Sen Mark Kirk (Chicago, Union: versus, safety, office)

[tdice1039]

I have a question about Sen Mark Kirk. From what i understand, he is a moderate, independent minded Republican in a blue state.

My question will him being a moderate lead to people crossing party lines and voting for him, or will they vote against him regardless?

Will Democrats vote for him?

On gun control, did he do the right thing?

I'm just curious.

Thanks.

[chet everett]

I do not beleive Sen. Kirk would call himself anything other than "conservative" in todays GOP though neither would he object to anyone characterizing him as "independent minded". Illinois is not nearly as blue as some would have you believe. The important thing is NOT Democrats crossing their party lines to vote for Sen. Kirk, it is fund raisers NOT using him as a target.

I think his decision will not allow fundraisers to hurt his chances of re-election.

[Maintainschaos]

He's alright and that's about it. I think if I described him as an ice cream flavor it'd be "very vanilla." I think the stroke that he suffered may have really put a damper on anything that he wanted to really achieve.

[Drover]

It's easier for incumbents who are slapped with the dreaded "moderate" label to withstand challenges from the fringes of their party when they're running for statewide office versus a local office. And come general election time the perception of being "moderate" or independent is more of an asset than a liability.

[Vlajos]

He's the best the Republican Party of Illinois has.

I'm not sure if I can answer for you if what he did on gun control was right.

[chet everett]

I believe the vote was more procedural than "law producing"...

[chirack]

I tend to go democratic but so far he hasn’t given me much reason to boot him from the senate. If anything it may help. Most of the population of the state is around the Chicago area and is mostly democrats. It won't cause democrats to vote for him, but it blunts anything on gun control the Democrats might do to him in a general election. This state also does not like fringe candidates of either party so odds are he would win the primaries.

In addition while this state leans democratic it does not lean democratic hard(i.e. We are a light blue state).

[tdice1039]

Word

[Larry Siegel]

Kirk is one of the best senators in the country. He is, in fact, a moderate Republican with about a 50% score from the American Conservative Union and a 50% score from the Americans for Democratic Action.

It's obvious that some Democrats are voting for him or he wouldn't keep getting elected (as Rep then Senator).

[IRV007]

I sent a positive email to Kirk for his vote on the watered down gun safety bill.

I'll never vote for another Republican after voting for Joe Walsh in 2010.