CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Question of the day

Re: Question of the day

JJ — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:33:58 -0000

why would hynes be the favorite after he got smoked in his own ward? Being comptroller is the statewide version of water rec, just not as funny

Re: Question of the day

Hiram Wurf — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:12:42 -0000

The problem (mentioned above) is 'who does the GOP have that can win?' I don't know why Jake is floating Tom Cross as a potential gubernatorial candidate - and it certainly has been Jake's MO in the past to suggest one thing while trying to accomplish something else (remember Ditka for Senate?). So maybe this trial balloon was a serious attempt to see what people thought about Cross for governor - or maybe it was to measure support for something else. What I can say with some certainty is that both Cross and his former staffer Jake are smart people - and like State Senator Kirk Dillard (and here), Tom Cross right now has no where to go. As one of the few notable GOP moderates who might win statewide, he might as well try to go up, because the prospects of taking over the state house don't look too good for the GOP House Minority Leader.

Re: Question of the day

anon — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:30:11 -0000

What make everyone so sure that Lisa's a slam dunk?? I can think of two votes she won't get.

Re: Question of the day

What! you got it — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:26:28 -0000

"Hynes is the favorite..." I think "What" got this one right. Hynes made himself a big player with the handling of the budget impasse... Also, He has $1.3 million in his campaign fund.

Re: Question of the day

Oswego Dan — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:00:38 -0000

Cross would make a great gov, but I know he has told close friends he does not plan to run in 2010.

Re: Question of the day

downhereforyears — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:25:02 -0000

If I were Cross I'd go for AG. Why would any repub. want to run against Lisa. Fro that matter why would any democrat want to do it either. Someone should do a poll ( if one hasn't been done already) to see where her numbers are....I'll bet their sky high.

Re: Question of the day

Leigh — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:34:04 -0000

Cross has practically taken up residence downstate, he has plenty of name recognition down there. He has plenty in the 'burbs I am just not sure about the middle of the state.

Re: Question of the day

what? — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:21:22 -0000

I don't get all this Obama talk. Why would he give up national presence to be Governor of Illinois? Come home to debt up to your eye balls and lose most of the National Spot light. If Obama doesnt get the VP job he will stay a Senator and become a national mouth piece, and try again. Hynes is the favorite. Do not forget his ties to the speaker (i.e. his family ties), not to mention I think its pretty well known Lisa is looking for a seat on the bench (the biggest bench).
Oh yeah, ot the question, Cross. He might run, but I don't give it a 1 in 3 chance. Brady IS running (hes running already). It really doesn't matter, Repubs don't have a shot in hell with any canidates i have heard of so far. Not saying something won't happen to them that would turn them into something viable in the next few years (eithier by their doing, or someone elses), just saying right now, its not in the cards.

Re: Question of the day

game plan — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:07:28 -0000

Brady is NOT governor material. He said to a few of us at a Republican day dinner that the governor told him that he(the Gov) knew that if Brady had been the candidate that he couldn't have beat Brady. OHMIGOD. What are these people smoking?

Cross does have name recognition. He's on WGN Radio often. He visits southern Illinois often. He's moderate.

Everyone knows Lisa will win. I agree with another blogger here, he should run for attonrey general if Lisa tips her hat. The Repubs are in trouble in the House. Too many of them are retiring. Dems will pick up their seats because repubs are flipping to dems. They're also going to lose seats in tough areas.

NOT a good time to be a Republican.

Re: Question of the day

Lance Stevens — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:37:51 -0000

Cross is probably the only Republican who can win the general. He also doesn't have a lot of ties to the old guard. As a Moderate Republican, I hope he does run. Brady would get slaughtered in a general

Re: Question of the day

scoot — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:15:52 -0000

If he ran I would back him 100%. But I dont see it happening. I think Cross would have little primary opposition...and he would match up well against Madigan or Hynes in the General.

Re: Question of the day

A Citizen — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:54:12 -0000

First we have to get Oberweis out of the way. Maybe he could be appointed to something like the RTA Board. Otherwise he'll surely throw that size extra large hat in the ring.

Re: Question of the day

Squideshi — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:32:32 -0000

I don't think that Cross will run for Governor; but that's just a guess, and I could be wrong.

Re: Question of the day

Rich Miller — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:07:53 -0000

Jake, Hiram is a pretty darned good blogger.

Re: Question of the day

A Citizen — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:00:25 -0000

Whoever the Republican candidate may be, I imagine Fitzgerald will be the campaign chairman.

Re: Question of the day

Sock Puppet — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:58:58 -0000

Tom's The One!
He haa all the credentials
1. Lee Daniels Roommate
2. Stell Cell Advocate
3. Close to Skip
4. Wants GOPs to work together
5. Thinks Fast Rudy -- the 9-11 millionaire-- should be president

Need we say more
4.

Re: Question of the day

Jake — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:49:49 -0000

Who cares what he thinks, really?

Re: Question of the day

Joliet Jane — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:22:42 -0000

I don't know if Cross will run, but he has my vote. I think his message will appeal to all R's and some moderate D's who are sick of all the political nonsense in Springfield.

Re: Question of the day

archpundit — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:18:35 -0000

I'm with GOP Partisan on this one--AG--not the rest, The Governor won't run again. He may think he will right now, but he won't.

Re: Question of the day

butt head — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:58:48 -0000

I mean 2010, not '07. huh huh - I said pragmatist

Re: Question of the day

butt head — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:57:53 -0000

Cross is a pragmatist, the kind of Republicans that Illinois likes to elect statewide. However, the GOP primary will take a backseat to the Dem primary in '07. It will be fun to help my friends take down a sitting governor of their own party - regardless of who runs.

Re: Question of the day

Six Degrees of Separation — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:57:12 -0000

If the R's cant elect anyone to a statewide office after the past 5 years of antics, they are probably toast in this state for the next 10-15 years, except for a few safe seats in Congress and the GA.

Re: Question of the day

Siyotanka — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:53:35 -0000

My thought is most people are concerned with the â€œNationalâ€ landscape. Interest rates, credit cruch, mortgage problems, etc. The real big problem is when the dollar tanks and is no longer the â€œReserve Currencyâ€. Until things cool down nationally, people (in very general terms)will not care about who their next governor will beâ€¦IMHO

Re: Question of the day

grand old partisan — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:49:43 -0000

I donâ€™t know if Cross is really interested in being Governor. I could see him going for AG as a leap-frog to the Senate one day. But if he wants to go for the mansion, I do think 2010 is his best chance. Why? Because I think Blago is going to run again, and as unpopular as he is, the Speaker is not going to let Lisa get into a bloody, expensive primary fight. So Cross would either be facing either Blago or perhaps a bloodied Hynes. Either way, I think he'd win.

Re: Question of the day

Gus Frerotte's Clipboard — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:37:55 -0000

Leigh is right. Tom Cross has done some good things, but hasn't shown an eagerness for brutal fights. He's maintained cordial relations with Speaker Madigan, but if he runs against the Speaker's daughter, all of that is off. He'll run for AG and be a credible candidate.