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Contenders Waiting In Wings

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The Associated Press

Published: December 14, 2008

CHICAGO - In many ways, Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn and Attorney General Lisa Madigan couldn't be more different: He has carefully promoted his image as an outsider and reformer; she comes from a powerful political family.

But both scored leadership points this past week after Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on federal charges alleging he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat. And that is likely to resonate with voters in the 2010 governor's race, political observers say.

Both are considered likely candidates for the state's highest office, although last week neither would address that question.

Quinn quickly called for Blagojevich to step down or face impeachment. Madigan went a step further, asking the state's highest court to strip the governor of his powers.

Any of those scenarios would make Quinn governor.

Madigan, who acknowledged in October she was "thinking about" a run for governor, said at a Friday news conference that "political issues and political matters aren't even on my radar this week." But experts doubt that voters haven't crossed her mind.

The two represent different traditions in the Democratic party.

"Pat Quinn came out of a more independent and reform-minded movement in Illinois," longtime political strategist Don Rose said. "Lisa Madigan comes from a dyed-in-the-wool, old-line machine family, but she turns out to be much more progressive, more liberal than her father," state House Speaker Michael Madigan.

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