Was Considered a Contender for Governor or U.S. Senate

 By Chris Cillizza,The Fix, Washington Post

 

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D) will run for re-election to her current post in 2010, according to a Democratic source aware of the decision, ending months of speculation about whether she might make the leap to a Senate or gubernatorial bid.

Madigan is expected to make her decision public later today.

She had been heavily courted by the White House and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to run for the seat currently held by Sen. Roland Burris (D) and, after initially expressing no interest in the Senate, did consider a candidacy.

Madigan had long expressed an interest in serving as governor but the ouster of Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) and ascension of Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn (D) to the top job complicated her path.

To be clear, Madigan would have been a favorite had she decided to run for either the Senate or for governor, a fact that makes her decision to run for neither office all the more puzzling.

With Madigan out of the Senate race, expect businessman Chris Kennedy to quickly announce his candidacy, joining state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias in the Democratic primary. Madigan’s no-go decision also makes it far more likely that Rep. Mark Kirk, by far Republicans strongest candidate, will make the race.

For Quinn, Madigan’s decision gives him a clear path to a full term in 2010. National Republicans insist they will make a major push against Quinn despite the strongly Democratic lean of the state. State Sen. Matt Murphy has already declared his candidacy and others may follow, according to GOP sources.