As Illinois Republican delegates arrived in New York City on Sunday with a desire to unite and rebuild, it was not clear if the movement to re-energize the beleaguered state party would include U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes.
The Illinois delegates are not likely to be the most feted convention attendees. They hail from a reliably Democratic state, and they bring with them a Senate candidate who is far behind in state opinion polls.
Nevertheless, on the eve of the convention, they were looking to the future.
“It’s a good `Kumbaya’ time. It’s kind of a pep rally, a rah-rah time,” said state Sen. Dan Rutherford of Pontiac, one of 145 Illinois delegates. “We have a new beginning. There is a tomorrow. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. The days of yore are now gone. The next generation of party leadership is there to move it on forward.”
Whether Keyes will play along isn’t clear even to the party leadership.
Illinois Republican Party Chairwoman Judy Baar Topinka said she wasn’t sure what Keyes had scheduled this week or when he would meet up with his party.
“He has his own agenda. He doesn’t necessarily work within the confines of the Illinois Republican Party,” she said. “So, we really don’t know what Mr. Keyes is doing, when, until he alerts us. He lets us know–when he feels so moved to let us know–where he is.
“I don’t know if it’s a good thing,” for the party, she added. “It certainly seems to be his way.”
Connie Hair, a Keyes campaign spokeswoman, said the candidate certainly would take time during the week to mingle with the Illinois delegation before he heads back to Chicago.
Hair said Keyes’ foremost concern this week is to help the state GOP heal its wounds.
“I think his priority is to unite the Illinois Republican Party with the national party [and have] everybody move forward together,” she said.
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Keyes waited until a few days before the convention to book a room at the Times Square hotel where the state delegation is staying. Last week he declined an offer to speak at the convention, according to a campaign spokeswoman. And he has packed his Monday schedule with media interviews.
Keyes signed on to run for Senate after Jack Ryan, who had won the Republican primary, dropped out of the race.
Illinois Republicans struggled for weeks to find a replacement, eventually choosing Keyes, a two-time presidential hopeful and conservative talk show host living in Maryland.
Despite Keyes’ struggle to catch on in Illinois, many delegates said he would encourage a strong debate on the issues. They stopped short of saying he would win.
“Keyes is a fiery orator, which we knew he would be,” said Maureen Murphy, a member of the Republican State Central Committee that voted to put Keyes on the ballot.
Jim Edgar, former Illinois governor, said the Senate contest, which pits Keyes against Democrat Barack Obama, would be overshadowed by the presidential race. Edgar is Illinois chairman for the Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign.
“The key here is the presidential race,” Edgar said. “That’s what most people are going to be watching on the evening news and talking about in the coffee shops.”
Delegates checking in at the hotel, under a banner that read “Victory 2004: Illinois Republican Party,” hope the convention would mark the beginning of a rebirth for the state party at a crucial time in the campaign.
“Nationally as a party we are doing fabulous,” said state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington. “In Illinois we are looking for an opportunity to rebuild the Illinois delegation and re-engergize ourselves through this week out here in New York and go back to Illinois with a strong commitment [and] feeling of togetherness.”
Still, serious talk of the state party’s future also is giving way to some fun. Delegates on Sunday saw the Broadway production of “The Lion King,” with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Host Committee playing host. Later they attended the opening-night reception honoring House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Keyes was arriving late Sunday and not expected to attend.