Somebody, anybody?
So the first of two scheduled Democratic Party slating meetings was held this past Sunday and nobody stepped up to the plate in the Treasurer's race. I have had conversations with a couple of people who were mulling over a run, but I still think it's an interesting statement about our party that in a proverbial blue state, there is a dearth of candidates wanting to take a shot at picking up the only seat the Dems don't control. Under ordinary circumstances, you would think that somebody would at least be throwing their name out there.I have my thoughts on the vacuum, and some of it is obviously related to potential candidates waiting to see what Edgar and Topinka are going to do, but I think that it would have been smart for somebody to get out front and say that they present a better alternative to any Republican candidate.
I'm curious about other people's thoughts on why, on the eve of the start of petition season, nobody has declared, and who people think should get into the race. I'm also curious to see what happens at the next slating meeting in Springfield.
posted by Rep. John Fritchey @ 9/20/2005
6 comments
6 Comments:
Why didn't you?
Those are probably the same reasons everyone else has.
And does the party have to control every office? I'm not sure I'd like that. The corruption level in Illinois is already completely out of control. Upsetting the balance of power further will in my opinion, hurt the state, its residents, and its tax base. There needs to be some checks and balances.
No offense to the Dems, I'd be saying things if the power structure was reversed.
If you dig through my archives you'll find my reasons for not running which I posted a few weeks ago. Essentially, I don't think it's in the party's best interest to have yet another Chicago Democrat on the ticket. Plus, I don't know that this is the best time to be on a statewide ticket. And like you, I somewhat agree that it is good to have a mix in the Constitutional offices.
I think Judy would be very tough to beat -- that is why nobody want to run against her. If she jumps into the Gov or Lt. Gov race -- Maria Pappas and Jim Laski are the ones throwing their names around.
How the heck does being Chicago city clerk qualify you for running for treasurer? More importantly, does anybody see Laski as a credible campaigner other than on the NW side of Chicago? And Pappas, after that disaster of a Senate run? What's she going to run as, a brunette version of JBT?
Rep. Fritchey is right, we need somebody from OUTSIDE of Chicago.
John,
The office is calling you.
I think one of the main reasons that there weren't any Treasurer candidates at the Chicago slating meeting is because no one knew about it.
I have been involved in Democratic politics in Illinois for over 20 years and the first I heard of it was reading it in a newspaper one day before the meeting.
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