Illinois Primary Weirdness

Illinoise

Well, of you thought the Illinois governor's primary was weird with a near-tie on the Democratic side and only six points separating first from fifth place on the GOP side... it gets even weirder down-ballot:

It turns out that Scott Lee Cohen (D), the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor in Illinois, has more extensive problems than were reported yesterday.

In an extraordinary interview with the local CBS news affiliate, we learn Cohen's own brother sued him for $200,000, he tried to choke his wife before they were married and he didn't pay child support while spending $3 million on his primary race.

In an interview with the ABC News affiliate, Cohen also admitted to using "inject-able steroids" which "contributed to periodic episodes of violence against his family."

As for the allegations that he pulled a knife on his prostitute ex-girlfriend, Cohen claims the wounds on her throat were "self-inflicted."

Three words, Governor Quinn: Illinois Solidarity Party? Don't laugh; we're already going there:

Reporters asked Governor Pat Quinn if he might consider resigning from the Democratic ticket, and run as an independent candidate, so as to free himself from being on a joint ticket with Cohen. The Governor replied, “Let’s take a look at how the situation evolves.” Obviously the Governor is hoping that Cohen will resign from being the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor.

It's a similar scenario to 1986: Cohen won a low-information six-way primary with only 26%. (Looks like a landslide compared to the Republican governor nominee, whoever that may yet be, winning with 20.3%.) Another argument for instant runoff? Hey, they're using it for the Oscars...

Here's another gem that hits closer to home. Jonathan Narcisse is now saying he may run in the Democratic primary against Chet Culver, then run again as an independent in the fall (presuming, as is likely, that Narcisse doesn't win the primary). Ballot Access News is following a seven-way Virginia congressional race and notes that VA has a "sore loser" law:

Candidates filing for a primary must sign a statement agreeing that if they lose, their names cannot be printed on ballots for the general election. Meaning, if a candidate in the Republican primary for the 5th District loses on June 8, he or she cannot run as a third-party candidate in November.

I'm just sayin' [cough]Lieberman[/cough]