Personal Aside: Rumored shakeup in State GOP RANKS…Durbin Stands with Acorn Despite Scandal.

McKenna to Join Race, teaming with Murphy and

Dillard Picking Lumber Magnate’s Son.

If current rumors are right…and, remember, sometimes they are…the Republican party kaleidoscope in Illinois is being shaken up once again.

It appears that Andy McKenna who has long dreamed of a successful elective political career will shortly announce that he will be a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. But McKenna has a lot of wood to chop since as state Republican chairman, he didn’t win many adherents given the low estate of the state GOP under his tenure.

Be that as it may, the view is current that he has chosen young, vigorous State Sen. Matt Murphy, Palatine, to run for lieutenant governor. Although the primary does not allow linkage there is no problem with the two of them running unofficially as a team. Up to now Murphy has been a declared candidate for governor but will drop that bid. Murphy is a hugely popular candidate with conservatives. True, the two of them are Irish Catholics from the suburbs but geography may not mean much anymore in Illinois. Look at the Democrats: Quinn, Hynes, Lisa Madigan, Alexi Giannoulias, White—all from the Chicago area.

Also it appears that State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) will run with the same kind of unofficial linkage with a fresh, young face from downstate Edwardsville: Jason Plummer, 27, former Republican chairman of Madison county, the scion of Robert Plummer, a multi-millionaire CEO of R. P. Lumber, who owns a string of lumber retail stores throughout southern Illinois. Both Plummers are strong conservatives, Robert having been a mainstay financial backer of the Illinois Civil Justice League which has successfully supported tort reform. Jason Plummer will announce his formal campaign for lieutenant governor shortly.

If these rumors come to pass, it seems that the prime winner in this roundelay are Adam Andrzejewski (AnGEE-EF-ski) the new kid on the block, who has not held public office up to now and has with dynamism fired up the grassroots. Dan Proft, the conservative political consultant and pundit who has a gifted way with words is also helped. Andrzejewski will be a guest on my WLS radio program this coming Sunday along with Eugene Mullins, spokesman for Cook county board president Todd Stroger.

The reason I say this is that Andrzejewski and Proft seem to be the only ones who have campaigns that are up and running. Of the two, I would think Andrzejewski would be helped more…since as a successful business entrepreneur he has a quality Republican voters seem to pay more attention to. Also he appears to have a definite organization in place while Proft seems to depend more upon media and his hair-trigger, colorful responses. (Having said this, I expect to hear from Proft within minutes of this being posted).

Shameless Durbin is Stand-Up Guy for ACORN.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Il) called “The Dick” just as Donald Trump is called “The Donald”…the Democratic Senate whip and liberal self-justificatory lawmaker with no shame…was one of seven Democrats yesterday who voted against the federal de-funding of ACORN despite explicit video tapes taken of its employees who advised a couple on getting a federal loan for a prostitution ring…which purportedly would hire underage girls. For a state that once had as its senators Paul Douglas and Everett Dirksen, having Durbin shamelessly voting “nay” on legislation to defund a unit that aids and facilities prostitution is the nadir of its senatorial legislative history since 1818 when Illinois joined the Union.

Also voting “nay” was Roland Burris but it was unsurprising and indeed expected since due to his disreputable history of evading the truth on how he sought to contribute to Rod Blagojevich to get his appointment. Durbin may very well be his party’s leader in the Senate after 2010 when, as is expected, Harry Reid goes down to double-digit defeat. That should motivate Illinoisans to make it three-for-three when Durbin’s time comes round: meaning to follow him with Reid and Tom Daschle (S. D.). The last Illinois senator who was his party’s Democratic leader was Scott Lucas of Havana who was defeated in 1950 by Dirksen.