In my original home state of Illinois, retiring Rep. Ray LaHood is one of very few Republicans who could win statewide in a special election to fill President-elect Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat.
But now that Obama has tapped the popular Illinois politician to be secretary of Transportation in his administration, I guess that’s one big threat removed. With LaHood out of the way, Democrats have a better chance of retaining the Senate seat if forced by public outcry to hold a special election rather than gubernatorial selection, whether by likely soon-to-be-ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich or Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn once he becomes governor resulting from the impeachment or resignation of Blagojevich.
While LaHood is and always has been a very good choice for just about any job in government and elsewhere, the move by Obama is just a little too cute by half. Obama is, indeed, playing politics with his former Senate seat, and the LaHood nomination for secretary of Transportation just may be proof of that.
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