A 2010 GOP Dream Ticket: Experience, Unity
The Illinois Republican Party has an opportunity to make major stides in 2010, and I am praying with every fiber of my being that they can find a way to fully take advantage of it.
The simple fact that two high profile statewide offices are on the ballot in the same years also allows the Republicans to overcome their greatest perennial hurtle: uniting the conservative and moderate factions. By slating an ideologically balanced ticket for the marquee races for Governor and Senator, we can hopefully avoid the “circular-firing squad” of recent election cycles. My advice would be to find a strong conservative with executive and/or business experience to run for Governor and a battle-tested moderate for the Senate.
My dream ticket: out-going Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (and former Downers Grove-based ServiceMaster executive) Steve Preston for Governor and Congressman Mark Kirk for Senate. Just think about it: a successful administrator (even Durbin had high regard for his work at SBA), unscathed by the Springfield circus….our very own Mitch Daniels! Paired with Kirk, who has a proven his ability to win the crucial suburban vote, this duo would be highly competitive by campaigning against the increasingly Chicago-centric Democrats (side note – isn’t it sad how the Democratic power base continues to shrink even as their voter base spreads? Don’t the ¾ of us who live outside the city deserve a few seats at the table?)
Alas, that probably is more like a pipe-dream ticket. But if this time next year, those two were campaigning as a team in the primary campaign, I’d have a lot more for which to be thankful.
6 comments:
i think Kirk for Governor makes more sense, with a conservative like Brady as his running mate for Lt. Gov.
You're right, the GOP needs a marriage of convenience, but for practical political purposes, the moderate needs to be in the spotlight.
Just look as how mccain-PALIN fared among suburban voters.
I hear Oberwiese is available
how bout former Sen. Fitzgerald for Gov.?
Kirk has just earned a few terms with nobody running against him why lose the seat? Steve Preston???? Who is he? It would take $15 to 20 million to get his name recognition in the 40's let alone win.
I think Brady should run for Senate he has no money so he would have to ride the coat tails of some onen who can raise money and bring all side together. That is Gidwitz. He has the ability to raise millions of dollars and can write a check if he had to. Brady has all kinds of problems with the base and raising money, I know that it is harderto raise money for a Federal run but the big prize in 2010 is the Governors office, we have to redraw the map so we have to put up someone who can be taken seriusly and that is not Brady
Kirk Dilliard for Governor
Karen Hasara for Lite Gov
LeRoy Martin for Secretary of State
Jeff Ladd for Attorney General
Arabel Rosales for Comptroller
Jack Ryan for Treasurer
Bill Brady as the Senate leader(conservatives are livid about Radogno)
Aaron Shock for US Senator in the future
Aaron Shock to lead the ILGOP delegation
Foster, Halvorson, and Bean were flukes in Republican districts that could be won back.
The ideological bridge has to be brought back together with conservatives and liberals (or moderates or whatever).
Also, a strong outreach to Hispanics. Many Hispanics have voted for Edgar or Bush II or Reagan and even 1 in 3 voted for McCain. Cicero (albeit a unique place) used to have Hispanic Republicans. School Choice could be a wedge with Hispanics.
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