Dave Koehler for lieutenant governor? (UPDATED: Callahan suggested)
This was a comment on this post about the Democrat’s lieutenant governor search. I thought it interesting enough to bring to the front page:
it won’t be hynes, quinn only surrounds himself with people he trusts. To balance the ticket with a downstater, to pick someone who the democratic base will find appealing, to pick someone he likes, I think he should pick our own Dave Koehler. The two are close, good on social issues except for guns with the base, articulate attack dog, all about job creation….. Name me someone better.
I met Pat Quinn once. It was at some event ont he Riverfront. Dave Koehler introduced us.
(UPDATED) I’ve chatted with a few political animals. There’s no big minuses to Quinn picking Koehler, except that the Dems would have to find someone to run for his seat in the Illinois Senate and Koehler favors allowing gay marriage, while Quinn supports civil unions. A plus is that no one sees him as a viable successor to Quinn, and Speaker Mike Madigan wants to keep that path clear for daughter Lisa Madigan, the current state attorney general.
But, one person pointed out that due to success in the Chicago burbs, there is no real big need for them to cater much to downstate any more. And there was a mention about getting a woman on the ticket.
Instead of Koehler, I’m hearing the names from collar county/suburbs like Sen. Terry Link or Sen. Susan Garrett, both from Lake County. One person suggested Colleen Callahan, who has ties to agriculture and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
The real question that need to be asked isn't who Cohen's replacement will be. It is why didn't the Democrats get involved with this before the election. You have to know that there were polls out there and financial reports filed that showed the way the race for lieutenant governor was going. Let's also not forget who the chairman of the state party is, Mike Madigan. He doesn't make a move without having thought it out 4-5 moves in advance. I don't normally resort to conspiracy theories but I find it odd that Cohen was adamant about not bowing out of the race after all of the allegations until he met with Madigan and suddenly had an epiphany.
I think it is a very likely possibility that they let this guy win to secure that race while knowing that they could either get him to bow out with some sweetheart political deal OR they had dirt on him so bad that they he had no choice other than to step out to save himself the embarrassment.
As for Koehler, it's possible he could be a candidate but not because he's "popular with the base" that's the last reason anyone should be picked as a replacement candidate at this point. Speaking purely pragmatically, they need to be looking at the general election now so to hell with the base.
If memory serves, Callahan did not get the endorsement of the Agriculture community during her run for 18th Congressional. That was given to her opponent, Congressman Aaron Schock.
RSH: Please define "the agriculture community."
Considering that Schock beat her in every county but Bureau and the vast majority of the counties in the 18th would be regarded part of the "agriculture community" I would say that pretty much says it all.
Slightly off topic, how come 90% of the time I try to visit the site in the last week or two it seems like it's down?
Comment deleted.
http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/the-rules-2/
THe "agriculture community" could also be the official endorsement of the Illinois Farm Bureau for which Callahan worked for years on their farm radio.
After negligence led to the Democratic nomination of two LaRouche kooks in 1986 for Lt Gov and Secretary of State, Adlai Stevenson had to resign the ballot as a Democrat and run as an independent. He got trounced as a result. With that history, why did not the Democratic state party chairman, Mike Madigan look his candidates over this time and warn voters? Why didn't Quinn and Hynes? It wouldn't have taken a very close look to know Scott Lee Cohen is fundamentally unfit to hold public office. How many times does this have to happen on their side? Point is: if they run their own party that poorly, how can they run the state? Total absence of leadership.
If Koehler ran as Lt Gov he would have to give up his senate seat.
Only if he won.
I moved to a new server and it takes a while for the nameserver change to take effect on all IPS.