After some embarrassing vacillations late last week, it looks like Mark Tiberius Kirk has an open field for the GOP Senate nod. From The Hill:
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna said Monday that he will not seek his state’s open Senate seat next year if Rep. Mark Kirk (R) does, clearing the way for Kirk to have a smooth primary.
Just three days after Kirk was telling colleagues that he had decided not to run because of the primary opposition, McKenna released a short statement saying he and Kirk have reached an accord.
“As party chairman my goal has been to build Party unity,” McKenna said. “Mark Kirk and I met last evening as part of an ongoing discussion about the U. S. Senate race. I reassured Mark that if he chooses to be a candidate, I will not oppose him.”
On Friday, Kirk told the Hotline that he would definitely run as long as McKenna bowed out, so it appears that thrusters are on full from here on out.
Meanwhile, for Team Blue, it’s beginning to look like state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is consolidating a respectable level of support; earlier today, he rolled out a load of endorsements from 60 officeholders in the state, including the support of Reps. Bill Foster and Phil Hare.
RaceTracker: IL-Sen
Better obviously if he hadn’t run but at worse this will be like Cardin-Steele in 2006. And the House seat should be forthcoming. Take with one hand give with the other.
In that now Kirk will definitly run without a high profile opponnet.
On the other hand, his hestitancy to go in with any type of competition in the primary is damaging to his image. It could conceivable emobolden a conserative Republican to jump into the race and go after Kirk.
Giannoulias is clearing his field and Kirk is now clearing his.
There’s really no way Kirk can even make this a competitive race.
I heard that Giannoulias raised 1.8 million in the first quarter.