Franks, Beaubien: "RETREAT!"

The pressure from the Northwest Herald newspaper ad, the protesting on a very cold Saturday in front of State Rep. Jack Franks' Route 47 office, the YouTube video of lament and anger, the letters from Cardinal Francis George and Bishop Doran and countless individual contacts between constituents and the two McHenry County legislators must have gotten to them.

On the day the expand-abortion-rights-bill-as -as-Personal-PAC-could-image was temporarily aborted, both Franks and State Rep. Mark Beaubien withdrew their names as co-sponsors of House Bill 2354. (Click to enlarge.) That's what I first read on Illinois Review.

They both understand that intensity counts in politics.

Beaubien may be able to beat an underfunded pro-life challenger, but not having a primary opponent is a lot less stressful and cheaper than having one.

And, if you can see and hear intensity in this YouTube video, you are tone deaf. Be alert and you may even see someone who would be willing to run for state representative motivated by this issue.

I still think Franks is posturing to run for statewide office, but he might be trying to minimize the cost to his local base of support--just in case he doesn't decide to run for attorney general, just in case Lisa Madigan decides for run for re-election, rather than for governor against Pat Quinn.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.