Unfortunately, Adam Andrzejewski didn't win the GOP primary yesterday. But there's a lot to be learned here. First, some background.
Andrzejewski is private citizen facing political insiders on Illinois primary day
Unlike each of his opponents, Andrzejewski is a common citizen — a father and businessman rather than a career politician.
Illinois politics is unique, to be sure. It’s filled with a corrupt cesspool of self-aggrandizing politicians — in the Rod Blagojevich mold — each hoping to out-power one another to become king of the citizenry. It’s power politics, to be sure, and is filled with name-calling, manipulation, and maneuvering.
Adam Andrzejewski is a rare political outsider with common sense and commitment to limited and transparent government. All of this is rare in Illinois politics, which is usually filled with special interest candidates or those with a solid family tree of political history.
Republican Liberty Caucus: Andrzejewski is private citizen facing political insiders on Illinois primary day
Today's political environment is gamed to favor the party favorites and keep everyone else out. This doesn't mean it's impossible, it just means it's a lot more difficult than it may appear.
Some very wise words from Robert Stacy McCain ...
Illinois Update: Brady Leads in GOP Gov. Race; Kirk Wins Senate Primary
Over the weekend, some of Andrzejewski’s staffers were second-guessing their tactics, but there’s really nothing to be gained by rear-view mirror recriminations. The entrenched strength of the GOP Establishment is such that any “outsider” candidate fights against near-insurmountable odds.
Like Doug Hoffman in last year’s NY23 campaign, Andrzejewski started with near-zero name recognition. The Chicago-area media did its best to ignore Andrzejewski campaign and a late surge of New Media attention was, alas, too late to overcome that disadvantage. As with Hoffman, the lessons learned from this campaign, and the network of contacts built in the process, can be employed going forward.
With RINO Mark Kirk the winner of the GOP Senate primary, and Obama-endorsing Dillard going down to the wire in the gubernatorial primary, conservatives in Illinois are understandably glum. Expect to hear rumblings of third-party campaigns in the next few days. Expect that talk to fade when the third-party advocates discover the high hurdles to ballot access in Illinois.
In the end, the challenge for Tea Party activists in Illinois — as elsewhere — is to focus their energies toward the long, slow process of getting inside the regular GOP machinery. Over the past couple of years, Ron Paul’s supporters have discovered that in many instances, it takes only a half-dozen or so dedicated activists to capture a county Republican committee. Tea Party people can learn the same lesson.
Sitting through the tedious proceedings of a county GOP meeting might not be exciting and revolutionary, but such is the mundane business of pursuing real political influence.
The Other McCain: Illinois Update: Brady Leads in GOP Gov. Race; Kirk Wins Senate Primary
GOP Candidate Mark Kirk Supports Cap and Tax
GOP cap-and-tax 8′er Mark Kirk won the GOP primary in Illinois for the Senate seat formerly occupied by Barack Obama.
After pandering to enviro-nitwits and casting his vote in favor of the largest energy tax increase in American history based on shoddy science and Al Gore-led fear-morning, Rep. Kirk promised Illinois voters he wouldn’t pander the same way if held higher office. He’s also a squish on the Second Amendment and life issues, a supporter of the massive tobacco tax increases to pay for Obama’s SCHIP expansion/Demcare Trojan Horse, and an expedient new critic of earmarks.
The culture of ideological and political corruption runs deep in the veins of both parties in Illinois. We head to the general election with no illusions about the mediocre, uninspiring caliber of these two hack candidates. The measly voter turnout (contrast with the Massachusetts Miracle) tells all.
Michelle Malkin: Illinois Senate primary: Lame and Lamer
I STILL BELIEVE THAT IT'S YOUR TURN
Tonight we learned the road to A New Day in Illinois is longer than we had hoped. But the fight we waged against the under performing Illinois establishment does not end tonight and certainly does not end with my campaign. Over the course of the last year, you have opened a new chapter in Illinois politics and renewed the Reagan revolution that first came to Illinois in 1976. Tea Parties, 9/12 organizations and other advocacy organizations have re-ignited the consciousness of conservatism. Your passion has captured the imagination of thousands of Illinoisans across our great state from Rockford to Carbondale; from Quincy to Danville. and created an unprecedented grassroots movement calling for honest, accountable, and limited government. Today, we may have been delayed, but we have not been denied.
I am committed to rebuilding our party and I am committed to re-laying the foundation with the values and principles our nation's founders knew to be essential for liberty: limited government, free enterprise, individual freedom and traditional American values.
Adam Andrzejewski: I STILL BELIEVE THAT IT'S YOUR TURN
It's going to be a long, difficult battle folks. So you might as well get political expediency out of your minds.
The only thing I disagree with a bit in regards to what R.S. McCain said, is that I believe Andrzejewski proves that third parties are as viable as is taking over the GOP. Don't kid yourselves about the GOP power brokers! They have interests which are diametrically opposed to you, me and the American Creed.
That's not to say that we shouldn't fight over control of the GOP ... I'm just saying that we should always keep our options open. The Campaign for Liberty has become a force to be reckoned with, and they're battling for the GOP. So is the Republican Liberty Caucus! "We the people" have to send the right market signals, thus changing the political incentive structure forever.
Have no fear.
Keep up the good fight, liberty will prevail!
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