The new Gidwitz-Rauschenberger alliance increases conservative gubernatorial odds to win in both the primary (even if both Brady and Oberweis stay in) and the general.
Social conservatives now have fewer to choose between in March. They will never vote for pro-gay, pro-abortion Gidwitz, no matter with whom he teams. At any rate, Rausch – according to his walk (votes) over his talk – is weakest of the three conservatives on social issues, explaining how he could tell Berkowitz yesterday, “Ron Gidwitz and I agree on 90% of the social issues that conservatives care about….” Rauschenberger is obviously not clear on the social issues we care about.
Yet even if G-R pull off a primary victory for their stand against corruption, they will still lose in the general. It matters not whether Dem-lites Gidwitz or Topinka take on Blagojevich. They will lose. They only distant hope Republicans have to retake the mansion is if a conservative wins the primary, thereby activating the base.
Neither Gidwitz nor Topinka would win because no one but party loyalists will work for them (both on the ground and passing along talking points). Without grassroots, the party will never persuade swing voters in the general
Bloggers this week have theorized that somehow social conservatives whipped into submission by a GOP establishment uncommitted to social issues can overcome the highly motivated abortion industry to sway voters from Blagojevich to JBT (or now Gidwitz).
Those dreamers have no idea. Blagojevich is a pro-abortion politician of national importance to the other side. Dreamers have no idea of their big guns and deep pockets and how much they care about this race. For specifics, see page two.
The only way to combat their power, money, lies, and distortion is via the grassroots, and that will still be uphill.
What is clear is the White House’s intent on revenge against Oberweis. The WH is willing to give back the governor’s seat to a Democrat dufus rather than chance an Oberweis win.
See page two for reasons why Blagojevich’s retention is so important to the abortion industry.

The abortion industry has huge financial interest in keeping Blagojevich in place, the most recent evidence being the guv’s Dec. 6 press release touting wife Patti’ss receipt of a “pro-choice leadership award” from Personal PAC for her “outstanding commitment to reproductive rights [$$] and contraceptive equity [$$].”
(BTW, in the last election cycle Personal PAC contributed to only one Republican (Cross). Personal PAC has given no $$ to Republicans in the current election cycle.
Note at the end of the aforementioned release all of Blagojevich’s accomplishments to fill Planned Parenthood’s financial coffers in IL, including forced insurance coverage of contraceptives and $2 mil in “grants” for supposed teen pregnancy prevention, to name just two.
In return, Planned Parenthood gives heavily to Blagojevich, such as in 2002 when Chicago Planned Parenthood announced an “unprecedented $1-million television advertising blitz… to boost… Blagojevich against… Jim Ryan in the race for governor,” according to Crain’s.
So important is Blagojevich to the abortion industry nationally, the president of NARAL and the president of Planned Parenthood National both flew in for his April announcement denying IL pharmacists their first amendment rights.