Cap'n Kirk Reporting for Duty

On Monday, Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) ended months of speculation over whether or not he would seek a promotion from the House seat he has held for five terms to the lofty confines of the stately Senate. Before entering the race, Kirk waited for the field to clear and yield a legitimate shot for a moderate Republican to steal the seat held previously by President Obama.

Kirk's upsides are many. He won election and re-election in a Democratic-leaning north suburban district of Chicago that was carried by Gore in 2000, Kerry in 2004, and Obama in 2008. Last November, he claimed victory with 53% of the vote while Obama drew 61% atop the ticket.

He is also a formidable fundraiser, generating $5 million in the last cycle (a rough one for his fellow Republicans) with little help from the national party, while facing a deluge of negative advertising from his opponent, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and 527 groups to the tune of $7 million. In the current cycle, he has raised $1.2 million for his House seat that is immediately transferable to the Senate race. This figure is only slightly behind the take of his probable Democratic opponent, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias ($1.6M). Kirk predicts that both sides will need to raise up to $20 million by Election Day next November.

The state and national Republican delegation has already coalesced behind Kirk. This includes former Illinois Governors Edgar and Thompson, current State Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, Illinois House Leader Tom Cross, National Committeeman Pat Brady, and U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and John McCain. He will face token opposition from retired downstate Judge Don Lowery and Matteson publisher Eric Wallace, among others, but the February primary promises to be little more than a coronation.

This gets to the crux of the story. Kirk is a moderate Republican with a socially-moderate-to-liberal voting record. Co-chair of the centrist Tuesday Group, he is pro-choice, pro-gun control, and even in favor of federal hate crime protections for homosexuals. While Kirk has consistently opposed President Obama's economic policies since January, he did stand as one of eight Republicans, and the only in the Midwest, to vote in favor of the House cap and trade legislation to regulate climate emissions.

His defense rests on the notion that the legislation will reduce domestic dependence on foreign oil, yet conservatives consider it anathema to their cause, claiming the legislation would unleash the largest across-the-board tax increase in history. Given that 60 Democrats defected in the 219-212 vote, the bill was doomed had Republicans held the fort. Kirk and seven others seeped through the cracks, and the legislation now stands before a weary Senate with President Obama eager to offer his signature.

Conservatives have since labeled him with the moniker "Cap'n Kirk," a play off of his distinguished service as a U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer as recent as 2008 in Afghanistan. The red meat portion of the Republican Party base is not known for its short memory, and Kirk must find a way to assuage their concerns in a primary season typically dominated by ideologues on each respective side of the aisle.

Assuming that Kirk survives, he has a betting chance to wrestle away a Senate seat in a purple state that has trended blue since 1998. By positioning himself as a centrist in tune with state voters' values and removed from the scandalous Blagojevich years, Kirk becomes the antidote to candidates either tied to the disgraced governor, the pay-to-play culture that cripples the state.

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Comments

[skeptical1]

Being a royal from Kenilworth is reason enough for all good monarchists in the republiclown party to support Kirk. My question is will he represent his constituents or naval intelligence if he gets to the Senate? Just asking.

[BrianShields25]

I want to hear Kirk's stance on healthcare and his explanation for his vote on the Terry Schiavo matter.

I don't understand how the GOP can say it wants to keep government out of healthcare decisions and then try to reconcile the most ludicrous example of government intervention in a family's personal medical decisions.

[vamosrapidamente]

Once we finally get rid of the tainted Burris from the senate, Illinois needs a strong senate voice. I think we all must take a moment to address that exact question; how exactly can a US senator clean the State of Illinois? The answer is not a simple one.

The solution is complex, long, and will require commitments by both parties and throughout the entangled web of bureaucracy. To take the first step, we need a leader who is focused on solving the problem; from listening to Mark Kirk's announcement speech for US Senate, all of Illinois now should know that cleaning up Illinois is one of his top priorities. So that becomes the first step, having a clean leader who believes in the importance of cleaning up the Illinois system. He has shown from his past voting in the House that he has set up incentives for those who stay clean and harsh punishments such as eliminating pensions for the corrupt leaders. But being a senator and a leader will only enhance Kirk's ability to allow him to have more power over seeking out the bad apples, destroying them, and in their place planting the seeds for a new governmental system, one that puts a premium on honesty and integrity.

[Maxiesid]

After the last eight years, and the last six months I am confused as to why any thinking American would vote for a Republican under any circumstances whatsoever. If you look at their record just over the past six months, it is clear that they have absolutely no credibility left. They are the party of NO just exactly as they are being described, and it doesn't matter if you describe them as 'moderate' or if you explain that they have voted for 'liberal' issues, they still march in lockstep with each other trying to derail any progress this country is making. They don't care that the government that was voted into office is working to trying to avoid the disaster that the GOP worked on long and hard for eight years to produce, if it isn't making money for them or their 'base' then they will try to stop it. Trust me, labeling him Cap'n Kirk is ridiculous. Sorry, that's the wrong movie.. .you are talking about someone that is part of the Empire that has served Darth and the Evil Emperor for far too long to try to switch stories now.

[Lakeview Greg]

Actually, crackpot Kirk is a bit of a wingnut. He is also divorced. This is Illinois, and we do love a good, messy scandal. So if his divorce was messy, we will find out. This does cross party lines. Just look to the 2004 Senate campaign..­..both parties lost their leading candidates at the time due to marital problems.

[swebs]

Considering his ex-wife was at the announcement and he made the statement that the divorce records are already public, it would be quite a stretch to assume that his divorce is going to be a factor here.

[Lakeview Greg]

I did not assume. Didja notice the "if?"

I assume you did not.

:)