Illinois DUers: Is there a candidate in the pipeline for Obama's seat.....

[marmar]

.... should he win the presidency?

[daninthemoon]

1. good question. isIllinois a state where the gov appoints a new

senator in these situations? is the gov a dem?

[danalytical]

2. And what about Biden's seat?

Wouldn't Biden's seat be open as well? That's two potential new senators.

[endthewar]

4. Some have suggested Beau Biden

but would need a holdover appointment while he is in Iraq.

[endthewar]

3. Yes and yes

There's tons of speculation, but Jesse Jackson Jr. seems to be a popular choice here.

[City Lights]

5. Here'a a recent blurb in the Sun-Times:

Sneed hears Barack Obama wants an African American to fill his U.S. Senate seat if he wins the presidency.

• • The upshot: U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. wants the spot.

• • Hmmmm. That places Gov. Blagojevich, who is charged with selecting Obama's replacement, in a tricky place.

• • To wit: Sneed hears Gov. Blago, who dismisses reports of a federal probe, wants to run for office again -- and believes replacing Barack with an African American is a smart political move. But he is being urged to select state Sen. Donne Trotter, a close friend of Obama mentor/Senate President Emil Jones, to fill the spot.

• • Another dilemma: Sneed is also told U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who is this/close to Obama and was a major Obama supporter from the get-go, is pitching to have state veteran affairs chief Tammy Duckworth fill Obama's spot, and had the ear of Gov. Blago until recently. Blago is also a big Duckworth fan.

What's a fella to do?
The Jackson dynasty ...

The big question? If Obama's Senate seat goes to U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., will Jackson endorse his wife, rising political star, Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th), to run for his congressional seat? Thus, the power couple could spend more quality time together?

• • Fire and Ire? Wouldn't this infuriate state Reps. Marlow Colvin and David Miller, who have waited their turn for a chance to move into Junior's seat if he were to step down?

Stay tuned.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sneed/1226714,CST-NWS-SNEED17.article

[torbird]

6. JJ Jr. is a bum

I'd prefer to see Lisa Madigan, AG, in Obama's seat, but she seems intent on getting into the governor's mansion. As for Jackson, Jr.: bleah. He's a machine stooge.

I'll take him, however, over Tammy Duckworth, a complete nothing as a politician. Her primary qualification to run for Congress a few years ago seemed to be that she lost her legs in Iraq -- a race, incidentally, where the state Democratic machine picked her over an actual resident of the district and strong-Democratic-challenger, Christine Cegelis.

So, Duckworth is #1, not a politician. #2, she did not live in the 5th congressional district. #3, she bumped Cegelis, who ran within 10 points of Henry Hyde and was eagerly anticipating another shot at him, off the ticket. This is Rahm Emmanuel's "leadership" at its finest, everyone!

So, long story short, appoint JJ, Jr. He's hung around long enough to get a shot. But let's not make IL look any more stupid and corrupt than it already does by elevating someone who couldn't even win election in her own right and who is a single-issue candidate.

I swear, the Democratic Party in Illinois is the shame of the nation. And I grew up in the South!

[TornadoTN]

7. I've heard Madigan is on the short list

A guy I work with is from Illinois and active in the party, he's said that Madigan is at the top of the list for a variety of reasons, some you mentioned.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

9. I have heard Jackson, Madigan, Duckworth and Schakowsky

I would love to see Madigan get it but the others would be okay by me.

[Critters2]

8. Yeah, but the Repugs REALLY hate Tammy,

because she's a vet and a Dem. That's worth something :)