-By Warner Todd Huston
In a step closer to formally entering the race for the GOP nomination for Illinois governor, former AG Jim Ryan has launched a Ryan for Governor website. Ryan is styling himself the "Anti-Blagojevich."
With a late entrant into the campaign, Ryan’s bid could shake up the field. Ryan’s polling claims that he is running even with Democrat candidate Dan Hynes and trails incumbent Governor Pat Quinn by only five points.
Of course, Ryan’s last name is a drawback. He is unfortunate enough to share the same last name as the now imprisoned former Governor George Ryan (though no relation). Jim Ryan was last involved in state politics when he ran for Governor against Rod Blagojevich in 2002 and his last name dragged him down even then.
There is one other problem with Jim Ryan’s history. Rich Miller reminds us that it is embodied in two words: Stu Levine.
Jim Ryan Launches Website for Gov Race”
There is an interesting editorial in 
Mundelein area resident Steve Kim announced his effort to become the next Illinois Attorney General not long ago. Thus far he’s the only Republican candidate announced for the position. In an election where nearly every race, both state-wide and local, has a plethora of candidates coming out of the woodwork, Kim’s entrance in the race as the lone GOP candidate shows how solid the GOP thinks current AG Lisa Madigan’s (D) bid for reelection is.
Earlier this week, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady addressed the City Club of Chicago.
The morning got off to a rousing start with GOP Chairman Lee Roupas addressing the gathered crowd. Roupas really ginned up the attendees with a rousing address promising that the Cook County GOP is a new party, a vital party, one that can take on the corruption plagued Democrats and make a dent in the upcoming 2010 elections.
Roupas quickly turned the dais over to the always energetic