Voters face unhappy choice

Two in one day. This makes up for those last two days that I didn't post at all.

You know I've kind of been saying this on the blog for awhile. This article from the Tribune is just one way for me to just say, "Man I'm not the only one who feels this way."

I've followed the primary and there were some people there I liked better than others. For the last two years conservatives wanted to wrestle the IL GOP away from the "old guard" with seemingly little or no success. My discontent of Topinka stems not from the primary back in the Spring but from her brief term as IL GOP Chair. I'm still a little upset that (although it may not have been her doing she really didn't do much to settle this) they had forced the resignation of the original GOP nominee (Jack Ryan) for the US Senate seat now held by Barack Obama. As for the incumbent all you have to do is watch and read the news.

Here's some interesting information I ran across as far as the political climate of the State of Illinois...

Topinka is also struggling to take advantage of the discontent that independent voters display toward Blagojevich. The backing of independents is a requirement for Republicans in a state that has grown increasingly Democratic.
...
Blagojevich is viewed unfavorably by 56 percent of independent voters, an increase of 15 percentage points from a similar survey a month ago. While Blagojevich saw a drop in support among independents, Topinka did as well, and third-party candidate Whitney was the beneficiary.

Now the results are from a survey and here's one respondent who has an opinion of Topinka...

Poll respondent Joan MacLennan, 67, of Des Plaines, who calls herself an independent voter, said investigations of alleged corruption involving the current administration have lessened her opinion of the governor, while Topinka's shoot-from-the-hip statements in public have diminished her view of the state treasurer.

"The things she says, they just aren't very gubernatorial," MacLennan said. "And with Blagojevich, you have all these fraud investigations. I just have no idea what to do."

Well not to change the subject but I just want to point this out on another note. Topinka found her way into Glamor magazine as a local rising star. A former Republican governor of New Jersey had this to say about Topinka...

Christine Todd Whitman is quoted as saying this about Judy Baar Topinka, "She doesn't need on-the-job training; she already knows how to get things done."

If only she could get Illinois to feel the same way about her.