The Illinois Republican Party

I am very upset today with the Illinois Republican Party. As many of you have probably guessed, I am a registered Republican. When I voted this morning I came away very disappointed. Illinois is a state dominated by Democrats with strong ties to labor unions. I understand that electing a Republican Senator or Congressional Representative is a hard sell sometimes. But, I don't think the Illinois Republican Party is even trying.

1. Our Republican primary Senate candidate dropped out of the race after he won the primary election due to his soon to be ex-wife accusing him of pressuring her to have public sexual encounters. Did we replace him with the candidate who came in second place? No, we replaced him with Alan Keys, who is from Maryland. I ranted and raved over New York electing Hilary Clinton as their Senator when she didn't live in New York, and in the same light I think it was wrong for the Illinois Republican Party to select someone from outside our state as its candidate. I voiced my opinion by voting for Barak O'Bama, the Democrat candidate for the Senate. I don't think the Illinois Republican Party gave me an alternative.

2. I was even more upset when on about half of the lines on the ballot the Democrat candidate was running unopposed. That is stupid. I had no alternative and I don't like the fact that my party didn't give me a legitimate choice. And, the ones that were on the ballot weren't highly publicized. Erin Zweigert was running agains the incumbent long-term Congressman Jerry Costello. She is a great candidate, but I don't think many people have heard of her. We have got to do a better job.

My answer? Rather than abandon the Republican party I will make a commitment to it. In some form or another I will be on the ballot when we vote in 2006 (the next time we elect our Illinois and US Congressional Representatives). We have to give the voters of Illinois a choice.