Next up in our brief review of the GOP gubernatorial candidates is Adam Andrzejewski. From reports, Adam could have the financial resources he needs to compete in January.
After months of political conversations I can report that people I respect are supporting several different candidates in the governor’s primary. Some are with Dan Proft, others think Jim Ryan has grown wiser during the past eight years. But most fall into either the Adam Andrzejewski or Kirk Dillard camp.
Adam’s website, www.adamforillinois.com, contains a good deal of information about his policy positions. Under the following headings the reader is left with a pretty clear sense of what an Andrzejewski Administration would attempt to take on:
Corruption, Budget, Health Care, Education, Property Taxes, Job Growth, Veterans, and Individual Rights.
Adam, is young (40), conservative, and has been successful in business. This is his first foray into elective politics – so he is the only candidate who can honestly call himself an outsider.
Adam’s energy and passion on behalf of GOP Platform principles has sparked some enthusiastic reaction to his candidacy. Even some of his supporters, however, raise questions about Adam’s limited political résumé. Rarely does business success translate into political success.
Government today is an enormous enterprise, set up by those who profit from it – more often than not keeping types like forty-year-old outsiders from getting elected. Because 2010 could provide the environment for a guy like Adam to win the primary, the follow-up questions are – can he win the general election? And then if he does become governor, is he up to taking on Illinois Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan?
The rest of the candidates, their judgment, who they surround themselves with, and their own true motivations and abilities are just as much in question. However, I spend more words on Adam’s candidacy because we need new blood in this mostly corrupted and incompetent Illinois GOP. But starting off by going for one of the top jobs isn’t easy – just ask 2004 Republican U.S. Senate nominee Jack Ryan.
Experience in the arena does matter. Rarely is a young man made a general – there is so much to learn as a person moves up through the ranks. Knowledge is critical when up against forces like the Democratic Party, the liberal press, and well funded left wing interest groups.
If Adam does win the primary, it’ll be game on and we’ll all soon see his mettle. If he doesn’t win the primary, he can be proud of a good first-time effort – and his friends and supporters will watch closely whether he stays engaged or disappears like so many good candidates who went before him.
Up next Kirk Dillard.
