Grassroots rising 2010: Patrick Hughes fights for position ahead of Illinois Primary

Update
Dec. 9, 2009

Candidate Patrick Hughes has received an endorsement from the Vernon Township GOP. The Illinois Review said, "[Rep. Mark]Kirk lost the US Senate endorsement outright to Hinsdale Businessman Patrick Hughes who grabbed the Vernon endorsement with 64.3% of the committeeman vote."

by Kay B. Day

Republican strategists have their hands full these days, in the aftermath of NY-23 and the postlude to party leaders’ endorsements of candidates like Gov. Charlie Crist. Still striking a nerve is the fiasco with DeeDee Scozzafava, a Republican who ended up endorsing a Democrat despite the fact the GOP spent nearly $1 million on her candidacy. Then there was fallout over Crist’s so-called anointment in a primary field that included popular former speaker of the House Marco Rubio, a fallout that transcended Florida and had a national impact. Current conditions are enough to give any GOPer worth his salt a headache or two.  And now Republicans in Illinois are seeing another bold candidate jump into a primary battle: Patrick Hughes.

Patrick Hughes and his family live in Hinsdale, Ill. Hughes is opposing Rep. Mark Kirk in the GOP primary to run in the 2010 Senate race for the seat Sen. Roland Burris is vacating.

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Criminal complaint on Blagojevich a window on dark side of Chicago politics

Chicago scene courtesy Choose Chicago.(Chicago, Ill.)—Rumors about impeachment have plagued Illinois governor Rod R. Blagojevich for months, but a criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday reveals charges more serious than impeachment. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were arrested by FBI agents on federal corruption charges on Tuesday alleging that they and others are engaging in ongoing criminal activity; conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits for Blagojevich by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a United States Senator; threatening to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich; and to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions – both historically and now in a push before a new state ethics law takes effect January 1, 2009.

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