Getting the small things wrong

By Richard K. Barry

Well, this is interesting. 

Disgraced ex-Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. embarrasses the Democratic party with his "ethical lapses," giving the GOP an opportunity to claim the moral high ground in the race to replace him in IL-2. But, no! They nominate someone who has been convicted of six felony counts and served nearly 20 years behind bars. Yes, that's some guy by the name of Paul McKinley, who was able to win the Republican nomination for the vacant House seat by a total of 23 votes.

All parties run into this problem in districts in which they are not competitive. Sometimes "marginal candidates" jump in and surprise everyone. It's the job of the party apparatus to make sure these embarrassments don't happen, but sometimes they just do.

No one will seriously consider this guy a spokesperson for the Republican Party, but Democrats will have some fun running against him. 

Or, as Fox News in Chicago reports:

There are dozens of districts where very few voters bother to participate in Republican primaries, setting the stage for ugly surprises. Remember entertainer "Spanky the Clown?" He won the GOP nomination to face Mayor Daley in 1995. That may have been good for a laugh. But those who dream of rebuilding the Republican Party in Chicago aren't laughing at the apparent nomination of convicted armed robber Paul McKinley.

No, but some of us are. Heh, heh.