IF Boland chooses not to run...
... who would likely run for his seat?
Alert Dopester Dissenter posed this lively and pertinent question in another thread below (about the sham "big political news" that a commenter said would happen that didn't. The Dope apologizes for being mislead.) and it deserves it's own topic.
The subject has drawn some very interesting and thoughtful comment, so here's your place to speculate, name names, and offer your views of who would be the best candidate and why.
So far, Dennis Ahern, Porter McNeil, and Tom Benson have been named as potential candidates, as well as the euphoniously named Tony McCombie, a realtor from the Savanna area.
Another commenter speculated that the question is moot, as Boland isn't going anywhere and will run for his seat again.
And it seems to be the time for The Dope to issue this statement in advance of the inevitable calls for his candidacy: If nominated, I will not run, (a decent campaign) and if elected, I will not serve. (very well)
Previous commenters, feel free to restate and expand on your views here.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 3/04/2005
31 comments
31 Comments:
Who is Tom Benson? I haven't heard of him before.
Neither has The Dope. Anyone out there who could provide any background?
Tom Benson lives in Rock Island, he would have to move. Very doubtful he could beat Ahern or McNeil. Look for one of those two to support the other, I hear they are friends. Either way they are good candidates. Anyone from Savanna suffers due to population. Me thinks Boland does not jump.
As far as I know, he's a Rock Island attorney. Why is he listed for the 71st District if he lives in Rock Island? Dope, what's up?
And quite frankly, what a waste of time asking this question. Seriously. Mike Boland isn't going to announce anything until July, and everyone in Spfld is now saying he's running for his House seat.
Methinks this is a bunch of wasted blog space.
The more salient questions should be: who is going to win on the recounts for EM Mayor? EM Ward 1 recount?
You all are missing the key ingredient: an appointment.
The Jacobs family just proved to the QC's how to do it. If, and it's a very big if, Rep. Boland ever decides to leave his seat he'll very likely have his daughter or son-in-law appointed.
Come on, man, this is the QC royalty program. No one else has a chance.
QCT has been snooping around Mike Jacobs and Boland for a while now and there may be something interesting Sunday
snooping? interesting reporting from the times? more dope for the DOPE! I, like the Dope, have baited breath. I mean I will be waiting with baited breath.
re Anonymous (really people, at least click on "Other" and type in a made up name. It's not that tough)
The fact that it's so far away from any anouncment either way from Boland and so far out from the primary are the reasons The Dope hasn't posted this topic before now.
But at least Ahern has been actively soliticiting support for this presently non-existant race. So I suppose it's only natural to speculate.
Well, life is like a box of uncounted absentee ballots, you never know who you're gonna get.
My vote is with McNeil for State Rep.
He's got the experience!
Ahern may have been campaigning the past two years, and maybe more (and he's a fine guy from what I hear), but he's not the only one who been working the political network. McNeil started in the early nineties and hasn't stopped.
well dope i'm so glad to see that we have so much energy being spent on what seems to be months of ongoing speculation. but hey since we are on the subject here are my views-boland will not run if logic wins over ego-stands to lose to much if he doesn't survive a primary. if ego does win and boland's seat opens you will have several look at the position but my bet in the end it will be at the very least ahern and lack benson doesn't have the right stuff.
Thanks for getting me involved in speculation for the 71st District. I am a proud lifelong resident of the 72nd District and have a fine State Rep. in Pat Verschoore. Porter McNeil knows his stuff and would be a great asset to the Quad Cities if he became the next State Rep. from the 71st District. It's OK to say that Mike Boland has done good things for his district. It is also healthy for our democracy to bring in new ideas and a fresh approach. Mike Boland has been a member of the legislature that has not been able to bring a long term solution to our deficit problem. I think the people of the 71st deserve a choice and Mr. Ahern gave it his best shot. It doesn't matter what Mike Boland wants to do and the sooner someone steps up to the plate to talk about the issues and challenge Rep. Boland, the better we will all be served.
Thanks, Dissenter, for shining a spotlite on Whiteside County. That is very interesting information. And thanks for the website about contributors.
Dissenter owns this topic! And thanks for all for providing such knowledgable discussion on this.
