Bombastic Tea Party Loon Joe Walsh Eyes Illinois Senate Race
Former Congressional Representative Joe Walsh (R) says he is “very seriously considering challenging” Illinois Senator Mark Kirk (R), in the 2016 Illinois GOP Senate primary. Walsh lost his suburban Chicago House Seat in 2012 to Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth (D) by a 55-45 margin. If Walsh were able to defeat Senator Kirk in the Republican primary, he might find himself in a rematch with Duckworth, who has also expressed interest in running for the Illinois Senate seat. In a statewide race, the conservative Walsh would face long odds against Duckworth. Barack Obama won Illinois by a 58-41 margin in 2012. That closely mirrors Obama’s 57-41 victory over Romney in Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, where Duckworth defeated Walsh in the 2012 race.
Since losing his Congressional seat, Walsh has taken to the airwaves as a right-wing talk show host. While he is popular with hardcore conservatives, his controversial comments make him a risky candidate to run in a statewide race. His difficulties are compounded by Illinois’ Democratic lean. Mark Kirk is one of the more moderate Republicans in the U.S. Senate.
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