I was reading this column from downstate Illinois just now...

And I must say it was an interesting one. I barely remember 1994 with Dawn Clark Netsch proposing a tax increase. I was in grammar school back then and a big issue that came up with my (I believe)union leader teacher was school funding. He often talked about how if those Republicans win, we the students will get screwed. They'll cut funding for schools.

Not only did the Republicans win the governorship (Netsch's proposed tax increases hurt her most likely), but they also won control of the general assemby for the next two years. And that meant that Michael J. Madigan became the Democratic minority leader in the Illinois House. I should mention one other thing with the Republicans in control of Springfield, the Chicago Public School came under the control of Mayor Daley back in 1995.

Well in any event thinking about the current gubernatorial contest got me thinking about another contest in another state, Minnesota. There was a three way race and somehow a man known as Jesse "The Body" Ventura seemed to have had a shot at winning the governor's race. He really stirred the pot in ways his mainstream opponents just couldn't. He won though it helped that he used to be a famous wrestler and radio show host.

I can't say too much about his performance as governor though, since I'm not a resident of Minnesota. However I really liked how he became governor. It was unconvential with the use of action figures, his campaign website was innovative for the times (1998), and he had a really funky campaign commercial. He ultimately won being one of the few independantly affiliated governors in the country.

Right now though we have two people in Illinois seeking to be governor and they only seem to know how to point the finger at their opponent. There doesn't seem to be too much that jumps out at me that say OK I'll vote for you. I mean what can I say?

Governor's race boils down to one name: Ryan from St. Louis Today. com