Race for Senate turns from odd to kind of wacky | Chicaho Tribune

[Ediacara]

Race for Senate turns from odd to kind of wacky
Keyes allowed on ballot only after a 4-hour standoff

By John Chase and John McCormick, Tribune staff reporters. Tribune staff reporters Ofelia Casillas and Jennifer Skalka contributed to this report from New York City
Published August 28, 2004

Illinois' Republican U.S. Senate campaign got even stranger Friday.

A spat at the Illinois State Board of Elections over whether Republican leaders had the power to replace Jack Ryan with Alan Keyes as the Senate nominee threatened to hold up certification of the entire November election ballot, which by law had to be approved by Friday.

The Senate campaign has seen its share of twists and turns. The GOP primary winner dropped out amid charges about sex club visits, a parade of potential replacements spurned the chance, and party leaders finally imported a former talk show host from Maryland.

On Friday, the action moved to the eight-member elections panel, which is split evenly between the two major parties. The board's Democrats said they weren't sure state law allowed substituting Keyes for Ryan.

More at the Chicago Tribune

[struggle4progress]

1. Dems' bid to keep Keyes off ballot fails

August 28, 2004
BY STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter

<snip>
The showdown seemed destined for courts when Republican National Committee attorney Charles Spies phoned in from New York.

Spies assured board members that party rules had been followed and Keyes should be kept on the ballot. He said he would put his opinion in writing Monday, and Democrats agreed to keep Keyes on the ballot as long as Spies' written statement doesn't contain "a lot of malarkey," Democratic member William McGuffage said.
<snip>

... Spies spelled out party rules to support the process that state leaders followed in picking Keyes, and Obama even enlisted Democratic National Committee attorneys to back the RNC position.
<snip>

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-sen28.html

[Democat]

4. Obama is fighting to keep Keyes on the ballot!

That says a lot.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. "Alan Keyes is like Popeye on acid." - Mike Malloy

[barb162]

3. I think it's funny

and besides, the GOP would do this to the Democrats in a split second if the situation were reversed.