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| WALKER: Looking to Land of Lincoln? |
Which
makes me wonder if Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has hopes that his own
presidential dreams in next year’s election cycle will gain some support from
Republicans in neighboring Illinois.
WALKER
IS IN the Chicago area on Thursday, making appearances at a pair of
fundraisers. One of which will be at the Peninsula Hotel – giving it the
potential to attract the extremely-wealthy amongst us who can afford to pay
several thousands of dollars for tickets.
Those
who can’t quite afford that (but will still pay a bit more than pocket change)
can support Walker at Carlucci’s Restaurant in suburban Downers Grove – where the
state Republican Party can still cough up GOP votes in significance.
But
how much of a difference will it make?
Despite
the partisan split that currently exists, the Democratic Party structures in
Illinois are stronger than those of the one-time Party of Lincoln.
GOV.
BRUCE RAUNER may be using his personal wealth to prop up the Republican Party
because he wants stronger caucuses to vote in his favor on his pet issues
(particularly all those anti-labor union measures he desires). Whether he’s
willing to prop up a Walker campaign financially is a different matter.
Although
you have to admit that Walker is probably the governor that Rauner wishes he
could be! He could use a political ally, someone with some muscle to fight back
against the “might” of Michael Madigan.
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| RAUNER: Needs a partisan ally |
Walker
gained his national reputation when he took on organized labor in his own state
and managed to undermine the unions. Just like Rauner wishes he could be.
Now
this isn’t support for Walker. I know plenty of Wisconsinites who are appalled
at their inability to undermine his partisan fight. If I lived in the land
north of Rockford, I’d probably be one of his opponents.
I’M
SURE THEIR Illinois counterparts are among the ones quietly cheering on the
Illinois House speaker as he thwarts the efforts of Rauner to impose his
partisan agenda to benefit the financial bottom lines of his corporate-type
allies.
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| DURKIN: Allied to Rauner and Walker |
Which
could make a Walker win in Illinois some sort of political blow to the people
who are preventing him from being able to easily achieve his desires in our
home state
How
strong is the Walker campaign in Illinois? Probably about as much as any other
campaign amongst the nearly dozen-and-a-half Republican presidential
fantasizers! Except maybe former Texas Gov. Rick Perry – who already has
stopped paying his campaign staff because he can’t afford to.
All
those people who claim real estate developer Donald Trump is kicking butt are
downplaying the fact that three-quarters of Republican partisans who have been
polled want somebody (anybody) else to be their party’s presidential nominee.
THIS
IS A political free-for-all. Who’s to say who will be at the head of the
Republican pack come the March primary in Illinois?
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| Wis. vs. Ill. usually competitors, not allies |
Walker,
however, does have a state chairman in the form of James Durkin – the Illinois
House minority leader and the theoretical GOP counterpart to Madigan. Walker
may be the closest Illinois Republicans have to a “favorite son” in this
election cycle.
Although
whether that is enough to win is questionable. Walker’s anti-union stances have
enough support amongst the hard-core GOP partisans that those voters may
actually give the Wisconsin governor a few minutes of consideration.
Whether
he could get the backing of the people who want an ideological stance on the
social issues (abortion, gay marriage, etc.) is less certain. For the same
reasons that Rauner isn’t “cleaning house” with ease in Illinois – sensible people
see through the partisan rhetoric, just like they may with Walker as well.
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