Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka told the Chicago Sun-Times yesterday that she's got a groundswell of support from random donkeys on the street in the state and is probably going to run for governor.
I'm not sure what to make of this. Judy's an engaging and likable woman with her bright orange pantsuits and her baton-twirling in local parades. She still lives in a bungalow in Riverside, drinks like a fish and smokes like a chimney. Believe it or not, she's the highest-ranking Republican official in the state right now.
But she's not without her problems. Rumours of a federal investigation of staffers in her office doing political work on state time swirled a couple years ago, but seem to have subsided. She's awful chummy with former Gov. George Ryan, who's about to go on trial in federal court. Hardcore Republicans here in the Prarie State say that she's soft on gay rights and other social issues.
So I'm not sure what to think. So far, it looks like Joe Birkett, Ray LaHood and possibly Jim OBerweis will throw their hats in as well.
Birkett's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. West side Irish, family man, amateur boxer, put himself through law school. But he's got 2 stigmas attached to him: the mishandling of the Nicarico case in the early 1990s, and his endless carping at then-AG candidate Lisa Madigan that because she wasn't a prosecutor, she wasn't fit to be Attorney General. His social views are a little too far right for my tastes too and really haven't been examnied much yet since he's a State's Attorney.
LaHood's a moderate downstate Congressman who is also well-liked by the Brahmins in the west and northwest suburbs. But he's also got a penchant for foot-in-mouth disease, having once called Jack! Ryan a "bonehead" (can't say I disagree though, Ray) and repeatedly ripping Pat Fitzgerald.
Jim Oberweis has the money to bump off just about anyone in his path, but his stand on illegal immigrants will scare off most moderates and city folks. PLus he's quickly picking up the "perpetual candidate" mantle also worn by John Cox and Pat O'Malley.
Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka told the Chicago Sun-Times yesterday that she's got a groundswell of support from random donkeys on the street in the state and is probably going to run for governor.
I'm not sure what to make of this. Judy's an engaging and likable woman with her bright orange pantsuits and her baton-twirling in local parades. She still lives in a bungalow in Riverside, drinks like a fish and smokes like a chimney. Believe it or not, she's the highest-ranking Republican official in the state right now.
But she's not without her problems. Rumours of a federal investigation of staffers in her office doing political work on state time swirled a couple years ago, but seem to have subsided. She's awful chummy with former Gov. George Ryan, who's about to go on trial in federal court. Hardcore Republicans here in the Prarie State say that she's soft on gay rights and other social issues.
So I'm not sure what to think. So far, it looks like Joe Birkett, Ray LaHood and possibly Jim OBerweis will throw their hats in as well.
Birkett's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. West side Irish, family man, amateur boxer, put himself through law school. But he's got 2 stigmas attached to him: the mishandling of the Nicarico case in the early 1990s, and his endless carping at then-AG candidate Lisa Madigan that because she wasn't a prosecutor, she wasn't fit to be Attorney General. His social views are a little too far right for my tastes too and really haven't been examnied much yet since he's a State's Attorney.
LaHood's a moderate downstate Congressman who is also well-liked by the Brahmins in the west and northwest suburbs. But he's also got a penchant for foot-in-mouth disease, having once called Jack! Ryan a "bonehead" (can't say I disagree though, Ray) and repeatedly ripping Pat Fitzgerald.
Jim Oberweis has the money to bump off just about anyone in his path, but his stand on illegal immigrants will scare off most moderates and city folks. PLus he's quickly picking up the "perpetual candidate" mantle also worn by John Cox and Pat O'Malley.
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