Jacobs takes himself out of running to replace Lane Evans
NOTE: This has been confirmed since it's original posting. Accounts here and here.
New additions to the list of candidate vying for the 17th congressional seat reportedly include a medium-sized shaggy brown dog of indeterminate breed with three white paws and missing part of an ear, two gerbils, a toad, and a well-connected ficus plant with deep pockets.
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An as yet unconfirmed report was received tonight that Sen. Mike Jacobs has decided to take himself out of consideration for being chosen as Democratic candidate for the 17th Congressional District seat left open by the resignation of Lane Evans.
The report states that in the interest of party unity and bringing stability to an unstable situation, Jacobs will devote himself to running as the Democratic candidate for the 36th District senate seat for which he recently won the primary election.
If confirmed, this would be a helpful move. Jacobs certainly would have affected the difficult and messy process of choosing a successor to Evans, and to put aside his ambitions for the sake of party unity is a rational position.
Jacobs was appointed as state senator and won the primary election 56 to 44 over relative unknown Paul Rumler. For him to now be chosen to run for U.S. rep might be met with substantial disapproval both from the party and the public.
Whomever is chosen to replace Evans on the ballot will face Republican Andrea Zinga in the general. Zinga will receive substantial support from the national Republican organization as they now see Evans' former seat as ripe for the picking.
Rock Island Mayor Mark Schwiebert and long-time Evans district coordinator Phil Hare seem to be emerging as the top two contenders to take Evans' spot against Zinga. Others mentioned include Rep. Mike Boland, Sen. John Sullivan, Porter McNeil and Ted Brunsvold.
The decision of Jacobs to remain and run for the 36th district senate seat he was appointed to affects a musical chairs scenario mentioned by many in which Jacobs would be chosen to run for U.S. Rep and McNeil would then be placed on the ballot to replace Jacobs in the senate race against Republican candidate James Beals.
1 comments:
If Jacobs tried for it and didn't get it, he'd still be on the ballot for State Senator.
The reason he withdrew is that the entire Jacobs' financial empire is based on holding elective office and the Jacobs' know that the general election for Congress is not going to be a picnic.
After his father resigning in mid-term and had his son appointed, how rich that Jacobs is quoted as having said "If it had been an open process, I would've been the first one in". Hard to tell if Mike and Denny are laughing or crying.
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