Rebel Media: Mr. Schock, our state turns its lonely eyes to you

Rebel Media: Mr. Schock, our state turns its lonely eyes to you

6 months, 1 week ago by Bob Gough

Well, after yesterday’s funereal pall I see the sun is shining brightly today.

It might be because my bride of 20 years turns 29 again today (cheap pop) or that I am still stunned by the tremendous QHS performance of Hairspray last night (Go see it. Tickets remain for shows through Sunday 224-3774. The kids are all incredible, especially the birthday girl’s son).  

But there’s no way to spin yesterday’s results, primarily in Illinois. The Illinois GOP’s election results made President Obama’s Debate #1 performance look Socratic.

Was it a Herculean effort by the Illinois Democrats or was it Illinois Republicans putting like Greg Norman at The Masters?

Probably a little bit of both. The redistricting by the Democrats made it tougher, but the Republicans decided that when the going gets tough, the tough gets pizza.

Illinois used to crank out Republican governors with regularity and held its own in the Senate. Mike Madigan had the House, but the GOP had the other two. That was a fair fight.

But now Madigan and Cullerton have veto-proof majorities as the current Republican minority leaders, Sen. Christine Rodogno and Rep. Tom Cross, have squandered their base.

Throw in the fact that the GOP lost four Congressional seats in the state as well and it’s obvious that Rodogno, Cross and State GOP chair Pat Brady all have blood on their hands after the Tuesday night massacre.

The Tea Party base will say the state didn’t go far enough to the right. The old-line Percy/Thompson Illinois GOPers will say their sipping of the tea is what has cost their party.

It’s easy to see where 18th District Congressman Aaron Schock stands:

 “We have to run candidates who can compete in districts that are swing or Democratic seats. Don't offend moderate women and young people. We can't have candidates who say silly things.”

“If you know you’re a party that needs to win independent and Democratic voters, you can’t be so strident. You can’t just placate the base all the time, 'cause at the end of the day, if you just win Republicans in Illinois, you are going to lose on Election Day.”

Schock won a solidly red district with 74 percent of the vote Tuesday, but it’s pretty safe to say Schock would play well in a district that has some blue in it. With U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk still fighting back from a stroke, Schock appears to be ready to ascend as the face of the Illinois GOP. The rumors of a gubernatorial run grow stronger, but does Schock want to be in a fight with at least four other candidates or does he announce a run for the U.S. Senate and send Dick Durbin to retirement?

If Schock really does have the White House as his ultimate goal, then the Governor’s Mansion is on that path probably moreso than staying in Washington.

Schock has to save Illinois before he can save the country, but unless the GOP can win back some House and Senate seats in Springfield, then being the governor of Illinois means about as much as being the Queen of England.

So it appears Schock has to make saving the Illinois GOP his first step, because the other steps don’t happen without it.