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Central Illinois Gazette

Eisendrath as Obama's Senate replacement?

Posted by: Tom Kacich

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 12:07 PM

If Illinois Democrats really want a replacement in the U.S. Senate who is totally free of the taint of Rod Blagojevich, there best bet could be Edwin Eisendrath.

And he's interested.

Eisendrath, a managing director with the Chicago-based Huron Consulting Group, said he is "exploring" the possibility of replacing President-elect Obama as Illinois' second U.S. senator.

Eisendrath challenged Blagojevich in the 2006 Democratic gubernatorial primary, finishing with 275,375 votes to Blagojevich's 669,000. Eisendrath won seven counties, including Champaign County.

"I'm the only real non-Rod in the Democratic Party," Eisendrath said. That's debatable, but no one else -- Lisa Madigan, Dan Hynes, Pat Quinn, Danny Davis -- could say that they challenged Blagojevich in an election since he beecame governor.

And Eisendrath has plenty of political experience, both from his gubernatorial race and as a Chicago alderman. He's also got the intellect and the global reach to serve in the Senate. Of late he's been doing consulting work in Middle Eastern countries, mostly for higher education institutions.

A lot of things would have to fal in line for Eisendrath to get the Senate seat -- Blagojevich's appointment of Roland Burris would have to be rejected by both the U.S. Senate and the courts, Blagojevich would have to be impeached and convicted by the Legislature, and new governor Pat Quinn would have to name him to the position -- but given the bizarre nature of Illinois politics and government, anything is possible.