Giannoulias, Kirk declare victory in U.S. Senate primaries

[scandal 951]

Obama's former seat will be held by a newcomer next year. Which one, we don't know yet. But at least we now know that it will be either Giannoulias (D) or Kirk ®. Comparisons to the MA victory of Scott Brown are already being made. This will be a nationally watched campaign. The Governor's seat will be in play this year as well in Illinois.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_...eatresults.html

Giannoulias, Kirk declare victory in U.S. Senate primaries

Posted by John Chase at 7:08 p.m.; last updated at 10:17 p.m.

Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias declared victory tonight in the Democratic primary for President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.

The victory for the first-term son of a banking family sets up a nationally-watched November contest with Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, who easily won the GOP primary tonight.

Giannoulias addressed supporters at a downtown hotel.

“Tonight the voters of Illinois sent a message loud and clear. In the midst of this dreadful economic crisis, they wanted a senator who will limit Washington special interests and protect the jobs of everyday Illinois families,” he said.

Giannoulias' declaration came shortly after former Chicago inspector general David Hoffman conceded defeat.

"A short time ago, I called Alexi Giannoulias and I congratulated him on his victory and I offered him my full support," Hoffman said.

Earlier, Kirk declared victory on the Republican side. With 91 percent of the unofficial voted counted, Kirk had 57 percent with Hinsdale developer Patrick Hughes at 19 percent.The other candidates were in single-digits.

"The people of Illinois now see the arrogance of a one-party state," Kirk said. "And this election will show we will not surrender to their dangerous cynicism of low expectations. Because we are Americans and we can do anything."

Giannoulias scored 39 percent to 34 percent for Hoffman and 19 percent for former Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Jackson. That's with 91 percent of the unofficial vote counted.

The race has already drawn interest from both national parties that want to take advantage of a rare open Senate seat with besieged appointed U.S. Sen. Roland Burris not running for election.

Democrats want to hold onto their majority in the Senate and fear the embarrassment and symbolism that would come from losing the seat once held by Obama. Republicans are trying to ride what they’ve described as a wave of dissatisfaction with Obama’s leadership that has manifested itself in victories in New Jersey and Massachusetts.

[scandal 951]

i just LOVE the politics in this state. !!

No sooner do Democrats here finally have an election in which they can chuck out their old baggage, and elect fresh new faces after the scandals of Rod Blagojevich and Roland Burris .... then, what do we do?

We elect a candidate for Lieutenant Governor who has been arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend with a knife, who just happens to be a prostitute. And, his ex-wife has filed a restraining order against him. Now, he won't step aside despite calls for him to do so. Sounds just like Blago last year, refusing to step aside when being called on to do so.

What a bunch of maroons! I think I may well wind up voting Republican for Governor in November if this nonsense keeps up.

Major headache for Quinn, Democrats

Running mate with checkered past refuses to quit

February 4, 2010

Gov. Pat Quinn finally won the Democratic governor nomination Thursday, only to find himself trying to dump a running mate who has been accused of abusing women, failing to pay child support and spending lavishly on extramarital affairs.

While Quinn suggested that Scott Lee Cohen drop out for the good of the Democratic Party, the pawnbroker and political neophyte vowed to continue as a lieutenant governor candidate after voters nominated him Tuesday.

"My honesty and integrity in putting it out there is the best thing that could happen to the party," Cohen told the Tribune.

His ex-wife, Debra York-Cohen, appeared with him Thursday as part of a media blitz aimed at repairing his image. York-Cohen said she stood by allegations she made during the couple's divorce, but that Cohen's bad behavior took place when he was using steroids.

"It was a short period of time, and it's certainly not something that the people of Illinois need to be concerned with," York-Cohen said.

But new disclosures showed that even as Cohen was spending more than $2 million of his own money to run TV and radio ads for his campaign, his ex-wife in December was accusing him in court of being $54,000 behind in child support payments. Cohen and his ex-wife declined to discuss the ongoing case.

The latest details came after the Tribune reported Wednesday that police and court records from an October 2005 incident show that Cohen's then-girlfriend alleged he put a knife to her throat and pushed her head against a wall. Public records show that the woman, his 24-year-old girlfriend at the time, pleaded guilty to prostitution that same month.

The misdemeanor charges against Cohen were later dropped when the woman did not show up for court. Cohen also denied allegations he physically assaulted her and used a knife.

Cohen said Thursday he didn't know the woman was a prostitute and met her when he got a "straight massage" at the Eden Spa.

But a Glenview police report indicates his ex-girlfriend freely told an undercover officer posing as a massage customer that women there performed sex acts for money. The April 2005 report detailed a sexual act that Cohen's ex-girlfriend performed for $150, then told the undercover officer that the spa operator "is well-aware of what the girls are doing."

Fearful Cohen could drag down Illinois Democrats in the November election, Quinn said the candidate has "an obligation to step aside" if he can't suitably explain himself to voters — a sentiment echoed by other Democratic leaders.

Some top Democrats are giving Cohen room to maneuver as he weighs his options. That's partly out of necessity — there's no legal avenue for the party to remove Cohen as the lieutenant governor nominee.

So for now, they wait.

"We think there'll be enough political pressure placed on him, enough media pressure surrounding his past, that he will drop out," said one Chicago Democrat who spent more than 20 minutes Thursday with lawmakers discussing the Cohen issue.

For his part, Cohen left himself an out.

"If the people of Illinois decided they don't want me as their lieutenant governor, I would consider it at that point," Cohen said on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight." "Time will tell."

Still, Cohen maintained that his candidacy is "a strength for the party."

"I'm the guy that's going to help the governor to come up with these creative ways to bring in revenue," he said.

As Cohen sought to set the record straight, documents from his 2005 divorce case portrayed a troubled marriage. They show that York-Cohen accused him of abusive behavior, including choking her.

"Over the past year my husband has been taking injectable anabolic steroids, including but not limited to Winstrol, Creatine, and Steen, and as a result he has an erratic, explosive temper," York-Cohen said in a petition for an order of protection. She described rages at their children and his admission to several affairs, and alleged he tried to force himself on her sexually.

[I'm Gone 60]

Please president Obama go campaign for Giannoulias. LOL