July 17, 2004
60-40 FILES:
A gutsy woman for Senate (THOMAS ROESER, 7/17/04, Chicago Sun-Times)
[S]tate Republicans have an opportunity to consider a candidate eager to carry the GOP flag: Elizabeth Gorman, the Cook County commissioner from Orland Park. She's different from other GOP prospects: She has won an election and is governing. Refreshing, no?An Irish Catholic, pro-life conservative, Liz Gorman's a former Democrat who crossed over for Ronald Reagan and stayed to get elected to the Cook County Board, where she's in the thick of the fight to cut taxes and spending. She's a fireman's daughter, the only girl on Beverly's Little League team who hit a home run the first time at bat (and the only girl on a boys basketball team at Christ the King School). Gorman and her father toughed it out together when the Democrat precinct captain found out that independent-minded Liz was voting GOP. ''Control the votes that come out of your house or you'll be transferred,'' he growled. They called his bluff. Now 39 and gutsy, Gorman and her husband have three boys: Conor, Liam and Shane. With a degree in marketing from the college many Dem politicos go to, St. Mary's in Winona, Minn., Gorman started her own insurance agency, which she runs today.
All they need is a warm body and they can hold the seat. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 17, 2004 10:25 AM
Well, she sounds about as tough as Ditka, anyway.
Posted by: John at July 17, 2004 4:00 PMAll they need is a warm body and they can hold the seat.
Nope, sorry, this seat's a goner. Obama is the annointed one in the media. He has a substantial buzz factor and that's going to grow at the DNC -- he might be the only speaker there who makes some semblance of sense. Add to that the warchest, both financial and political. He's got 60% of the vote without blinking.
And add to that the fact that the Republicans are thoroughly disorganized and despondant. Few national Republicans will come to Illinois to campaign for Ms. Gorman, should she run. Few untainted state Republicans will open their wallets for her. "Big Jim" Thompson will plead a schedule conflict on the 911 commission. Jim Edgar will be fishing. And there's no one else around to help her.
What the Republicans are trying to do now is lose gracefully. They've already accomodated themselves to Obama, "Little Big Man" Rich Daley, "Sonny Boy" Blagoyovich, Speaker Mike Madigan and "Daddy's Girl" Lisa Madigan. The Republicans are and have been acting like losers ever since the cloud descended upon George Ryan.
Liz Gorman may be a likable, superb candidate, but if she's smart she'll pass on this one and prepare herself properly for a serious campaign somewhere down the line, either for the US House or for Illinois Secretary of State. She has plenty of time.
Posted by: Steve White at July 17, 2004 5:29 PMWoops, I commented on the wrong post! I just wanted to note that Jack Ryan was a warm body and he was heading for a butt kicking by Obama even before the scandal.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at July 17, 2004 6:17 PMSteve:
Doesn't matter. Black candidates running statewide are always vulnerable everywhere.
Posted by: oj at July 17, 2004 6:19 PMSteve/AOG - She should run anyway if Edger and Thompson won't. As a female Irish-Catholic former Democrat from Cook County she might give Obama a race. I frankly couldn't believe the polls showing Ryan way behind - they didn't make sense given Obama is a little known state senator. Perhaps Ryan was hindered by having the same name as the discredited former Governor. She may garner support from national GOPers if she campaigns well.
Posted by: AWW at July 17, 2004 6:58 PMThe IL pubbie party deserves it. Should have thrown over Ryan.
Time to get rid of the old guard.