Is Buddy Ryan Next?

It's hard to think of a state party that has experienced a more complete meltdown with such speed comparable to the Illinois Republicans. (The GA Dems might be close, but, as my colleague Ralph Luker has observed, they still hold some statewide offices, and in any case their decline occurred in stages.)

After the 1998 elections, the Illinois GOP had captured its seventh straight gubernatorial election, when George Ryan was elected governor. A young, moderate, wealthy candidate, Peter Fitzgerald, had ousted Democratic senator Carol Moseley-Braun. The Republicans had taken control over both houses of the Illinois legislature, ensuring that they could pass a GOP-friendly redistricting--as occurred. And an Illinois Republican, Dennis Hastert, had just become Speaker of the House.

It's been all downhill from there. Gore crushed Bush in the state in 2000, after which a corruption scandal seemed to indict every major figure in Gov. Ryan's administration, ultimately including the (by then former) governor himself. In reaction, Democrats won every statewide election in 2002, and took back the legislature. Fitzgerald, after a first term in which he seemed to build as many enemies among Republicans as among Democrats, decided not to run for reelection. Then, in the race to replace Fitzgerald, the Democrats nominated a star candidate in Barack Obama, while the GOP selected a first time candidate, Jack Ryan, who, as we all know, imploded.

The party now seems to be struggling to find anyone at all to serve as its standard-bearer. In the last week, the party leadership's two preferred choices, former Chicago Board of Ed president Ronald Gidwitz and State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, both opted out--lest a crushing defeat to Obama spoil their gubernatorial chances in 2006.

Three candidates are now getting the most attention. Dairy magnate Jim Oberweis, the second-place finisher in the Republican primary, would be the logical candidate--except the Bush administration doesn't want him. Oberweis based his primary bid on a critique of Bush's immigration policy that would make former California governor Pete Wilson's policies look moderate by comparison.

Dr. Andrea Grubb just resigned her position as deputy drug czar to make the bid, with the curious argument that, as an African-American woman, her candidacy"removes the race card from consideration." (Obama is African-American.) About the only advantage the Illinois Republicans has left is that it's tougher for blacks to win statewide elections because of a hidden racist vote. Asked about her chances, Hastert replied,"Who? Don't know her."

The last option--which seems to have excited Hastert, a former wrestling coach--is a movement to draft former Bears coach Mike Ditka. When reporters yesterday attempted to reach him, Ditka was unavailable for comment. (He was on the golf course!) His wife, however, remarked,"If he decides to do it, I'd divorce him."

So, as the Senate debates the Federal Marriage amendment, will the Illinois GOP undermine the sanctity of marriage by urging Ditka to run?