Supporters of Republican presidential hopeful David Duke have rented space in a west suburban hotel, where they plan to coordinate a petition drive to get his name on the ballot for the state`s presidential primary.
Several of the supporters rented a conference room at the Glen Ellyn Holiday Inn late last week, said Donette Larson, who is circulating petitions for Duke. Larson said they rented the room, which costs about $100 a day, through Saturday.
Larson, a 38-year-old housewife who said she last supported U.S. Sen. Paul Simon`s campaign, said Monday night she decided to circulate petitions because she was angry with what she perceived as the arrogance of the Republican Party.
”Whether I vote for him is not the issue,” Larson said. ”I don`t want the Republican Party deciding who our political candidates are going to be. That`s for the people to decide.”
Larson said she became angry with the party because it refused to give any information on Duke, though it was happy to provide it for other candidates.
”A Republican candidate who meets the criteria and is a registered Republican should not be prevented from running for dogcatcher, let alone president of the United States,” she said.
She said the group selected the Holiday Inn in Glen Ellyn because it is centrally located. Duke, best known as a former leader in the Ku Klux Klan who lost his recent Louisiana gubernatorial bid, has a ”good following” in the northwest suburbs, she said.
Holiday Inn employees refused to confirm Monday night that the room had been rented. A night manager referred all questions to the general manager, who could not be reached for comment.
Duke already has secured ballot spots in Tennessee and Mississippi. He has the necessary signatures to get on the ballot in Massachusetts and Michigan, as well.
In Illinois, Duke must compile 3,000 signatures before Jan. 26 to get on the ballot, according to the campaign and Republican Party officials.
”We have petitions throughout the entire state,” said John Ellis, Duke`s spokesman in Illinois and Wisconsin. ”We think we`re in striking distance.”
Republican Party officials contacted Monday night said they were unaware the campaign had rented room to organize the petition drive.
”There`s nothing we can do,” said Judie Jones, executive director of the GOP Central Committee of Cook County. ”Anything we can do gives him publicity, and we`re trying to avoid that.”
