Illinois GOP launches special election campaign

Illinois
Republicans are launching a statewide campaign to pressure state legislators to
call a special election to fill President-elect Obama’s Senate seat as momentum
for letting voters decide is growing.

The campaign,
announced Sunday by three Illinois GOP leaders, will feature a statewide
television ad buy and a phone campaign in key legislative districts, according
to a release.

{mosads}Lt. Gov. Pat
Quinn (D), who would replace indicted Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) should the
embattled Democrat step down, has said he favors appointing a replacement for
Obama, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has advocated an
appointment as well.

Reid, along with
every member of the Senate Democratic Caucus, penned a letter to Blagojevich
calling on the governor to step down but urging an appointment as the fastest
way to replace Obama.

“It is within the
authority of the Illinois legislature to remove your power to make this
appointment by providing for a special election. But a decision by you to
resign or to step aside under Article V of the Illinois Constitution would be
the most expeditious way for a new senator to be chosen and seated in a manner
that would earn the confidence of the people of Illinois and all Americans,”
Reid wrote. “We consider it imperative that a new senator be seated as soon as
possible so that Illinois is fully represented in the Senate as the important
work of the 111th Congress moves forward.”

Republicans,
though, smell what would be an historic opportunity to steal the
president-elect’s Senate seat. Along with the state GOP, incoming National
Republican Senatorial Committee chairman John Ensign (Nev.) and the Republican
National Committee are doing their best to add to the pressure by calling for a
new election.

Because the
primary would likely take place in February with a general election to follow
in April, candidates would essentially have a free shot to run without giving
up their current positions. That could lead to a crowded primary that could
produce a bruised and bloodied winner.

Republicans would
hope to take advantage of Democratic infighting by clearing their own field in
favor of a moderate who might be able to win statewide. Reps. Mark Kirk
(R-Ill.) and Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) have voiced interest in seeking the seat.

The state GOP is
clinging to statements from Quinn and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) who initially
backed a special election right after word of Blagojevich’s arrest leaked. Both
have since backpedaled.

“Originally, it
was recommended by Sen. Durbin and we embraced it,” GOP party chair Andy McKenna
told The Hill on Sunday. “It’s got the support of leadership of both parties.”

McKenna and the
state GOP have focused on Quinn, implicating him for his associations with
Blagojevich. Though governors and their lieutenants run separately in primaries
in Illinois, they run together in general elections. Quinn was not Blagojevich’s
first choice as lieutenant governor in 2002, but he voiced support for the
governor during their reelection campaign in 2006.

That, argues McKenna,
should cast doubt on Quinn’s judgment.

“We think that
[Quinn] failed in the opportunity he had to show courage and call out
Blagojevich,” McKenna said. “Should [Quinn] choose to make an appointment, it
would be tainted.”

Appearing on
“Meet The Press” on Sunday, Quinn tried to put distance between
himself and his one-time running mate.

“I think
after the election of 2006 through 2007 and 2008 things got worse and
worse,” Quinn said. He reiterated that he had not spoken with Blagojevich
since August 2007.

Quinn said he
would back legislation to allow him to appoint a temporary senator to serve
until a special election could happen.

“I am concerned
that we always have two senators from Illinois representing us in Washington
and I think it’s very important that whoever is governor get an opportunity to
appoint at least a temporary person until an election could take place,” Quinn
said.

Attorney General
Lisa Madigan, a fellow Democrat appearing alongside Quinn on “Meet The
Press,” said she supported a special election.

“I think
that’s the appropriate way to go at this point, obviously, because of the taint
that has been brought about by Governor Blagojevich in attempting to sell the
U.S. Senate seat, allegedly,” she said Sunday. “The best thing for
the people of the state is to have a special election, have somebody put in
that position legitimately by the people.”

The state
legislature is expected to meet this week to determine whether, and when, to
hold a special election. Senate President Emil Jones and House Speaker Michael
Madigan have signaled they support establishing a special election, as has
State Senator John Cullerton, who will replace Jones as president next year.

The state’s
biggest news outlets, including the Chicago
Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times,
have written editorials backing a special election.