First, a history lesson: When Obama was first elected to his Senate seat, he pretty much walked into the seat when the campaign of Jack Ryan was scuttled by the Illinois Republican Party going all nuts over stories coming up about Ryan’s particular sexual proclivities. The stories were pretty racy, but I’ve always thought that they could have been weathered – he was a good candidate for the Republicans and was leading in the polls.
In any event, Judy Baar Topinka got all aghast that there was anything other than “normal” sex going on and drove Ryan out of the primary. End result: The Repubs came forward with Alan Keyes as their candidate. He immediately went from Carpet-bagger to crazy rightwing Teabagger – before Teabagging was Sarah Palin approved – and Obama walked in a laugher.
So, today’s news in Illinois is Republican gadfly, nut job, repeat candidate and litigant Andy Martin coming out (pun intentional) in his radio ads calling current Republican polling leader Mark Kirk gay. Pretty lowly to put someone’s sex into play at any time (seriously, who gives a damn), but especially a cheap shot when Kirk’s currently serving his Naval Reserve stint.
But one paragraph stood out to me:
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Patrick Brady blasted Martin and the ad, saying, “The Illinois Republican Party disavows the statements made today by Mr. Andrew Martin in his statewide radio advertisements. His statements today are consistent with his history of bizarre behavior and often times hate-filled speech which has no place in the Illinois Republican Party. Mr. Martin will no longer be recognized as a legitimate Republican candidate by the Illinois Republican Party.”
I don’t know what the fallout will be of this story – it shouldn’t even be a blip on the radar. That said, with the Republicans, even being linked with anything stepping past the Missionary position is going to hurt Kirk’s chances in the primary. Still, it seems to me that Chairman Brady, by mentioning “bizarre behavior and often times hate-filled speech“, just elevated Andy Martin to a national-level Republican candidate. At least it seems he fits the mold.
Oh, and if you’re wondering, yes, this is the same Andy Martin that was found to be the source of the completely refuted – but still continuing – rumors that Obama was Muslim and was not Barack Obama, Sr.’s kid. In fact, he’s still beating these drums (and I sure don’t recall Brady – or any other major Illinois Republican calling out Martin when he was spreading these lies – shocking as that may be!)
So, in a way, he’s already a national fixture of the Frightwing. Welcome to the big game Andy Martin!
Swimming With Sharks 
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