A potential disaster in the IL Primary?

[liberalpragmatist]

IL primary had really low turnout, and tons of close races.

For the Senate seat, it looks like the frontrunner, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, will be the Democratic nominee. With about 10% of precincts still to report, he holds a 5 point lead over Inspector General David Hoffman. Personally, I worry about this one. Giannoulias appeared to be slightly more liberal than Hoffman, but Hoffman had the better resume and was squeaky clean. Giannoulias, though charismatic, is very young (33), and is a family banker - his family bank is under investigation for dodgy loans.

For the Governors race, it's a REALLY tight battle between the incumbent, Pat Quinn, and the challenger, State Comptroller Dan Hynes.

The Comptroller's race is extremely tight. The frontrunner had been a former Obama campaign aide, Raja Krishnamoorthi, but his name might do him in - he barely leads State Rep. David Miller.

The big potential disaster though is that the Lieutenant Governor's race looks like it's going to be won by an unknown PAWNSHOP owner, Scott Lee Cohen. The LG runs on a ticket with the governor, but I fear this could be a replay of the 1986 disaster, when the Lieutenant Governor and Treasurer nominations were won by LaRouchies, forcing the other statewide Democrats to bolt and form a separate ticket.

OTOH, the Republicans look like they've got a huge upset on their hands - their primary is a 3 way tie and a right-winger, Bill Brady, appears he *might* pulling an enormous upset over 3 establishment frontrunners.

He should be easier to beat by whoever wins on the Democratic side.

I just hope Giannoulias can win the Senate race.

UPDATE: Moderate Republican Kirk Dillard is now narrowly ahead. He would be difficult to beat, although if the teabaggers aren't excited about him, hopefully they won't turn out for the Senate race.

[mucifer]

1. I like Hoffman better than Giannoulias. What's great is that Preckwinkle won in a landslide

and toddler came in 4th place. That was funny! From my research Miller isn't bad. I'm pretty sure we are going to be stuck with senator mark kirk when all is said and done .

[alex456]

14. I like Giannoulias.

Yeah, he's young, but being state treasurer will be an asset in the campaign.

[saltpoint]

2. The SUN TIMES is reporting that Hoffman has conceded the Senate race

to Giannoulias.

http://www.suntimes.com/index.html

[mucifer]

3. yeah I'm a little bummed.

[sharesunited]

4. A pawnshop owner is a good judge of character, and knows the marketplace.

Quinn-Cohen looks ecumenical. I like it.

Duly noted that the LG candidate needs appropriate name exposure in the campaign ads for the top of the ticket. McKenna made sure to do this in the Republican race.

[KharmaTrain]

5. The Results Are Pretty Interesting...

The GOOP has a lot of work to do downstate...and even then it may not be enough to overcome the large Democratic city and now suburban vote.

In our precinct here in the burbs, more people took Democratic ballots...used to be the other way around. Demographics have changed and whomever the GOOP puts up is going to have to prove their not a "RINO"...you could see a lot of votes going to the Libertarian or sit home.

While I voted for Hoffman and sad he didn't make it. I'll support Giannoulis in the general...anything to beat that slimy Kirk. The good thing is the Democrats stand a good chance of picking up a House seat now.

[mucifer]

6. I'm worried about kirk. He won in a fairly liberal district with lies about himself being

a moderate when Seals should have flown in on Obama's coattails. I think kirk is a real danger. he knows how to market himself.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Moderate Will Hurt Him...

I know the 10th District well...spent the last two elections working with Dan Seals to try to get rid of this slimeball. Yep, he played "moderate", but that dog won't hunt with the "true believers" and great unhinged. I was hoping Andy Martin would have had a better showing, but if you look at the numbers, he only drew half the vote of Hoffman & Giannoulis. Even the talking heads on the teevee aren't too impressed. But the national corporate media is already trying to call him the new "Scott Brown"...talk about your 15 minutes.

While I have a lot of respect for Dan...he had a lot of problems in getting his message out...not enough money and, yes, Kirk outworked and marketed himself...but winning Highland Park won't fly in Rockford or DuPage County. I hope Dillard wins...those ads tying him to President Obama could hurt him as well. The teabaggers can't be too happy tonight.

[frazzled]

7. Well, we have 9 months to shore up his campaign

Not the 6 weeks between primary and general election that happened in Massachusetts.

I voted for David Hoffman (who, by the way, I felt actually had the more progressive stances). But I'm ready to get behind Giannoulias as of tonight. I wish he didn't look like he was 23, and I wish his family's bank wasn't under investigation. I also wish if he was going to win he would at least have won by a larger margin. Let's face it: more Democrats voted against him today than for him. That's not so encouraging.

But he's talented, and November's a long way off.

I think the worst thing we can do is get all negative about his chances so far away from a race. Anything can happen between now and then.


I'm still biting my nails about the Quinn-Hynes race: I can't believe it is 50-50 with 90% of the vote in.
The Republican governor's race is even worse: man ... this should be interesting come November.

[mucifer]

8. i think there might be some recounts going on.

Hopefully, it won't be like Franken and coleman (unless it's on the repub side)

:)

[frazzled]

9. Tell me about it--look at the Dem. Comptroller's race

With 94% counted:

Miller 354,494 46.2%

Krishnamoorthi 354,436 46.2%

How can this be? Exactly 46.2% each! (I voted for Krishnamoorthi).

[mucifer]

10. I voted for Miller I think they are both ok. I guess we cancelled each other out.

I had to think about that one for a while. Miller got some decent liberal endorsements.

[frazzled]

11. Heh, that's probably what happened

I'm sure they're both good. I don't really care on that one all that much. But the number of close races--in both parties--is kind of crazy. It's like a free for all. I can't quite figure out what it means.

[mucifer]

12. It means someone doesn't want us to sleep tonight.

[alex456]

15. Who actually likes Quinn?

Seriously. Blows my mind.

[ChicagoSuz219]

16. Do we have a Democratic nominee for Governor yet? n/t