While I received earlier notice, CapitolFax has a good rundown on the Grover Norquist visit with Illinois State Senator and Minority Whip Peter Roskam. Roskam clearly has the money and the right wing support in the upcoming GOP primary for Congressional District 6 (Henry Hyde’s seat). The only question I have for the GOP primary, thus far, is by running hard right on social issues, as well as ducking a recent vote on Social Security (see highlighted text) that Citizen Action Illinois called him on - does Roskam open enough space in the GOP primary for former DuPage Recorder of Deeds J.P. “Rick” Carney to make a serious run (assuming he gets it together and has money)? At this point I suspect not. While State Senator Carole Pankau actually voted in support of Bush Administration Social Security private accounts in the vote Roskam avoided, her money issues and lesser GOP institutional support probably don’t give her enough of the conservative support to win.
The other question is what happens to Roskam in the general election when he’s run this hard to the right? I suspect he has real problems - and if ducking a Social Security vote is considered “moderate” or something you can take a pass on in the right-wing dominated GOP primaries - it is more problematic in the general election.
Post a Comment