 Here's a look at action on the Illinois campaign trail:
AND THEY'RE OFF
After months of talk, candidates got a chance to take official
action by submitting petitions to get on the primary election
ballot. Statewide candidates had to find 5,000 people willing to
sign their petitions, and many candidates filed twice that many to
demonstrate their strength.
Hundreds of candidates lined up outside the State Board of
Elections on a drizzly Monday morning. Anyone in line when the doors
opened had a chance of being listed first in their particular race,
a valuable ballot position.
Some big names didn't file immediately, however. In the
governor's race, McKenna and fellow Republican Jim Ryan hadn't
turned in their paperwork yet. And Senate hopeful Cheryle Jackson, a
Democrat, hadn't filed either.
OVER THE TOP
Politicians often get a bit, ummm, enthusiastic in their public
statements. Two examples:
Before McKenna's Web site went live, visitors were teased with
the message, "An announcement of epic proportions. Andy McKenna for
governor. Be the first to know."
Kirk Dillard, another GOP candidate for governor, issued a
Halloween-themed news release, complete with a campaign logo
decorated with bats and cobwebs. Dillard called Gov. Pat Quinn "a
guy dressed up as governor" and referred to Comptroller Dan Hynes as
"another goblin running for governor.
STICKS AND STONES
Hynes continued his criticism of Quinn after his fellow Democrat
shelved a plan to fund college scholarships by dipping into
special-purpose funds. Quinn now wants to borrow money to pay for
the scholarships.
"It doesn't appear that Pat Quinn understands that when he says
something one day, and then something entirely different the next,
he's not being straight with people, and he's making matters worse,"
said Hynes, the state comptroller.
Quinn, who sometimes refers to Hynes as an "ankle-biter,"
released a campaign ad claiming that his rival skipped town when it
came time to make tough decisions about the state's budget problems.
He even dug into Hynes' schedule to make an issue of Hynes visiting
a spa. (See the ad at
http://www.quinnforillinois.com/media.)
That prompted Hynes to ask what Quinn was doing as lieutenant
governor while then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich "drove the state of
Illinois into a ditch?"
COMMERCIAL APPEAL
McKenna wasted no time in making ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich a
central figure in the governor's race. He launched a TV ad (see it
at http://www.mckennagov.com)
using Blagojevich's signature helmet of hair as a symbol of
corruption.
The mop of dark hair is plopped atop the Capitol dome and on the
domes of three former Illinois governors who have served time in
prison -- Otto Kerner, Dan Walker and George Ryan.
"For far too long, Illinois has been ruled by the hair," intones
the narrator.
The ad suggests Republicans think their best shot at recapturing
the governor's office is to make Blagojevich, who was removed from
office in January and faces federal corruption charges, a
centerpiece of the campaign.
McKenna's ad also touts him as an "outsider." It fails to mention
that the wealthy businessman served for years as the Illinois
Republican Party chairman.
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PLANS AND PROMISES
Bill Brady, a Republican candidate for governor, says the public
should know more about the state's debt and which bills are getting
paid. He proposes online posting of all bills the state receives
from businesses and contractors. Bills would also be paid in the
order they're received.
Brady says that would reduce the chance of any funny business
over who gets paid first.
Bad idea, says the state comptroller's office. The timing of some
payments is set by law, a Hynes aide said, and paying bills in the
order they're received would prevent targeting money at businesses
that need it most desperately.
SCOPING OUT WASHINGTON
Senate candidate David Hoffman met with a top adviser to
President Barack Obama to discuss the Democratic primary race for
Obama's old Senate seat.
Hoffman asked for the meeting with David Axelrod during a trip
that included talking to Democratic Party officials, said Hoffman
spokesman Thom Karmik. Fellow Democrat Alexi Giannoulias met with
Axelrod earlier this month.
So far, the White House is keeping its distance from the Senate
battle.
MONEY TALKS
Hoffman took some criticism following a report that the former
federal prosecutor hopes to collect campaign money from current
federal prosecutors. Hoffman invited former colleagues to a
fundraising event and said he expected word of the event to reach
some people who still work for the U.S. attorney in Chicago. He
suggested donations of $150.
Giannoulias called on Hoffman to cancel the fundraiser, saying it
looks bad to solicit money from lawyers who investigate corruption.
Hoffman rejected the criticism and called Giannoulias a hypocrite
for taking some PAC money after boasting that he wouldn't.
WHAT'S NEXT
Monday is the deadline for candidates to file their nominating
petitions. Ryan and McKenna say they plan to file then. One of them
could end up being listed last on the ballot, another position that
is thought to help bring in extra votes. Cheryle Jackson also may
file in the Senate race.
On Thursday, Republican candidates for governor are scheduled to
face off in a debate in Chicago.
[Associated Press;
By DEANNA BELLANDI and CHRISTOPHER WILLS]
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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