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U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, the front-runner in the Republican primary election for U.S. Senate, finds himself the object of an unusual attack ad from one of his lesser-known opponents. Andy Martin, once known as Anthony Martin-Trigona, who has run for numerous elective offices over the last three decades in Illinois, Florida and Connecticut, taped a commercial questioning whether Kirk is gay.

llinois' Tea Party movement has not decided upon one candidate for U.S. Senate, as Illinois Review mistakenly implied Friday in the first sentence of the post "Will Co. Tea Party Alliance plans to "Stop Mark Kirk","  state Tea Party contact Denise Cattoni pointed out Saturday. "Each individual group can endorse a candidate if they so choose; however, there are almost 40 groups in the state of Illinois.  Patrick Hughes is the Will County's choice for Senate seat; however, other groups may not, or haven't made a decision yet," Cattoni wrote via email.  "As a grassroots movement, each group is entitled to make an...

President Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. won't be the midterm ballot next year, but their former Senate seats will be, and both races are now eighter tossups or leaning Republican in high visibility contests. . .

CHICAGO (AP) - The White House and Illinois Democrats said Tuesday that their bid to hold on to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat won't be easy and their difficulties aren't just because of the scandal that engulfed ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Next year is the first major election for Democrats since Blagojevich was arrested last year on federal corruption charges and removed from office. He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to sell or trade Obama's Senate seat. "No one ever said it was going to be easy. There's a dark cloud over everyone's head," said...

State Rep. Beth Coulson, one of the most moderate Republican candidates running for Congress, will be meeting with Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele tomorrow in Illinois to discuss her campaign – and the need for Republicans to have a big-tent party so it can compete in Democratic-minded districts.

The Senate Select Committee on Ethics has completed its investigation of Sen. Roland Burris, and his office is trumpeting its finding that he committed no "actionable violations of the law." What his press release didn't mention is that the committee also found he had provided "incorrect, inconsistent, misleading or incomplete information" about his appointment to the Senate. Which is senatorese for, "Pants on fire!"

Could Illinois Senate candidate Patrick Hughes be the next insurgent Republican candidate to get the backing of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)? Hughes is slated for his second meeting with DeMint on Thursday (the two also met in September), and DeMint’s Senate Conservative Fund website is currently polling visitors on whom they support in Hughes’s primary with Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). DeMint has backed former Rep. Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio in Florida and Chuck DeVore in California, all in the face of establishment favorites. Toomey, of course, soon assumed that mantle when Sen. Arlen Specter switch to the Democratic...

Obama's Democrat allies in Illinois support this decision. Senator Dick Durbin calls it "a dream come true". Meanwhile, Iowa's elected representatives have been completely silent. It is time for Iowa Governor Debt Culver to show some backbone and speak out against this travesty.

About a year ago, thousands jammed Grant Park in Chicago to celebrate Barack Obama's election to the White House, a communal civic defining moment. But those giddy days are long gone as Democrats in Illinois face the potential of losing the Senate seat President Obama once held next November. * * * Democratic Party leaders in Washington -- and the Obama White House -- failed to recruit a candidate strong enough to scare Rep. Mark Kirk -- the Republicans' best bet -- from the race. The only luck they had was the decision by Sen. Roland Burris -- appointed by...

Despite his recent request for help from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and renouncing his past support of prominent environmental legislation, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk on Wednesday denied he is moving to the right to try to coalesce support in the Feb. 2 primary election. "I think I am who I am," Kirk, a member of the Naval Reserve, told reporters after a Veterans Day ceremony at the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center in Chicago. "I am a social moderate, fiscal conservative. But this is a big race, and we are building a broad coalition, and it...

Illinois’s 7th Congressional District has long been represented by an African-American, but there’s now widespread worry in Chicago’s black community that that could soon change. With Democratic Rep. Danny Davis signaling he’s ready to step down from the House after seven terms to run for president of the Cook County Board next year, there’s a real possibility that a non-African-American candidate could win the seat. “I think there is always that concern,” said Richard Boykin, a former Davis chief of staff who is mentioned as a possible contender. “It’s a fear that a lot of people have.” “There’s great concern,”...

