Even as state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka formally joined the Republican race for governor Wednesday, the state party chairman was pushing the crowded field of contenders to take a hard look at their chances to win the GOP nomination.
Sources close to the state party said GOP Chairman Andrew McKenna wants the five current candidates for governor to meet with him Friday and review results of new polling that could raise questions about the viability of some of their campaigns.
If he can’t cut the size of the field, McKenna at least wants to reduce the potential for infighting leading up to the March 21 primary.
McKenna will discuss a proposed candidate code of ethics that would prohibit “misrepresentations, distortions, malicious untruths, unfounded accusations or innuendo” against another candidate, in an effort to prevent a nasty and divisive primary battle that ends up wounding the eventual GOP nominee.
The moves by McKenna come only a dozen days before the opening day for filing candidacy petitions for the 2006 elections. The meeting will provide a chance for some of those trailing in the polls to “reflect” on the status of their campaigns, said one GOP leader, who asked not to be identified.
A Tribune poll in early October showed Topinka, the three-term state treasurer, as the front-runner ahead of businessman Jim Oberweis. The three other current contenders–state Sens. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin and Bill Brady of Bloomington and businessman Ron Gidwitz–trailed in single digits.
Gidwitz, who has run the most extensive television advertising of the current field, questioned whether McKenna was trying to help clear the primary field for Topinka, who is benefiting in polling from name recognition through her previous candidacies.
“It sounds to me like they want to pressure some candidates to get out of this race,” said Gidwitz. “We’ve all made a time investment. People have invested in our campaigns. Why don’t we just let the public make the decision, let the public decide as intended by the primary process.”
McKenna would not comment on his planned meeting or on the state GOP’s polling. But, he said, a pattern has developed in early polling conducted in recent Republican primary contests that the candidates should consider.
“If you look at the last two statewide primaries, the candidate who led the polls in November won the primary in March, irrespective of how much money was spent,” McKenna said. “We’re only a little more than 90 days away from the [primary] election. The history shows that voter preferences didn’t change much.”
In launching her campaign at Klas Restaurant in Cicero, Topinka said she viewed her candidacy as a chance to restore voter confidence in state government. Instead of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s promises of reform and renewal, she said the first-term incumbent has left “a legacy of scandal and debt.”
Blagojevich campaign spokesman Doug Scofield contended Topinka was wrongly trying to portray herself as a fiscal conservative.
“She as treasurer of the state stood by quietly and supported and allowed the state to build up an unprecedented, historic $5 billion deficit. That deficit was fueled mostly by pork-barrel spending, unneeded government waste and corruption,” Scofield said.
Topinka, however, said she has “always challenged” previous Republican governors on financial issues. And she said she considered it “irresponsible” to take a pledge not to increase state taxes, such as the one Blagojevich made in the 2002 election, because of circumstances that may not be in the state’s control.
As Topinka made her announcement, Republicans began filling out the lower offices on the statewide ticket. Top GOP leaders this weekend will consider formally endorsing the uncontested candidacies of Tazewell County State’s Atty. Stewart Umholtz for attorney general and state Sens. Christine Radogno of Lemont for treasurer and Carole Pankau of Roselle for comptroller.
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