|
 Kirk, a Republican congressman and the GOP candidate, said on Monday
that once the national attention is focused on Illinois, the race
for U.S. Senate will become much hotter.
Kirk made the comments during a Springfield appearance at an event
hosted by the Illinois Policy Institute.
He offered the prediction as part of his explanation as to why he
and Giannoulias are still in a such tight race, while Republican
challenger Bill Brady has been able to pull away from Gov. Pat Quinn
in the race for governor.
Kirk added that voters understand the mess at the Illinois
Statehouse, but he doesn't think they have the same knowledge about
the race for Senate.
"I think the contest for the Senate is much hotter, because you have
national, outside groups that are very interested in this. (And) I
think the importance of this race has not been well understood,"
said Kirk.
A federal court ruled in July that Illinois must hold two elections
for the U.S. Senate this November. Voters will choose a permanent
replacement for Roland Burris -- someone to serve six years. But
voters will also choose an immediate replacement -- someone to serve
six weeks between November and January.
Kirk said the temporary election will soon bring a lot of attention
to the race.
"We're the only state in the country that will specifically elect a
junior senator to serve in the lame-duck session in Congress. ...
The national media has missed the potential that Illinois could send
a senator that could be the 42nd Republican."
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A Giannoulias campaign spokesman said it's not that voters or anyone
else is not paying attention to the race for U.S. Senate, but rather that people
are paying attention and don't like what they've seen from Kirk.
"Voters are smart enough to realize that Congressman Kirk's abysmal
record of supporting the failed reckless economic policies of the past will not
earn him a new job in November. People are tired of typical career politicians
who have lied to them over and over and then turned their back on them," said
Scott Burnham with the Giannoulias campaign.
But it's not just national attention that Kirk is expecting to
descend on Illinois. He said voters will soon hear a lot of campaign
ads from those national outside groups.
Kirk tried to stay away from a potential controversy surrounding a
soon-to-be aired TV commercial from American Crossroads, a group
that is affiliated with Republican Karl Rove. Giannoulias called a
press conference to demonize the ad. Kirk said he's not yet seen the
ad, so he declined to talk about it.
Kirk said more ads could be on the way.
"There are so many outside parties that will attempt to come into
the state, it's very likely that a large part of the voice in the
election will not be (mine or Giannoulias'). It's just the First
Amendment on display."
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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