During two heated Democratic challenges, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park was targeted by millions of dollars in TV ads painting him as a far right Republican in his north suburban district. Much of the time, it was the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee paying for and writing those ads. Kirk spent millions of dollars himself on ads to cultivate a moderate, independent brand in the 10th District. Now it seems the DCCC agrees with him. DCCC Chair Chris Van Hollen said during a C-SPAN interview Sunday that Kirk is a "moderate," contradicting his own organizations efforts to paint him...

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is trying to use Mark Kirk's approach of Sarah Palin for an endorsement against him. Giannoulias is attempting to use the Kirk/Palin incident as a fund raising tool. A few days ago, we reported that Mark Kirk sent a letter to Governor Sarah Palin challenging her to support his candidacy for the GOP nomination for Barack Obama's old Illinois Senate seat. It seems unlikely that Kirk will receive Palin's endorsement, though. Being far, far too liberal Kirk is hardly Palin's sort of Republican. But Giannoulias thinks that even the...

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) confirmed Wednesday that he reached out to influential Republican insider Fred Malek and sought his counsel on how to court former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s endorsement for his Senate bid. As first reported by the Washington Post, Kirk sent a memo to Malek seeking advice on how to acquire a “quick and decisive” endorsement from Palin urging Republicans to embrace Kirk as the “lead candidate” in Illinois. Kirk acknowledged the authenticity of the memo to POLITICO. The Republican’s campaign said that it has sent materials to Palin, though Kirk spokesman Eric Elk downplayed the significance of...

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Republican Senator John McCain said on Wednesday his party needed a positive agenda to better attract those Americans who are disenchanted with Democratic policies. McCain said he sensed "a lot of anger and a lot of frustration" among Americans over taxpayer-backed bailouts of banks and auto companies while they cope with a persistently high U.S. jobless rate of 9.8 percent and see bank executives get "obscene" bonuses. McCain, who was his party's presidential nominee and lost the 2008 election to Democrat Barack Obama, spoke to a Reuters Summit in a roundtable interview with journalists.

Oversight: As the Senate votes to de-fund Acorn, add pimping, tax evasion and human trafficking to voter fraud paid for with taxpayer dollars and you have an organized criminal enterprise. It's time to investigate.After Acorn workers were caught on tape in three cities allegedly abetting what they believed was a fraudulent-mortgage and sex-trafficking scheme, the Senate has voted overwhelmingly to strip the group of funding in the Transportation/Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. The amendment, offered by Nebraska Republican Sen. Mike Johanns, passed by an 83-to-7 margin and marked the third time this year that Republicans have tried to block...

Illinois' ongoing budget crisis and proposed income tax increases are taking a back seat as the "old" political habits of Illinois politicians re-emerge. According to statements made following a meeting with legislative leaders, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn said that a proposed Illinois tax increase will not be taken up until after the February 2nd primaries. As a result, the State's budget will remain unconstitutionally unbalanced and the budgets of social services organizations relying upon state funds will remain in limbo. The Governor's decision to delay debate over a proposed income tax hike stems from two likely, yet purely political motives:...

Joliet, Illinois (CNN) – Organizers of the Tea Party Express bus tour arriving in Washington later this week planned their route to go though Democratic congressional districts they consider vulnerable. "What we did was take a map of the United States and then we went head and pin pointed the members of congress that merited our attention and then we looked at those that might be politically vulnerable," said Joe Wierzbicki, a strategist with the conservative PAC Our Country Deserves Better, who are organizing the cross country Tea Party Express tour. Topping the group's target list in the Senate is...

(snip) “The people of Illinois deserve a senator who will restore honest government, strengthen our national security, fight for veterans and bring fiscal discipline to Washington,” McCain, an Arizona senator, said in a statement. “Mark Kirk has my strongest endorsement.”(snip)

Martin says McCain’s Sunday endorsement of Mark Kirk is an act of infamy that will lead to McCain’s defeat by Arizonans in 2010. “McCain is not all there,” Martin says. “Or if he is all there, there is no ‘there,’ there.’ McCain is an embarrassment to the future of the Republican Party. Perhaps it is not surprising he is in bed with Mark Kirk.” . . . . . August 29, 2009 Senator John McCain United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 via fax (202) 228-2862 Re: Endorsement of Mark Kirk Last than a year ago, I remained a loyal Republican...

