Aides flock to state as primary nears
Like swallows to Capistrano, every four years the surrogates for presidential nomination hopefuls flock to Chicago by the first weekend of March to act as stand-ins at campaign office openings.
On Sunday it was Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra and an assortment of other GOP leaders formally announcing the kickoff of the President Bush-Vice President Dan Quayle effort. On Saturday, supporters of GOP presidential challenger Patrick Buchanan had opened his Chicago office.
Democrats Paul Tsongas, the former senator from Massachusetts, and Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska had their offices opened for business last week as they campaigned elsewhere. Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa had already established their offices.
In a statment released Sunday, Gov. Jim Edgar said the state GOP establishment is solidly behind Bush`s re-election.
All 102 county GOP chairmen, all 80 Cook County ward and township Committeemen, all 74 Republican members of the legislature and the seven GOP members of Congress from Illinois have endorsed Bush, Edgar said.
