GOP rebuilding in Minnesota

Illinois Republicans arrive in the Twin Cities today, buoyed by their national party leader's choice of a potentially history-making vice president to counter the buzz of the Barack Obama campaign as it comes off the Democratic convention.

Yet while Republican delegates may share the same level of passion for their party ticket as Illinois Democrats who attended their convention in Denver last week, the mood of the delegations is vastly different.

Illinois Democrats stood tall in Denver - the honored friends and colleagues of the nominee, Illinois' junior senator. It won't be anything close to the same for Illinois Republicans in St. Paul, as neither John McCain nor Sarah Palin have strong ties in the Land of Lincoln.

And the Illinois Republican Party is hardly a factor to be reckoned with of late - having been locked out of state offices and legislative power for years and facing the potential for further power erosion with the November election.

Yet party leaders hope their time in St. Paul will be about more than the national ticket; they hope to use the time to regroup, test their future leaders and stage a comeback.

"This is a very unique and great opportunity to pivot around and move forward to have a real strong 2010 here in Illinois," says Pat Brady, the National Republican Committeeman-elect from Illinois.

Even with their eyes set on a hopeful future, Illinois Republican Party elders carry the party baggage into the Xcel Center this week.

After all, if it wasn't for the state party's implosion during Barack Obama's 2004 Senate bid perhaps the Chicago Democrat wouldn't be the presidential nominee today.

When Republican nominee Jack Ryan dropped out of the race amid a sex scandal, party officials couldn't come up with a replacement - leading social conservatives to fly in perennial lightening rod Alan Keyes. Obama trounced Keyes with more than 70 percent of the vote.

Keyes is merely the most illustrative example of the state Republican Party's failure to field quality candidates. Most recently, Republicans lost the congressional seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert, the longest serving House GOP speaker.

"There is no question the Republican organization got comfortable and there is no question that due to failures in leadership, people got turned off to the party," says Illinois Republican Chairman Andy McKenna. "That has been a challenge."

Meanwhile, House Republican leader Tom Cross is defending several more seats this year than he is able to try and win back to his side of the aisle.

Most of the contentious ones are in the Northwest suburbs.

Cross sees hope, but not a real change until the statewide 2010 elections.

"In 2010 - I think it can be a lot better for us," he says. "We are playing defense right now. That is the bottom line."

Republican officials are looking at places where the party has done well for inspiration.

McKenna points to Peter Roskam's 2006 victory in a fierce, costly fight with Democrat Tammy Duckworth for U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde's old suburban seat.

Party officials also see promise in the congressional bid of state Rep. Aaron Schock in Peoria, who was just 23 when he won his Springfield seat in 2005, making him the youngest Illinois lawmaker ever.

Then there is Committeeman-elect Brady, of St. Charles. He was nominated by party insiders this summer to replace embattled committeeman Bob Kjellander.

McKenna says Brady's background as a former federal prosecutor was fitting given his predecessor's repeated "ethical issues."

"I think he is a good example of the contrast with our own past," McKenna says.

Kjellander's name came up in the trial of Tony Rezko, who orchestrated a kickback scheme by trading on his clout with Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Prosecutors said conspirators in the case said Kjellander, long close to Bush insider Karl Rove, was working to oust U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

Kjellander denies the allegations and has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Regardless, finding fresh faces will be critical to moving the Republican Party forward, GOP officials say.

It is clear, though, that settling on the next Republican party leaders will not be easy.

In a recent Daily Herald survey, suburban Republican delegates to the convention offered a scattershot of names when asked who they wanted to be the GOP nominee for governor in 2010.

Some of the delegates offered as many as three answers. Those most often mentioned included state Sen. Kirk Dillard, House Republican leader Cross, state Sen. Bill Brady, DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett and state Rep. Jim Durkin.

Despite the lack of agreement and a general dispirited state, many party faithful remain ready to hit the ground running.

They are looking to the convention for direction, but they are more so looking to future elections for redemption.

"I know a lot of parties and social events are planned for Minnesota, which is fine," said delegate Mary Jo Mikottis of Elmhurst in a Daily Herald survey. "But I am hoping we also will be taking time and spending resources on working to win elections."