UPDATE: Here's a touch of mainstream media coverage of Elrod's announcement this morning.
EARLIER: House District 97 challenger Mary Ann Sullivan, who's still running for the office she set out to run for, just issued this response to Elrod's late-in-the-game switcheroo.
Rumor has it that Seventh District Congressional candidate and occasional State Rep. Jon Elrod is holding a press conference shortly to announce that he's dropping out of the former race in an attempt to retain the latter seat.
Talk about your all-time dumb political moves.
Elrod, who almost certainly would have been crushed in the Congressional race, now looks like the world's biggest flip-flopper, opening himself up to criticism that he's just running for whatever office will get him to the next office he wants to run for.
As a resident of House District 97, I'm disappointed, and as a political hack, I'm shocked.
Hang it up, Jon. You gambled on the special election, ran a terrible campaign and lost. You don't get to come back and pretend like you were representing me the whole time.
Heck, you weren't even representing me while you were at the Statehouse running for Congress, and it's not like you won by an overwhelming mandate back in 2006.
There's a time to fade gracefully and a time to fight desperately. I guess we know which road Elrod is taking.
if elrod drops of out the cd07 race, is there still time for the republicans to get someone else on the ballot in his place (assuming they can find someone)?
I believe there is time to select a replacement in CD07, and my understanding is that Elrod held a press conference this morning at his house to make this rumor official.
There will be a caucus for the 97th and for the 7th by June 30. If Elrod loses in the caucus, McCain may pluck this plum for VP.
Is anyone running against him in the HD97 caucus?
I have not heard of any opponent as yet. I am sure Tom Johns will squelch/smash any party member who would want to run. But Mary Ann will do the grass root campaigning required and can easily send this guy looking for greener grass elsewhere.
Wonder if Ross Perot is one of his campaign advisers?
I'm In....I'm Out...I'm In, I think.
I think he's doing the right thing. He could easily go for Congress. If he wins, he's in Congress. If he loses, he ran a good race, and no one cares because no one expected him to win. I think it's admirable that he's going back to his House campaign.
First, Elrod insults in the 97th district by dumping us mid term to run for congress...even campaigning and preparing mailings while on the house floor supposedly representing us and now he wants us to take him back since he realized that he was going to lose big in November. I have news for him. He is going to lose big again in November. Maryann Sullivan will beat him by a huge margin. Then he can use his real address instead of his fake address.
First, Elrod insults in the 97th district by dumping us mid term to run for congress...even campaigning and preparing mailings while on the house floor supposedly representing us and now he wants us to take him back since he realized that he was going to lose big in November. I have news for him. He is going to lose big again in November. Maryann Sullivan will beat him by a huge margin. Then he can use his real address instead of his fake address.
By "admirable," I assume you mean "politically stupid."
He was going to lose either way. Now he just looks like an indecisive opportunist with terrible judgment.
According to Jon Elrod's speech on YouTube.com at the GOP Slating Convention in January, 2008 Elrod said that GOP Leaders told him NOT to try to run for Congress.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=l027BwleSZQ
I guess Jon had to learn the hard way.
Elrod is pathetic. Did someone above actually suggest McCain would pick him as a VP?
Just sent a donation to Mary Ann in response to the news.
The VP was of course a joke. Jest like Elrod
I have a check sitting here by my computer for Mary Ann Sullivan. I am calling tomorrow to get the address where I need to send it.
Andre Carson would have beat Jon for all the wrong reasons, but Jon would have had my vote.
Mary Ann Sullivan seems to have 97 all wrapped up, and Jon will not have my vote.
I considered myself an Elrod "supporter"- at least I gave a few bucks. I don't know which supporters he claims to have called, but he certainly didn't give me a call. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I will be voting for Democrat Mary Ann Sullivan in November. This isn't what we Republicans have ever been about. Good luck Sullivan. For shame Jon.
Here's the contact info from Mary Ann's website:
Mary Ann Sullivan for Indiana House
PO BOX 441010
Indianapolis, IN 46244
Though the rumors had been swirling for weeks, I'm still surprised that Elrod made this decision. It's just such a stunningly bad one. He could have lost to Carson in November, and no one would have faulted him. Heck, he'd have raised his name ID to run for something else down the road.
I have to think there's more to this situation than meets the eye. He can't be so egotistical to think he's going to beat a hard-working Democratic candidate in a Democratic district in a year when Democrats are expected to perform very well nationally.
Methinks perhaps he believed his own reviews as a "rising star" in Republican political circles.
This cat's arrogance is amazing... Is he taking jerk lessons from Carl Brizzi or something?
As a Republican that supported Elrod merely due to a lack of any confidence in Rep. Carson, I am infuriated with Elrod. Does Elrod have any advisors with any intellect? Of course, he was likely going to lose. However, by this action, he threw the party on the proverbial bus and assured that Carson will hold the seat. No one would have faulted him for losing in the 7th. However, now he looks like an opportunistic hack.