Can Mark Kirk Fight Off A Primary From Far Right Lunatic Joe Walsh?

[TexasTowelie]

Of all the Senate seats the Republicans have to defend in 2016, Illinois is probably the one they dread most. Mark Kirk is a weak candidate with an undistinguished, uninspiring record in a blue-leaning state. Although there are no party registration statistics available, recent elections gave the Democrats 40 seats in the Illinois state Senate to the GOP's 19 and 71 in the state House to the GOP's 47. Even after the Republican wave election last year, lllinois's congressional delegation consisted of 10 Democrats and 7 Republicans (of which 3 of the latter are considered extremely vulnerable in a presidential election year). In 2010, when Kirk won the seat, he beat a very weak Democrat, Alexi Giannoulias, 1,778,698 (48%) to 1,719,478 (46%). Obama beat McCain 3,419,348 (62%) to 2,031,179 (37%) and beat Romney 3,019,512 (58%) to 2,135,216 (41%). Illinois is expected to go very strongly for native daughter Hillary Clinton.

But things could get even worse for Illinois Republicans. Kirk is, essentially, a wishy-washy moderate. People don't hate him. And the Republican base doesn't love him. And he could lose a primary battle to one of Illinois's most extreme right, crazy politicians, former Congressman Joe Walsh. Walsh, now a WIND Hate Talk Radio host, served for one tumultuous term, amassed a bizarre extremist record and was maneuvered out of his seat by the GOP in favor of Randy Hultgren and forced to run against Tammy Duckworth, who beat him decisively in the open seat 54.7- 45.3%. He can't win a statewide general election in Illinois, but he could possibly beat a mainstream conservative like Kirk in a GOP primary, which, he says, is what he plans to do. He says he'll decide by early April. He's already insinuating Kirk isn't physically up to the job because he had a stroke in 2012 and now uses a wheelchair and a cane.

“I think that myself and any Republican voter in this state has questions about Sen. Kirk’s health, similar to if he were running a business and we’d want to know that he’s in condition to run that business,” Walsh said.

“...I think it’s up to him to provide whatever medical information he needs to provide to show that he’s capable of doing this job, that’s all.”

Read more: http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2015/02/can-mark-kirk-fight-off-primary-from.html

[Kalidurga]

1. Joe Walsh and his ilk are toxic.

If enough of them get elected the GOP is dead. So...I dunno I hate to see the better man lose, but on the other hand I hate to see a healthy GOP.

[Warpy]

2. He's toxic, all right, but not to the GOP

He's toxic to the country. I hope his rotten deadbeat ass gets thrown back out in the cold.

[Kalidurga]

4. I guess one man's poison and all that

I hope he gets thrown out on his keister too. I just don't get how this party of "family values" keeps electing deadbeats and criminals.

[3catwoman3]

3. Walsh is a crass, coarse...

...blowhard.

[JeffHead]

5. Tammy Duckworth may have something to say about this. ..

She has expressed interest in running for this seat and I think she will beat either one of these two lunatics. Stroked out Mark Kirk or tea party freak orJoe Walsh doesn't matter.

[ColesCountyDem]

6. It won't matter.

A GOP primary fight will be akin to fighting over the arrangement of the Titanic's deck chairs. The last time I checked, Las Vegas bookies were giving 11:1 odds that our party will take back the seat in 2016.

[truebrit71]

7. I fucking hope so....

....because Kirk is a climate change-denying waste of air, and Joe Walsh is a walking, talking sack of shit....(but i'd love to see the primary fight)...

[ColesCountyDem]

8. Tip O'Neill was right about all politics being local.

Kirk managed to take advantage of a Democratic 'prefect storm' and win narrowly. It won't happen again, trust me.

[murielm99]

9. Let them wear each other out

with a primary fight. We can keep it front and center that Kirk signed the traitor letter, and Walsh does not pay his child support. Then, Tammy Duckworth can step in and win.

[Stellar]

10. Mark may not be as nutty as Joe...

but still, Mark is two bricks short of a load himself.