IL-10: Bond Gearing Up to Run

[ccharles000]

That's Bond, Michael Bond:

State Sen. Michael Bond (D) is gearing up to run for Rep. Mark Kirk's (R) seat, according to sources familiar with the situation. Kirk is pondering a bid for Senate in 2010, and his departure would make his north Chicagoland seat a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats.
Bond has tapped John Lapp to do his media campaign, Bennett, Petts & Normington to his polling and Ed Peavy to do direct mail for the race, according to one source familiar with the arrangement. The source also said a former aide to Rep. Melissa Bean (D), Brian Herman, will manage his campaign.

Kirk himself has set a pretty definite timeline for deciding his 2010 plans ("by the end of the month"), but the fact that Bond is already putting a campaign team together may indicate a willingness to run regardless of Kirk's intentions. In any case, Bond may have company in an open seat race -- fellow state Sen. Susan Garrett says that she's considering a bid, and '06/'08 nominee Dan Seals is known to be interested to run again if Kirk bails on the seat.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/4829/il10-bond-gearing-up-to-run