Editorial: Topinka's unique style one for others to emulate

She'll be remembered for her self-deprecating humor, her unique style and the in-your-face bluntness that is all too rare for a politician.

But Judy Baar Topinka represents much more than that. In fact, she was ahead of her time in many ways (the first female state treasurer) but certainly as someone who could eschew partisanship and seek common ground.

Consider this quote from the moderate Topinka who was attending the San Diego Republican convention in 1996. She was recalling the 1992 Houston convention when conservative Pat Buchanan declared the country was in a cultural war against gays, some immigrants and women who had abortions.

"Not only was I upset, I walked out of the speech. When someone's being mean and intolerant, if I sit here, I endorse those principles and I won't do that," she told former Daily Herald political editor and later Managing Editor Madeleine Doubek.

That kind of conviction is why so many from so many varied political positions are mourning Topinka today after she died following a stroke early Wednesday morning at the age of 70. She was a GOP fiscal conservative and a social moderate, a rare breed these days but the type of candidate we are drawn to, especially in these highly partisan times. She sought compromise and knew how to work across the aisle. As the governor and governor-elect figure out how to replace her as state comptroller, they should remember those attributes.

Doubek, who now is chief operating officer for Reboot Illinois, a voter-advocacy digital media group, remembered Topinka as real and genuine in an article on the Reboot website Wednesday morning. "She frequently said what most voters were thinking. And she said it colorfully, in ways all of us could understand."

She sure did, whether in 2006 when she tried as the GOP candidate for governor to get Illinois voters to understand that Rod Blagojevich was up to no good or in 2014 when she was accused of being up to no good when she gave Gov. Pat Quinn her only son's resume.

"It speaks volumes about the fact that he (Blagojevich) will continue this (corruption) for another four years," she told us in her editorial board interview in 2006. My, oh my, how she was right.

And in this year's editorial board meeting less than two months ago about her son and the governor: "I didn't say, 'Get him a job.' If he could take a look at the resume, and if he sees something worthwhile, then great. If not, fine. Throw it away. We put his resume out everywhere. I want him back here. He's in Texas now. This is just the price of a momism here, and I'll take the rap for that."

We believed her in both instances, having endorsed her in all but one of her statewide contests. Transparent, outspoken, a straight-shooter. Our wish as we remember Judy Baar Topinka is that more Illinois politicians consider those worthy adjectives when conducting their public lives.