Below, release from Kirk.... McCain to Endorse Kirk at Veterans Gathering in Glenview McCain: "The people of Illinois deserve a Senator who will restore honest government, strengthen our national security, fight for veterans and bring fiscal discipline to Washington. Mark Kirk has my strongest endorsement." Who: Congressman Mark Kirk Senator John McCain When: 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30 Where: Glenview Park Center, Lakeview A Room 2400 Chestnut Ave. Glenview, IL What: Senator John McCain will endorse Congressman Mark Kirk for U.S. Senate at a veterans gathering in Glenview on Sunday afternoon. Kirk, an early supporter of McCain's presidential bid during...

To sum up the state of the Republican Party in Illinois, just hours before the kickoff of "Republican Day" festivities at the Illinois State Fair, Andy Mckenna, the head to the state party resigned... Just 8 short years ago, the Republican Party in Illinois remained a force to be reckoned with. The party maintained control of a majority of municipality and county governments within the state, along with control of the Governor's office, several State Officers positions and the State Senate. But today, despite a golden opportunity to retake control of key State Offices due the Impeachment of Rod Blagojevich,...

Leadership: Scores of congressmen and women are trying to hide from their constituents this August recess as the revolt over ObamaCare continues. If you haven't seen him or her lately, you might try your refrigerator.IBD Exclusive Series: Government-Run Healthcare: A Prescription For FailureIt's amazing how frightened of the community the party of the great community organizer has become now that the community has organized itself against his attempt to impose socialized medicine on the country. They cheered when he told them to get in the faces of their opponents. Now they won't show their faces, period. Senate Majority Whip Dick...

Republican hopeful Mark Kirk finds himself starting out even in a Senate race against his likeliest Democratic competitor, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state shows Kirk, a member of the House from the northern suburbs of Chciago, with 41% of the vote while Giannoulias attracts 38%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and 17% are not sure.

Ethics: Sen. Dick Durbin cashes out of the market and invests with a key Democratic contributor after a Treasury briefing warning of collapse. Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Dodd's Irish cottage appraises at triple the value he's disclosed.Those investors who rode the stock market down to the bitter end and saw their 401(k) accounts evaporate in the morning sun could have used the information Senate Majority Whip Durbin had at his fingertips on Sept. 19, 2008, when he sold $42,696 worth of mutual fund shares. By the end of September, Durbin had sold investments totaling $116,000.

The waiting game is finally over. On July 9, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that she would run for re-election as Attorney General, and would not run for the Senate seat previously held by Barack Obama and being vacated by his placeholder successor, Roland Burris. Businessman and RFK son Chris Kennedy has chosen not to run for Senate, though he may seek the Governor’s mansion.

Video: Sean Hannity covers Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias who is running for his pal Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat

Climate Change: A switch of four Republican votes would have defeated Waxman-Markey, the Democrats' global warming legislation. But like the Clinton Btu tax, the bill could die in the Senate and turn the House over to the GOP. What were these RINOs thinking? The GOP is supposed to be the party of low taxes and free markets. Rep. Mike Castle, one of the eight offered an explanation right off of President Obama's teleprompter...Illinois Republican Mark Kirk, who has senatorial ambitions to replace the choice of impeached former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Sen. Roland Burris, demonstrates why GOP fortunes in the Land...

There is much outrage in the 10th District where I live. My 10th District congressman, Mark Kirk, has the dubious distinction of being the only Republican member of the Illinois congressional delegation, and one of only eight Republicans nationwide, who voted on Friday, June 26, for the Waxman-Markey energy bill (HR 2454), commonly referred to as "Cap and Trade" or "Global Warming" bill. The bill narrowly passed the House with a vote of 219 to 212. I would imagine that the same outrage exists in the congressional districts represented by all eight of the renegade Republicans. It is frowned upon...

