Does Oberweis really want Kirk support? Or to put senator in place?

It always amazes me when political rivals publicly expect their opponents to support them following an election.

KIRK: Keeping quiet for party loyalty

Any public statements of support would be half-hearted, at best. Outright lies, more likely.

IF I HAD managed to win a political primary election against a challenger who was ideologically opposed to me, what I would most want is that opponent to keep his (or her) mouth shut during the following general election cycle.

Don’t keep harping on how much you don’t agree with me. Accept the fact that you lost the primary election, and gear up for the future election that you will seek to win.

That’s basically the attitude I have with regards to Republican Senate nominee James Oberweis and whether he should expect any support from incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., in his bid to defeat Illinois’ other U.S. senator, Richard Durbin, D-Ill., come the Nov. 4 election.

Now I know that, strictly speaking, Oberweis and Kirk don’t fit my theoretical scenario.

KIRK DIDN’T LOSE to Oberweis in the primary elections held last month. Doug Truax did, and he has withered away in the public eye. Nobody expects him to say or do anything publicly. If anything, it would be regarded as tacky if he tried to seize the public eye any longer during this particular election cycle.

But Kirk has managed to offend his political colleagues – first by saying he has developed a relationship with Durbin during the past few years and doesn’t want to jeopardize the work they’re trying to do on Capitol Hill on so many issues.

Traitor!!!! RINO!!!!

OBERWEIS: Doesn't want undermining

Since, he has said he will campaign a bit on behalf of Oberweis. Which has the same people who want to label Kirk questioning how sincere anything he could say on Oberweis’ behalf could be.

HE REALLY OUGHT to go out of his way to avoid anything involving the election cycle – and focus on being a senator, since his term runs for two more years.

For the fact is that Oberweis is the favorite candidate of the conservative ideologues who want a government that will reinforce their views on so many social issues.

While Kirk is the more moderate. He’s got a solid enough supportive attitude toward military issues and certain economic questions that he wouldn’t fit in with Democrats – and people who say he’s really a Democrat are just being nonsensical.

TOPINKA: The GOP big winner?

On those social issues, Kirk is more influenced by the fact that he’s a North Shore suburban resident (Highland Park, to be exact). He’s urban in his viewpoint, compared to the fact that the majority of Republican officials these days tend to reflect the rural perspective of our society.

I EXPECT KIRK will wind up trying to do as little as he possibly can – largely because the kind of people who are Kirk supporters are the kind who will have serious trouble coming around to vote for Oberweis.

They are the reason why serious Republican operatives are writing off the Senate seat from Illinois as un-winnable, and are focusing their political efforts on backing Bruce Rauner’s bid for governor.

Pat Quinn politically is more vulnerable than Dick Durbin. Although it’s very possible that the outcome of this year’s election cycle could be both Quinn and Durbin keeping their electoral offices for another term (four years for governor, six for senator) – with the GOP victory coming in the form of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka taking down Sheila Simon’s political aspirations.

People who think that Kirk could do anything to bolster Oberweis’ chances are merely dreaming. If he’s really the GOP loyalist that I believe he is, he’ll pipe down until Nov. 5 – then speak out all he wants!

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