Fun fact, GOP candidates for state legislator out-polled the rats in 1858 but the rats kept the majority of seats. A direct election for Senator would have meant Senator Lincoln.
I hate to back a random rich guy but I look to Truax as an alternative to Obie and Koppie (and Lee who is a complete unknown with no political experience, money, or support base). Be he a RINO or douchebag loser then we’re up shite creek without a paddle and may be forced to go with Obie as the lesser evil alternative. Koppie just isn’t viable. I haven’t a clue where Truax stands, he might be a RINO recruit for all I know. But I think GOP combiners may have no horse in this race, they concede to Durbin, just look at Kirk’s comments.
Politics1.com also lists a “Joe Ruiz”, no website or description given, guy off the street.
Dec-2 filing deadline. Time running out for a better choice to enter.
I haven’t decided who I’m backing yet. Traux probably has the most credible background, at least on paper. I went to his website and his “values” page says a lot but tells us nothing about where he stands (http://www.dougtruax.com/meet-doug/values/). I heard him speak at the southwest Cook County GOP picnic and Traux was pretty sharp and on message, so at least he’s no Pat Hughes. Oberweis has a long-time losing steak and largely negative reactions from Illinois voters, and Koppie is solid and experienced but a political gadfly. William Lee has been running against Durbin since Sauerberg conceded, but I’m sure 99.99% of IL GOP voters will look at the ballot and say “William WHO?”
I agree the IL GOP establishment probably has no horse in this race, and is content to concede to Durbin before the campaign even starts (and I’m not surprised that slimy turd Mark Kirk is planning to endorse Durbin). The combine won’t get involved in the GOP primary, but simply out of the desire to tarnish conservatism, I think they’d be pleased if Oberweis was the nominee and crashed and burned in the general.
Possibly, but not necessarily. I went and looked up the Congressional elections for 1858. IL had 9 House seats then, the Democrats won 5, the GOP won 4. However, the GOP did narrowly receive a higher number of votes (125,668 49.87% to 122,181 48.49% with the remaining 4,110 1.63% going to Anti-Lecompton Democrat candidates). This was a close enough margin that had it translated to a direct Senate race, it's possible as the incumbent, Stephen Douglas might've pulled off a win. Although Douglas died in 1861 before he could complete this term, I think it is possible, like his seatmate Lyman Trumbull did, that he would've switched to the GOP before 1864.