Given that my American Thinker blog of June 28 -- Betrayed by my Republican Congressman -- took to task my renegade 10th District congressman, Mark Steven Kirk, for his "yes" vote on the Waxman-Marky bill, I was somewhat amused when I received late in the afternoon of Thursday, July 16, an e-mail invitation to join Mark Kirk this morning at 10:30 A.M. in Kenilworth, IL, to help him launch his candidacy for statewide office. As Mark Kirk noted on my invitation: "I want you to be there as we begin a campaign to restore pride to Illinois and put our...

He is one of the most liberal members of the United States House of Representatives. He is a staunch defender of abortion rights and he recently voted for the largest tax increase in American history--Cap and Trade. Who am I talking about? U.S. Representative Mark Steven Kirk of Illinois' 10th Congressional District. Earlier this month, Kirk threw his hat into the ring, seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Oh, and one more thing...Kirk will never win the seat currently held by Roland Burris who was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the office vacated by...

Vargas to challenge Hastert in the 14th Illinois Review - 23 July 2009 [This article was syndicated via RSS from Illinois Review. The views represented do not necessarily represent those of the Chicago Daily Observer.] A 27 year old graduate of Elgin's Judson College is close to announcing his intention to run in the 14th CD, taking on attorney Ethan Hastert for the Republican bid to regain Congressman Bill Foster's seat back from the Democrats. Mark Vargas , who grew up in St. Charles, has been working for the past few years in Iraq for Defense Secretary William Gates....

KENILWORTH—Five-term North Shore Rep. Mark Kirk formally announced his bid for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate today, billing himself as an independent who wants to lead others who are “not afraid to stand alone” against the corruption that has infiltrated Illinois politics. Standing in front of his late father’s north suburban home, Kirk said his record as a moderate on social issues shows he is “not an ideologue or party partisan.” . . . . . Kirk listed as endorsers Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who heads the Republican National Senatorial Committee, as well as GOP Sens. Mitch...

Politico reports today that Mark Kirk will have the GOP nomination for the controversial Senate seat to be vacated by Roland Burris, and he'll have it uncontested. Politically speaking, I can't imagine a scenario in Illinois where Mark Kirk doesn't pick up this seat in a cakewalk.

At last, Roland Burris has made a decision as senator that we can endorse wholeheartedly.He will not run next year for his Senate seat.Thank goodness.At least one chapter in the sad show that is Illinois politics can soon come to an end.You'll remember, of course, that Burris began shredding his own credibility and the legacy of his decades of state service when he accepted the Senate appointment from our radioactive governor, Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich anointed Burris, just as the governor was getting tossed from office for allegedly trying to sell that very Senate appointment. Recall, too, that we have state...

Contrary to a published report, Republican Rep. Mark Kirk says he's still considering a run for the U.S. Senate. Kirk spokesman Eric Elk said Friday the congressman from Chicago's northern suburbs was still looking at a possible run but that there was no timeline for an announcement. The Washington Post reported earlier in the day that Kirk had decided not to seek the seat held by Sen. Roland Burris that once belonged to President Barack Obama. The race for the seat is wide open because Burris announced Friday he won't run for a full term in 2010. A top Illinois...

Politics: The career of Roland Burris, a political cipher from Illinois who became a U.S. senator and the lamest of ducks, is over. He can now retire into the obscurity he so richly deserves.Having obtained the seat under a cloud of typical Illinois corruption, Burris announced Friday he won't run for a full term in 2010. He was appointed by the former and recently impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich who, among his other accomplishments, tried to auction off the seat formerly held by Barack Obama. Blagojevich was forced out of office and may soon join other Illinois governors who went on...

Update, 4:17 p.m.: Although Kirk has already told several national Republicans today that he will not run for the Senate, there is an ongoing effort now to convince him to re-think that decision, according to several sources close to the discussions. Pressure is now being brought to bear on Andy McKenna, who, according to knowledgeable sources, had told Republicans insiders that he would not run if Kirk got into the race. Once Kirk signaled he was indeed running, however, McKenna reconsidered and made clear he would in fact stay in.

Sneed has learned that U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has decided not to seek election to a seat he fought the government to keep...To wit: Burris, whose decision to vie for Barack Obama's seat landed him in the midst of a federal pay-to-play corruption probe of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, decided to end his 20-year political career at the end of his term... "because he was primarily concerned about his legacy," a source close to Burris told Sneed.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, his political prospects and personal legacy weakened by controversy, is expected to announce Friday he will not seek election to the seat he was appointed to by Rod Blagojevich after the then-governor's arrest, sources close to Burris said. The decision by Burris, 71, is an acknowledgment that prospects of mounting a multimillion-dollar fundraising effort for a high-profile statewide race are low in the face of widespread public criticism over how he got the job.

