The Loyal Opposition?

Not since the christening scene in The Godfather has one local power broker as swiftly and cleanly eliminated his rivals from his turf. Ha ha, as readers of this blog are utterly aware,

Unnatural Election

Darlene Ruscitti unexpectedly dropped out of the Eighth District Primary leaving the field wide open for incumbent GOP Congressman Joe Walsh.

Operatives may suspect that in stone-cold eliminating his Primary competition, Walsh has shot himself in the foot. Without a Primary opponent, media attention will naturally gravitate toward Walsh's Democratic opposition -- in case you've forgotten, Tammy Duckworth and Raja Krishnamoorthi are also competing for the opportunity to be on the Eighth District ballot.

For operatives uncertain about how long Walsh could withstand prolonged exposure to a media vacuum before impolding, your LakeCountyEye advises not to worry. There are currently a couple of GOP chumbolones who have filed and presumably were sent to keep it real and provide Walsh with some token Primary opposition ...

GENERAL PRIMARY - 3/20/2012

While front runners typically try to duck out of debates against lesser known opponents, don't look for Walsh to follow suit. Your LakeCountyEye does not expect Walsh to pass any opportunity to play his Mr Natural shtick on the debate stage against a couple of Flakey Foonts. In all likelihood Walsh will demand and to get as many debates as can humanly fit into a campaign schedule. Look for Walsh to be up-front reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and in general practicing his patented brand of histrionics regularly on the YouTubes from now through March 20 -- and sucking all the air out of the Eighth District, away from Duckworth and Krishnamoorthi.