BREAKING: Burris Will Not Run In '10
The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that embattled Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) will not run in '10. He will announce officially 7/10 via a statement. Burris has only raised $20K for a campaign, according to FEC papers to be filed next week, the paper reports.
Burris was, of course, appointed by ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) on his way out the door.
With AG Lisa Madigan's (D) announcement 7/8 that she won't run for the seat, the top possible Dem contenders are Chris Kennedy (Robert F. Kennedy's son) and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. For GOPers, Rep. Mark Kirk is the frontrunner.
Burris has never been embraced by the Dem establishment in DC, whose members were loath to seat him, believing the move would validate Blagojevich's leadership. Since then, however, we learned that Burris had a conversation with Blagojevich's brother in advance of his appointment about giving him a donation. And it's not clear if he did or did not mislead an IL House panel investigating Blagojevich in the pay-to-play scandal surrounding Barack Obama's seat.
So, bottom line is that Burris' exit is hardly surprising. And it's mighty fine news for Dems, who wanted him out anyway. Burris will at least leave DC with another resume line to add to his granite mausoleum.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)