A recent Russ Stewart column

Published apparently the day after the primary last week. To set it up there is a strategy a foot here in elected members of the General Assembly. Madigan wants to build up his membership and stick it to the Republicans. Jones wants to add to his super majority. Sadly the result will be knowing how Madigan feels about Blagojevich and Jones' alliance with the governor, there might be more gridlock in the state until it's time to elect a new governor.

Then I really like this portion of this column...

Unlike the Republicans, who have primary elections between candidates who compete to be the most politically orthodox, meaning socially and fiscally conservative, Madigan recruits and funds Democrats who are the most demographically electable, regardless of ideology.

You know who said a party has to be pure in order to be winners. At the same time I would think you'd still have core values to guide your principles. Still if your only principle is to win then I suppose who cares about how good your ideas are.

This paragraph got me thinking along those line. Still I'm sure there is a method to the madness of slating a good candidate to win in an area that you want to win in. Ah the great sport of politics.