Can Mark Kirk Fight Off A Primary From Far Right Lunatic Joe Walsh?

Of all the Senate seats the Republicans have to defend in 2016, Illinois is probably the one they dread most. Mark Kirk is a weak candidate with an undistinguished, uninspiring record in a blue-leaning state. Although there are no party registration statistics available, recent elections gave the Democrats 40 seats in the Illinois state Senate to the GOP's 19 and 71 in the state House to the GOP's 47. Even after the Republican wave election last year, lllinois's congressional delegation consisted of 10 Democrats and 7 Republicans (of which 3 of the latter are considered extremely vulnerable in a presidential election year). In 2010, when Kirk won the seat, he beat a very weak Democrat, Alexi Giannoulias, 1,778,698 (48%) to 1,719,478 (46%). Obama beat McCain 3,419,348 (62%) to 2,031,179 (37%) and beat Romney 3,019,512 (58%) to 2,135,216 (41%). Illinois is expected to go very strongly for native daughter Hillary Clinton.

But things could get even worse for Illinois Republicans. Kirk is, essentially, a wishy-washy moderate. People don't hate him. And the Republican base doesn't love him. And he could lose a primary battle to one of Illinois's most extreme right, crazy politicians, former Congressman Joe Walsh. Walsh, now a WIND Hate Talk Radio host, served for one tumultuous term, amassed a bizarre extremist record and was maneuvered out of his seat by the GOP in favor of Randy Hultgren and forced to run against Tammy Duckworth, who beat him decisively in the open seat 54.7- 45.3%. He can't win a statewide general election in Illinois, but he could possibly beat a mainstream conservative like Kirk in a GOP primary, which, he says, is what he plans to do. He says he'll decide by early April. He's already insinuating Kirk isn't physically up to the job because he had a stroke in 2012 and now uses a wheelchair and a cane.



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