Sen. Roland Burris has decided not to run for President Obama's former seat that he was appointed to under a cloud of controversy, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Thursday. Burris plans to announce his decision Friday by issuing a statement to the press, the newspaper said. Burris reached his decision after struggling to raise campaign funds. He reportedly only raised about $20,000, but campaign disclosures with the Federal Election Commission are expected to be filed next week. A source told the newspaper that Burris has been very concerned about his legacy. "After 20 years in government service, Burris didn't want the...

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Democratic official says Roland Burris will not run for a full Senate term in 2010. The source says Burris has begun informing Democratic officials about his decision. The official spoke anonymously because Burris had yet to announce his decision publicly.

Burris Won't Run in 2010 By Emily Pierce Roll Call Staff July 9, 2009, 6:14 p.m. Burris Won't Run in 2010 House Chairmen Thumb Noses at White House Health Care Deal Updated: 6:48 p.m. Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) will announce Friday that he will not seek election to a full term in 2010, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Burris’ office issued a press release Thursday evening saying the Senator would make a “major announcement” Friday during a scheduled speech at the Chicago South Loop Hotel. However, his spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Burris’ decision is likely based on...

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk told several Republican leaders Wednesday he was set to run for Senate, GOP sources told the Daily Herald. Kirk of Highland Park has been debating a run for Senate or governor for months, but apparently made the final decision as Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced she was backing away from a run for U.S. Senate or governor in the 2010 election. Kirk spokesman Eric Elk declined to comment Wednesday on whether or not the congressman had informed GOP brass about an intention to run for Senate. Elk issued a statement from Kirk saying, "I will...

First of all, I know it looks impossible to even say, so let’s clear up that last name. It’s pronounced An-gee-ef-ski. I know, I know, that means here in Illinois we could possibly go from a Governor Blagojevich to an Andrzejewski. But the difficult last name should stand as the only similarity between the two men, for Adam seems to have some ideas on how Illinois might get out of its fiscal nightmare. I interviewed him not long ago and he had some very interesting thoughts on how to fix Illinois. (adamforillinois.com/) In fact, Andrzejewski has already made some headway...

Former Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert's son, Ethan Hastert, has announced he'll run for his father's Chicago-area seat in Congress. The 31-year-old Hastert said Monday he would begin campaigning and fundraising for the 14th District seat. Dennis Hastert held the seat for 20 years and was the longest-serving Republican House Speaker. He announced in August 2007 that he would not seek reelection. Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Batavia won the seat in the November general election. The younger Hastert has never held elected office. The self-described economic and social conservative grew up in Yorkville and now is...

Christopher Kennedy, a son of the late Robert F Kennedy is considering a run for the US Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama, the latest member of his family dynasty to take a stab at politics. A spokeswoman for the Chicago businessman, Christopher Kennedy, said on Wednesday that Mr Kennedy was "seriously considering" a run but would not say when he would announce his decision. Mr Kennedy's father was a US senator when he was assassinated while campaigning for the presidency in 1968. He is a nephew of the late President John F Kennedy and current US Senator...

CHICAGO (AP) - A spokeswoman says a son of the late Robert F. Kennedy is seriously considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama. Spokeswoman Kasey Madden didn't say Wednesday when Chicago businessman Chris Kennedy would make an announcement. The seat Kennedy is interested in is now held by Sen. Roland Burris, who was appointed by ousted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

"... the Merchandise Mart’s Chris Kennedy, son of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, will announce next week he is running for the U.S. Senate."

Illinois Senate Race Mark Kirk 53 Roland Burris 19 Mark Kirk 37 Jan Schakowsky 33 Mark Kirk 35 Alex Giannoulias 35 Mark Kirk 33 Lisa Madigan 49 IL Governor Pat Quinn 39 Bill Brady 32 Lisa Madigan 46 Bill Brady 27