Kirk fundraises off threat of Michelle Obama challenge

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is raising money with warnings that first lady Michelle Obama could challenge him during his 2016 reelection fight, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. 

Kirk said he is not one to believe rumors or political gossip but added the circumstances around the first lady are similar to those of Hillary Clinton, who ended up running for Senate late into her husband’s presidency.   

{mosads}”The circumstances (and denials) are reminiscent of 1999 when First Lady Hillary Clinton was the subject of whirlwind speculation about a run for the United States Senate,” he said in a fundraising letter, attributing the speculation to the “press and rumor mills.”

The first lady and those around her have continuously said there is no chance she would run for political office. She is campaigning this year, however, to help Democrats retain control of the Senate.

When President Obama was asked in May how he would react if his wife expressed interest in a run, he said: “I would be sure there had been an alien body snatching going on. One thing I can promise you, Michelle will not run for office.”

White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett has said she is “100 percent positive” that the first lady would never run for office. 

Kirk is expected to face a competitive reelection fight in a blue-leaning state in two years. He used the threat of Obama’s strong national and home-state base when asking for donations between $25 and $1,000.

“Whether or not you choose to believe this most recent rumor, there is no doubt the Illinois Senate race will be one of the most closely watched and hotly contested races in the country in 2016,” he said, asserting he would take every potential challenge seriously.