There has been speculation that the senate seat formerly held by Obama could go into Republican hands. Pundits like E.J. Dionne think Blago has been a godsend for the Repubs. And indeed the Repubs have been vocal about having a special election. Because if the republicans were to nominate Mark Kirk then the senate race truly becomes competitive. Kirk gives the appearance that he is moderate but according to Progressive Punch he scores at 20.35%. But as we are learning more facts surrounding the investigation the less likely the Republican can win the seat.
The Republicans are milking the Blagojevich scandal for what is worth. The Illinois Republican Party has commissioned a poll to gauge public support for a special election and their willing to support a candidate who has close ties to the governor. Looking at the results below, anyone with close or even not-so-close ties to Blagojevich is severely tainted in voters’ minds...
70% of voters would be less likely to vote for a candidate for office in Illinois who supported or endorsed Rod Blagojevich’s reelection for Governor in 2006 even though he was already under investigation for 3-years.
The "less likely to vote" result is strongest among Republicans (82%) but is also strong among Democrats (66%), Independents (66%), and voters in Cook County (65%), City of Chicago (65%) and the collar counties (76%). Clearly, Democrats who are tied to Blagojevich are vulnerable.
You probably think these numbers are grim for the Democrats. The question boil down whether Republican endorsed a Democratic governor for re-election. Which is silly on its face. Moreover, it's not like the Repubs had a credible candiate. Judith Topinka was a joke. Besides Illinois Dems didn't behave like the Repubs did when the Bush administration was under scrutiny. Democrats like Lisa Madigan and Quinn had for years been trying to hold Blagejovich accountable. Dems also Madigan and other Dems worked with the Feds to nab the govenor. This is even more true with Jesse Jackson, Jr.:
ABC7 has learned that since late last summer, the congressman has worked with federal prosecutors, informing on an alleged Blagojevich administration scheme two and half years earlier.
The meeting in June of 2006 at a Gold Coast hotel included Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.
The topic was a proposed third airport at Peotone, Jackson’s pet project which needed more state money. Rezko allegedly demanded that the governor be given control of the airport’s board. Jackson refused and state support for the project stopped.
Then last summer, weeks after Rezko was found guilty of un-related corruption, the U.S. Attorney’s Office interviewed the congressman as a possible witness against the governor in the Peotone matter.
And sources tell ABC7 that Jackson has been in regular contact with the feds and has told the government that in 2003 Blagojevich denied the congressman’s wife Sandi an appointment as Illinois lottery director because Jackson would not donate $25,000 to the governor’s campaign fund.
If this turns out to be true this not only exonerates JJJ but also the Democrats. This will be more true when Obama's transition team release its report. It will show that Democrats stand with the rule of law. This also rob the billy club that Republicans trying to beat us with.
I am also confident that it will stay in Democratic hands because of Obama's ground game in Illinois is quite formidable. So this won't be easy for the Republicans.
Note that the special election is not a cakewalk for Democrats but all is not lost.