Kirk & Giannoulias Deadlocked in Illinois

After months of gaffes by both campaigns, Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias are stuck in a dead heat in Illinois Senate race.

For many months now, Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias have been doing their best to hand victory to their opponent via an almost laughable array of follies made on both sides.  In those months, much has been written, much has been said, and much has been spent.  Not much, however, has changed.  A new “We Ask America” poll puts Kirk right where he started….up 38.65% to 36.32% over Alexi Giannoulais.  With the margin of error at +/- 2.64%, the race is basically a dead heat.  The poll shows that that an astonishing 19% of voters remain undecided even though we are now only months away from the moment of truth at the polls.

That so many voters remain bumfuzzled as to whom they will cast their vote for speaks to the incompetence of both campaigns, but also clearly favors Kirk.  Not only are we talking about an election year in which Democrats are the boys and girls in power, but Kirk also has a strong independent appeal and lots and lots of cash to get the message out.  Furthermore, as the poll points out, the race seems likely to come down to who wins suburban Cook County.  If loads of cash, an unpopular Democratic majority, and a very solid moderate record doesn’t sway the Cook suburbanites this cycle, then Mark Kirk and the Republicans don’t deserve the seat.

This race should be a blowout.  It obviously isn’t.  But Republicans must win this seat.  Wherever Senator Cornyn and the RNC people are, send your best political strategists to Illinois right now.  Mark Kirk has a lot of cash to spend and legitimately positive traits to sell.  From day one, the campaign has failed to sell a very appealing candidate.  The Republican Party needs to get some people down there to fix that and Mark Kirk should be the next senator from Illinois.  End of story.  Get it done.

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