Forgive my morbid fascination with the plight of Illinois’ Republicans, but it’s just too interesting to ignore.
Nearly a month after Jack Ryan quit the Senate race in the midst of a sex scandal, Dem Barack Obama is still without a GOP challenger. It sounds as though the upcoming debates may be awfully boring — organizers will only need one podium.
On the other hand, there is a Republican candidate with lots of money, high name recognition, and unlike virtually everyone else in the state’s GOP apparatus, a desire to actually run against Obama. His name is Jack Ryan.
Oddly enough, four weeks after withdrawing, Ryan still hasn’t taken his name off the ballot — and the state GOP is starting to sweat.
Jack Ryan, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Illinois, has yet to fulfill his promise last month to forfeit his spot on the ballot, and it’s making his state party nervous.
Mr. Ryan has become an official thorn in the side of the party because no new candidate can be named until he submits the withdrawal paperwork, a one-sheet form that goes to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Apparently, Republicans in Illinois, who no longer have the option of a statewide primary, have formed a 19-member panel to choose a new candidate. Panelists are arguing that Ryan’s foot-dragging is holding up the process. That may be true, but there may be a rational explanation for all of this.
Another top party official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Mr. Ryan made his promise to get out of the race June 25, and wonders why the 44-year-old former investment banker has failed to follow through.
“All he has to do is take five minutes to fill out a form to officially drop out. What’s he waiting for?”
That’s a good question. For now, Ryan and his aides still have no real answer, other than to say he’ll get around to filling out the one-page document “when he gets the time.”
I’m more convinced then ever that this guy still wants to be the GOP candidate and is planning a comeback campaign. It won’t work, of course, but realistically, who else do the Illinois Republicans have?