Dissenter gives us all a good tool for tracking money. Another really cool place to check out as far as national money goes is www.fundrace.org
They give you the capability to input any address and show you donors starting with those living closest to you.
They also have a very cool map that shows where the money for candidates came from and by how much.
Worth being in your "favorites" folder.
And I see that someone beat me to the punch, but I was going to notice that no one had mentioned Jerry Lack, the Evans aide who is often mentioned as a potential contender for Boland's seat if it indeed becomes available.
One assumes that Lack would only be going for the seat as a stepping-stone towards eventually going for the Evans seat when it becomes available.
Would this serve the party? Or would it instead box out some other good candidates?
And no one has raised the scenario in which a Boland/Jacobs bloodbath might be avoided altogether. This is the one where Boland is offered incentives to run for a state constitutional office, such as treasurer.
Then Mike Jacobs won't have to endure a bruising and no doubt very nasty and negative campaign, and it also opens up Boland's current seat to new blood.
Lack? Who? I've never seen his name mentioned and have never met him at any political events. He must be running a stealth campaign.
Dope, I think you're giving him way too much political credit. Why would you think a guy no one has heard of might run for Congress? Who in the hell told you that? Who are you listening to out in those little bars in the middle of nowhere?
For Congress, the national party would go right to the State Senators in the congressional district first.
Boland has done an amazing amount of work on a state-wide basis. The Dope hears that he's traveled the entire state and met with officials in just about every county.
I was not aware that he'd discounted such a move, but certainly defer to your on that point.
It is an appealing scenario, at least in The Dope's eyes, for the bruising fights that it might avoid.
Lack is known to be eyeing running, and since he'd obviously have Evan's support, it's assumed he'd have to be considered a viable candidate.
And I found that out from the semi-psychotic ex-Green Beret I met out at the crossroads. He told me a lot of very dangerous information, but I had to sell my soul to get it.
Well, if he has told someone that he's not interested, I'd say that's the operative story for now.
As other's have noted, it's still a long way out, and things are always in a state of flux. It will be interesting to say the least to watch this high-stakes game of musical chairs. Who's going to be sitting where when the music stops?
The "Dope" had better think about the numerous other offices in the area. Conventional wisdom says Rep. Pat Verschoore will be in office 4 more years (Hell, he'll probably leave before Boland does and look at all the hot air about that district). So, who replaces Verschoore? Who succeeds Lane Evans when that day comes? Who succeeds the RI County officeholders who make more money than any state rep or state senator around here?
Ahh but hot air is the life's blood of politics! Take hot air out of politics and what have you got? A pile of campaign signs and some buildings?
i would think that boland will have a hard time making a serious run at a state position-he is not a party man-he will possibly have the support of his mentor pat quinn but beyond that he will have a hard time mustering the support-best guess-run in a very nasty and destructive primary against jacobs and possibly others or stay where he is at for as long as he wants-the latter being his most logical decision given his age and the guarantee of a nice pension.
I couldn't disagree more. I think Boland would be a great candidate for statewide office. He has the issues, the ability to attract media coverage, the track record as a progressive which would help in a Democratic primary, the solid alliance with the Lt. Governor -- and he loves to travel the state to boot!
You can attract media coverage when you call them yourself every time you blow your nose boland - I'm mike boland and I'm so great!
I have to agree with theheadusher.... great one... I couldn't agree more.
If Boland retires or runs for another office, is that the question?
The answer is very simple: he'll appoint a family member.
Get over the fact that Mike Jacobs was appointed to the seat by the county boards. It has been going on since the beginning of politics.
Boland only has two daughters, and none of them posess social graces, or political talent. His son-in-law is a kuke, just like his father in law, a dull, personality less math teacher. Boland is proof that the indians mated with the buffalo here in the midwest..
i hear boland was looking to introduce his son-in-law into the local political arena but i haven't heard aything about him - what's his background really? does anybody know?
There are some good folks in the 71st, but the political establishment could easily lean toward McNeil based on his past experiences -- Communication Director for the Kerry-Edwards Campaign in IL, legislative staffer for House Speaker Michael Madigan, has helped Cong. Lane Evans in every campaign, area legislators, close alliance with Sens. Durbin & Obama & labor, etc.
That's my view from the War Room on a a potential Boland successor.
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