The Capitol Fax Blog » Question of the day

Monday, Dec 12, 2005

What do you think of this?

Republican candidate for governor Jim Oberweis said Sunday that he has asked Kathy Salvi, a conservative intending to run for Congress in the north suburbs, to be his running mate.

Salvi, the wife of former state representative and attorney Al Salvi, is “honored and flattered” by Oberweis’ invitation to be his lieutenant governor candidate, her husband said. She still plans to file election papers this week to run for the congressional seat held by U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.), Al Salvi said, but she is not discouraging Oberweis’ efforts to include her as his partner.

“She plans to continue filing for congressman, but she’ll have a week during this filing period to decide,” he said. “She does not object to the effort to file petitions on her behalf for lieutenant governor.”

The move by Oberweis comes as his more moderate opponents in the primary race are attempting to line up conservatives as their running mates for the March 21 primary.

- posted by Rich Miller

18 Comments

- Cal Skinner - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 7:33 am:
See the photo I posted yesterday afternoon on Illinoize of Kathy Salvi and Jim Oberweise chatting at the McHenry County Friends of NRA dinner in September at McHenryCountyBlog.com.

- The Conservative - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 7:36 am:
Is Obie walking away from Sandy Wegman?

- Pat Collins - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 8:24 am:
Wegman makes no sense for a statewide run.

Salvi does. Name recognition, “balance” but still a solid conservative offering. This offers a real choice to conservatives who might not want to hold their nose while they vote.

It also makes nice with national Repubs by getting a strong challenger for Bean’s seat out of the way. If there is only one Repub in the primary, Bean is a lot more iffy for re-election, especially if the unions stay mad at her.

- Mongo - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 8:28 am:
An Oberweis/Salvi ticket has no appeal outside of Lake and DuPage counties. And even there it has limited appeal.

This is one of the last gasps of a rich guy who wants a statewide office but has not figured out you can’t just buy one, you have to be considered by the voters as qualified to hold one.

So really, besides Melissa Bean, who cares?

- AngryJolietan - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 8:28 am:
Salvi dropping out of the Bean race would certainly help McSweeney.

- Anonymous - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 9:00 am:
This is slightly off topic, but in the QoTD theme, can you have a QoTD on book recommendations? I know this was a question once before, but with the holidays coming up I could use some good book recommendations and I know you’re always looking for a good question. Thanks.

- Bluefish - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 9:18 am:
Why does anyone think the Salvi name has any magic to it? Al is 0 for 2 statewide, what makes anyone think Kathy will do better?

I bet she stays in the 10th disrict race where she has a better chance to win.

- Bardo - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 9:36 am:
This is a Democratic Dream Team…

- VanillaMan - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 9:40 am:
I don’t understand how selecting a twice-failed candidate’s wife as your lt. gov. pick could be seen as a plus. How small a world does Mr. Oberweis live in? Does he know anyone with any credible statewide experience?

I sure Kathy Salvi is a wonderful person, but being married to Al, who has come off as a political opportunist extraordinaire will be a large burden to overcome. Hearing of her political desires for next year - at any level - merely reminds me of her husband’s desperate attempts to ingrain himself to Illinois voters. I know this isn’t “fair”, but I believe voter’s perceptions of women candidates is often negatively impacted when they are married to politicians. Jeanne Simon, Elizabeth Dole, and Hillary Rodham Clinton have all shown how being a credible lady candidate requires having a husband who is not a political burden.

If Mr. Oberweis seeks a credible lady running mate, I recommend someone like Loleta Didrickson, Corinne Wood, or another lady of their calibre to give his candidacy any credibility to make up for Mr. Oberweis’ perceived political deficiencies. He needs an “A” or “B” list pol on his ticket. Mrs. Salvi, at best, is a “C-”, until she proves herself in a winning campaign, (btw - something her husband has yet to accomplish).

Have a great day!
VanillaMan

- Cal Skinner - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 9:53 am:
So, if one is not a liberal Republican woman, one cannot be credible. Right?

- steve schnorf - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 10:19 am:
Kathy annd Al Salvi are both good, decent people. Though I disagree with them on many social policy issues, I enjoyed knowing them and working with them. I certainly would prefer Kathy (or Al) to many who get elected time and again.

- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 10:26 am:
A tough question, but an important one here: Is Kathy Salvi qualified to be Governor?

We seem to forget that the main job of a Lt. Gov. is to be ready for the moment the Gov drops dead or is indicted.

Since Ms. Salvi has never held public office (to my knowledge), I think she might be a little out of her depth here. There’s a world of difference between rookie lawmaker and rookie Governor. At least Oberweis has run a major company, but between the two of them, this ticket will have exactly zero years experience in state government.

I guess every conservative woman with experience turned Oberweis down.

- ExileOnMainStreet - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 11:52 am:
I’m not much of an insider so I continue to be baffled. How does Rauschie and Birkett, who were both heading for 0-2 statewide runs, help Gitdwitz and JBT respectively? How does Kathy Salvi, of which most people probably know absolutely noting about, help Obeirweis? As am still leaning towards Brady, I hope he stays out of this stupid game.

- Anonymous - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 12:17 pm:
If this ticket wins, then Blagojevich can win the election without even spending 1/3 of his war chest. Illinoisans do not and will never like Jim Oberweis or the Salvi family. This is hilarious.

- The Colonel - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 12:52 pm:
If Thompson, Edgar, GHR and Blago are qualified to be Governor… then ANYBODY could do it.

- Extreme Wisdom - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 1:30 pm:
Rich or others,

Enlighten me. When has the myth of ‘running mate’ ever mattered in IL? A ‘ticket’?! What ticket?

Oberweis was better off ignoring this ‘ticket’ nonsense. He should stay focused on the issue he thinks will get him nominated. The only reason to engage in ‘ticket’ talk is to shore up a perceived weakness.

Why create that perception for a meaningless concept? This isn’t the Federal Election process.

- Bubs - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 2:03 pm:
Dress it up all you want, the candidates for Governor will stand or fall on their own.

- Gimme a Break - Monday, Dec 12, 05 @ 2:05 pm:
This team gets the best score in the IL GOP Match Game thus far. But the whole circus, is just that, another circus from the Republican side. Pledging to eliminate the wasteful position, THAT would get some attention and respect.

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