us get votes there, and that is partly intentional.

[seventythree]

5. so true! We eat them

[tritsofme]

7. I have believed that Lisa Madigan will challenge Blago

in the primary for several months, even before these recent scandals broke.

This gives her an even better excuse to do so.

However I would not support any such challenge, keeping a Republican out of the Governor's Mansion keeps the the ILGOP in dissaray, leaderless and brings out old wounds. If we had a Republican governor, Alan Keyes never would have happened. There was a great article about this in the Tribune this weekend.