Bill Brady Signs Up for GOP Gubernatorial Debate Jan. 25: With Oberweis Already In, There’s Two. Missing: Topinka and Gidwitz

State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) has signed up for the City Club of Chicago gubernatorial debate—joining Jim Oberweis on the platform. Which means that the two ranking conservatives are willing and eager to debate but so far State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and Ron Gidwitz have not been heard from.

The debate will be held January 25 at noon at Maggiano’s in Chicago. The City Club, one of the oldest public affairs forums in the city, has long been the site of stirring debates running down through history featuring all the top candidates throughout the years since at least 1974.

City Club tradition holds that whoever shows up for the debate gets to talk—which means as of now, the debate will be between Oberweis and Brady. On the Democratic side, one debater who has signaled his willingness to appear is Edwin Eisendrath with Gov. Rod Blagojevich still to be heard from. Date of the Democratic encounter has not been set. Match-maker of the debates is Paul Green, renowned Roosevelt University professor who is gifted with electric charisma.