Illinois GOP Clearing Senate Field: McKenna Won't Run If Mark Kirk Does, Kirk Announcement 'Soon'

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Mark Kirk said Monday he expects to make an announcement about a run for statewide office soon - hours after the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party said he would stand down from a potential bid if Kirk runs for the Senate.

The announcement from party chairman Andrew McKenna greatly reduces the chances of a Republican primary battle. The GOP is hoping to launch a strong challenge for the Senate seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Roland Burris, who announced on Friday he would not run for a full-term.

"As party chairman my goal has been to build party unity," he 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."

National Republicans have long seen Kirk as their best recruit for a Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama. Kirk, though, has been slow to make a decision, saying several times that an announcement is eminent but failing to make a concrete statement.

That didn't change on Monday.

"I appreciate Andy McKenna's willingness to consider being a candidate for the U.S. Senate," Kirk said in a statement. "Andy and I share the common goal of ensuring Illinois has a Republican leader in the U.S. Senate.

"I will make an announcement about seeking statewide office soon." He didn't elaborate.

Democrats have dealt with their own recruiting merri-go-round in the race.

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Burris, who has never recovered from the taint surrounding his appointment by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, said on Friday he will not run for a full-term. Blagojevich faces multiple corruption charges for trying to sell a Senate seat to the highest bidder.

The former Illinois governor denies any wrongdoing, and Burris says he didn't do anything improper to get his appointment to the Senate.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan had been wooed by officials at the White House, among others, but decided last week she would not for Senate and instead would seek re-election. Her decision virtually insures a competitive primary for Democrats.

First-term state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Christopher Kennedy, a Chicago businessman and son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, and Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Jackson, are among those mulling bids.

-ASSOCIATED PRESS

McKenna's statement:

"As Party Chairman my goal has been to build Party unity. 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."

Comments

[earnestb]

since when, jsgaetano, is working to ensure that China continues to give loans to the US treason? and you also conveniently forget to mention that Kirk's co-chair, Larsen, a DEMOCRAT, agreed. Is there any law that says 'you can't give foreign countries an accurate picture of what is going on in the economy'? because if there is, lock up the media, lock up the president, lock up me! Because here's a news flash for you guys, the economy's in the cr@pper, and Obama has had no effect on it. We've spent more money than any of us could ever imagine to no foreseeable end, and any smart investor would stop investing right now. We've sent all of these high-profile dignitaries to China to try to persuade them to keep the american economy alive, and if we don't do whatever is necessary to get them to invest, you can look back to your history books to post WWI germany to get some financial advice.

[bosha]

You got to be kidding this the same bozo that told China not to trust America when it came to our books. It's mind numbing that the GOP has really displayed the true true racist side of themselves.

[jsgaetano]

I wonder how Kirk is going to spin his recent attempt at treason-
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/rep-mark-kirk-r-il-i-told-china-not-to-believe-us-budget-numbers.php

Doesn't really sound like something we need ANY government official doing. To say nothing of his actions being in outright violation of US laws. Not that a Republican would ever let a little thing like laws be a concern.

[VOTER]

Talk about having Campaign Problems before even beginning ..........­..........­.....

In 2009, Kirk VOTED AGAINST equal pay for women. He has lost women voters.

Kirk VOTE FOR the Federal Government intervention in the Terri Schiavo case.
He has lost Independent voters.

Kirk called all of Dan Seals supporters, "goons and crooks."
He lost 1 1/2 million voters right there.

And our former Governor and current Felon, George Ryan can't vote for his
good friend, Mark, so who is left?

[ebgill]

More than that, he call Seals supporters "goons and crooks from Chicago". It was part of an effort to convince his suburban supporters who are Chicago phobic (or more likely racist) that Seals was not one of them.

[VOTER]

Right.
I know. He is my Congressman. Is he your Congressman?
If so, you may want to check out Ellen's Blog in the 10th District.
She keeps on eye on Kirk all of the time and nails him for
his words and actions.

[pmc617]

Kirk is a Right wing nut like all the rest. He just knows that he has to vote for any environmental legislation that impacts Lake Michigan in his backyard. Pure political expediency. If he were in West Virginia or Tennessee, he'd be voting for 'Big Tobacco'. He's lived in Washington for decades and now wants to take a long-term lease there as a senator. Send him home, whereever that is.

[Ponderus]

Kennedy could crush Kirk, and I hope he does.

And: Kirk is the Charlie Crist of Illinois, but less liberal.

Open the closet, Marky, or somebody might open it for you.

[ebgill]

I've been following Mark Kirk's voting record for years. He is far from a moderate. He votes for anything that puts money in the pockets of the wealthiest and corporations that send jobs overseas. He thinks foodstamps are pork. He's against any spending except if it's for war and then he's all for it.

[DisagreeDisagreeably]

[[One of the messages I had -- because we need to build trust and confidence in our number one creditor," said kirk, "is that the budget numbers that the US government had put forward should not be believed.
The congress is actually gonna spend quite a bit more than what's in the budget, and the health-care bill probably being the lead driver of additional spending by the congress."]]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/rep-mark-kirk-r-il-i-told-china-not-to-believe-us-budget-numbers.php

Telling a foreign govt. not to trust our budget. "usa, usa, usa!"

[WhatTheHolyHeck]

This is terrible news for Illinois. Kirk is a master at misdirection, and has a large portion of his constituency convinced he's an "aisle-crosser" when he's in fact far, far closer to the right wing. With only a very few exceptions, he's voted in lockstep with the party every time.

His election in Illinois would be a tragedy, particularly for those who rely on honest representation. We've been very lucky to have someone as principled as Dick Durbin, and I'd hate to see his good work literally canceled out by Kirk's aggressive agenda of personal ambition.

[VOTER]

AP gets it wrong. AGAIN.

Mark Kirk is not a moderate Republican.

[Realist1965]

Well he did rubber stamp the ridiculous cap and trade bill. Must have been up all night reading through and interpreting the 1300 pages. As well as the 300+ page amendment. That's just the kind of mindless "follow the pack" mentality the Administration relishes. God forbid one actually does their job and reviews the proposed legislation and there is productive debate on its devastating effects to US competitiveness.

This one vote will likely preclude him from running. And boy do we have so much to be proud of in Illinois for the way the city of Chicago, Cook County, and state legislature is run these days. Tax increases, budget deficits, and union influenced corruption. Hey wait a minute, we also exported those to DC!

[ekoorb]

Where does that leave Alan Keyes?

[stagebandman]

In outer space, as usual.