He is by no means a shoe-in for the primary.

Kirk’s main problem is that he is viewed as too liberal. He needs some sort of conservative boost in order to overcome concerns among conservatives ahead of the primary.

Norwegian on November 4, 2009 at 6:11 PM

Because of his money and name recognition, and the near-anonymity of every conservative in the primary. There are, what, six conservatives running against him? They will totally fracture the vote. Eric Wallace just pulled out, which was smart. But if there is more than one choice for opposition to Kirk, Kirk will win the primary.

He’s already campaigning for the general election.

Palin is quite centrist on environmental issues — at the same time as she is for energy self-sufficiency, she’s never been for having her state bear the costs of sponging petrochemicals off their coastline or off rocks in the interior…

That said, I can see the issues with cap and trade, which is little more than an excuse to pad Al Gore’s pockets with a bit of loose change gleaned from the rest of us…

- The Cat

P.S. My guess is if the ‘someone’ gets that they could have Palin behind them, it may make them feel more comfortable in sticking their neck out.

P.P.S. Can you see the Palin Vs Jackson Op Eds?

Rep. Mark Kirk has written to Palin asking for her endorsement in the upcoming Senate race in Illinois for the seat now occupied by Democrat Roland Burris

Good luck with that.

I for one am ecstatic that the Teabaggers haven’t been deterred at all by Palin’s various failures over the past year.

Typhonsentra on November 4, 2009 at 3:16 PM

I, for one, am surprised at such a weak kneed attempt at trolling.
 
Listen up SCUMBAG. Mrs. Palin has failed at absolutely nothing in the past year!
You and AC360 can do whatever it is scum sucking libs do when you’re alone. I don’t want to know.

U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk asked a national Republican power broker to secure an endorsement by conservative former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin when she hits town later this month to appear on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," according to a memo o….

Bill Roper on November 4, 2009 at 5:26 PM

Your friend is a bonehead, if he thinks Kirk is conservative.
I’d rather have Giannoulias as a senator, than have Kirk in there, and not be able to rely on him. At least I know Alexi is a scumbag, and I don’t have to spend all my time wondering when Kirk is going to stab us in the back.

Disagreed. As I stated earlier, I think he wants to pick a fight with her in some weird attempt to gain liberal favor. I hope she simply ignores him, rather than give him what he wants.

Jaibones on November 4, 2009 at 5:15 PM

You are absolutely wrong. I broke my fax machine sending him letters of despisement. He got an earful hear in Illinois for that cap and trade crap. He KNOWS that if any real conservative challenges him in the primary, the tea-partiers will rally with the conservative and he will burn. He is running scared. I can hear him weeping from my house.

Gun stealer

No drilling, pro-ethanol, what a loser…

Love the ACORN rating of 33..
He even supported Defenders of Wildlife (score of 88).
So the man who supports no wolf hunting causes wants Palin’s endorsement?
Jeez, what douchebag. I am one of the Illinois tea-parties that WILL bring him down.

Disagreed. As I stated earlier, I think he wants to pick a fight with her in some weird attempt to gain liberal favor. I hope she simply ignores him, rather than give him what he wants.

Jaibones on November 4, 2009 at 5:15 PM

Why would he want to gain liberal favor, when he is facing a contentious GOP primary in less than 6 months? He is by no means a shoe-in for the primary.

Kirk’s main problem is that he is viewed as too liberal. He needs some sort of conservative boost in order to overcome concerns among conservatives ahead of the primary.

I actually agree with you. That idiot reporter is blinded by his own bias. Kirk is expressly asking for Palin not to endorse him. I do not agree with your assessment however, that Palin did not help Hoffman.

bloggless on November 4, 2009 at 3:23 PM

+10

Hoffman gained, what 22-25 points in the pols (and the actual election) after Sarah endorsed. This is the real life example of what it would have looked like if McCain had picked another squish, instead of Sarah as his running mate!

Remember she was good for about 16 points to Saxby Chambliss in Georgia.

All that said, I think that Kirk may be the best chance of getting this seat out of the hands of the Democrats. And when he’s not representing a relatively liberal lake shore district, he may prove to be a good bit more conservative than you’d expect. He’ll certainly be more conservative than whatever Democrat he’s running against.

As for the conservatives here who believe this little twerp is tolerable, good luck. He’s Arlen Specter without all the style.

Jaibones on November 4, 2009 at 5:15 PM

–The problem you have is that the Dems run very competitive races with the GOP in most of north/northwest/west suburban Chicago. Go back and look at the results for the last twelve years. Dumping Kirk for a more conservative candidate could cause a Dem win. These are not places where the GOP candidate generally has been winning with 60%+ of the vote, unlike in NY-23.

Thompson for GOP Chair.

Time for Steele to go under the bus.

i second.

Kirk obviously wants the Palin endorsement because he knows that if she endorses another GOP candiate in the primary he will be toast, just like Scozzafava.

He is already on thin ice with conservatives in IL, he was booed at recent apperance in DuPage.

Norwegian on November 4, 2009 at 3:40 PM

Disagreed. As I stated earlier, I think he wants to pick a fight with her in some weird attempt to gain liberal favor. I hope she simply ignores him, rather than give him what he wants.

As for the conservatives here who believe this little twerp is tolerable, good luck. He’s Arlen Specter without all the style.

This isn’t Florida. Rubio is the right guy for Florida, and Kirk is right for Illinois. This is how majorities are built.

brandozilla on November 4, 2009 at 2:32 PM

Are you an Illinois voter? I think WashJeff is, and some guy who is from Kirk’s district obviously is.

You’re all nuts. Kirk is unelectable, and the guy who says he’s “stong” on illegal immigration is simply lying:

Mark Kirk’s Career Grade
Reduce Enticement AMNESTIES for Illegal Immigration: F-
2001: Voted in favor of a four-month extension of the Section 245(i) amnesty Rep. Kirk voted to reward illegal immigrants with amnesty by voting in favor of a four-month extension of Section 245(i).
2002: Voted to reward illegal immigrants with the Section 245(i) amnesty Rep. Kirk voted for H RES 365, a four-month extension of Section 245(i), an amnesty for illegal aliens that rewards illegal immigrants with residency by allowing certain illegal aliens to pay a $1,000 fine, to apply for a green card in this country, and to stay without fear of deportation. H RES 365 passed by a vote of 275 to 137.
2006: Voted for temporary amnesty for certain Central Americans Rep. Kirk voted against the Tancredo Amendment to H.R. 5441, the fiscal year 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill. The Tancredo Amendment would prohibit funds appropriated by H.R. 5441 from being used to administer extensions of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) amnesty for Guatemalans, Hondurans, or Nicaraguans. The Tancredo Amendment failed by a vote of 134-284-1 on May 25, 2006
Total Increase Points: 42
Total Reduction Points: 0
SOURCE: Numbers USA

Kirk is a liberal and he will not get elected as a Republican. It’s NY-23 all over again.

Funny. If the candidate is winning … Palin’s endorsement doesn’t count, only others’. If the candidate lost, blame everything to Palin.

You’re actually making Palin as a GOP punchbag. Hits from both left and right.

Common guys. There’s always this thing called KARMA.

Now I understand why America is like this. We are all suffering from the results of our current biases and hatred.

Why can’t anyone accept his own fault, mistake and losses?

Just asking.

She’s the new Messiah.

Grow Fins on November 4, 2009 at 2:28 PM

Palin is great, but she isn’t a Messiah, although…she does know Him and isn’t ashamed of that. God bless her.

I appreciate him reaching out but damn it’s like asking a girl to go to bed with you without at least buying her dinner first.