The End Of The Roland Burris Era

Roland Burris has decided not to run for election to the US Senate from Illinois. Also, from his jail cell, Charles Manson has passed on a Congressional run. And that guy who accidentally caught the ball to ruin the Cubs' World Series chances is begging off a run for Alderman of Wrigleyville.

All of these announcements have about the same element of surprise. Burris raised $845 in the first quarter of the year, and the rumor was that the second quarter wouldn't be much better. He'll go down in history as one of the oddest characters to wind up in the world's most deliberative body (by the way, they can be less deliberative, we won't mind).

So who will take his place in the Obama seat in the Senate? Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who would have been a lock, passed on the race, and moments later, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk jumped in. Kirk represents a moderate district and some in Illinois think he would be formidable for either State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias or Kennedy spawn Chris Kennedy. This could be a tough race for the Democrats, but Giannoulias' ties to the Obama Administration can hopefully help get him across the line.

I'll tell you, the news has not been hopeful for Democratic Senate races lately. Obviously there's lots of time and it'll all depend on the economy, but considering the state of the Republican Party and the number of seats the GOP has to defend, this cycle is starting to look like an opportunity lost.

$845

I've decided, in the interest of doing less better, to stay mostly out of the nitty-gritty electoral politics arena, mainly because there are others doing that better than I ever could. But this is worth mentioning.

U.S. Senator Roland Burris, the controversial appointee to the seat once held by President Barack Obama, is holding his first campaign fundraiser since he took office this weekend—and the financial report he filed this week shows he could use some political donations.

Burris campaign officials on Thursday released a report showing the new senator raised only $845 from January through March and had $111,032 in debts from defending himself in ongoing ethics and perjury probes and travel.

I think I have inadvertently raised $845 for my future elections, and I'm not running for anything.

By contrast, Alexi Giannoulias, who is going to beat Burris' tail in the primary, raised $1.1 million in the same quarter.

$845.

C'mon Roland, TRY.

In other fun Illinois news, Mark Kirk, who could be the "moderate" counterpart on the Republican side in this Senate race, just called for the shooting of the Illinois Governor. And I actually do believe this qualifies as a moderate in the modern Republican Party. At least he didn't call for shooting Obama!

Senate Campaign News!

Yes, with around 650 days until the next election, there's no reason not to do a roundup of Senate campaign news!!!

• KY-Sen: Dan Mongiardo, the Lieutenant Governor who nearly knocked off Jim Bunning in 2004, will seek the seat again in 2010. Bunning, who compared Mongiardo to Saddam Hussein in 2004 because he has olive skin, is being begged to retire by the GOP leadership and can't raise any money. I think Mongiardo would beat him pretty badly, but we'll see if Bunning takes the hint.

• IL-Sen: Roland Burris, who by the way is responsible for Barack Obama's Presidency, should draw a primary challenge in 2010, and the opponent could be an Obama ally:

One of President Obama’s close friends and basketball buddies is considering a campaign against Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) in the Democratic primary.

Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is holding conversations with leading Illinois Democrats in preparation for a possible candidacy, according to a Democratic operative familiar with his decision-making process.

“He’s been talking to a lot of Democrats in Illinois who believe that this seat is gone is if Burris is the nominee. If it’s Mark Kirk or a rich Republican, we’ve got to hold this seat. That’s enough to encourage him to take a very serious look,” said the operative.

At 32, Giannoulias has been on the fast track in Illinois politics since leaving his job as a bank vice president to run for state treasurer in 2006. Inspired by Obama’s Senate campaign, he ran against the Democratic candidate backed by the party establishment and, aided by Obama’s endorsement, prevailed.

Burris and really all of these Senate appointees should get a primary challenge. If they're worthy of representing the people of their state they ought to earn it.

• CO-Sen: Interesting profile on Michael Bennet, the youngest member of the Senate who's been sleeping at his mom's house while setting up shop in Washington. He's kind of a blank slate, and I hope he gets a primary challenge as well, but something tells me that this guy can weather the uncertainty. Universally the reaction to him is that he's smart, which is something you don't hear about many Senators and which may just be enough.

...Colorado's Attorney General John Suthers, the only statewide office holder in the Rocky Mountain State, just declined the option of running against Bennet in 2010. That'll make it easier both for Bennet to win or for a Democratic challenger to primary him.