Oops, the name of Kathy Salvi, GOP challenger to Senator Tammy Duckworth, was left off the ballot.

 

Just a mistake, didn't mean to do it, no ill intent meant. 

Oh sure, you bet.

Thanks to the "mistake," Kathy Salvi's name on "hundreds" of ballots mailed out to voters in downstate  Illinois Schuyler County was replaced by Peggy Hubbard, whom Salvi beat in the Republican primary. 

Apparently the error was discovered after voters began returning completed ballots, prompting Schuyler County Clerk Mindy Garrett (who just happens to be a Democrat) to rule out any nasty stuff. Any votes without Salvi's name will be "set aside," yet still will be counted, she said.

Wait. What? Why aren't the ballots considered to be spoiled and discarded? I suppose that the logic is that no one meant to vote for Salvi, so the votes for Duckworth can't be discarded. And yet, any possible votes for Salvi have been cancelled. 

Salvi is demanding a better and more transparent  explanation from Garrett, which so far hasn't been made. As well she should. Illinois has a reputation as a corruption cesspool where one would expect every election to be legit. 

(Read the complete story here in the Chicago Tribune.)

Speaking of Salvi, she's being treated shamefully by state and nation Republican leadership. Turns out that party big wigs have decided that spending money to support Salvi would be wasted because, they must think, that Salvi is a sure loser in the deep blue state of Illinois.

(Read "Salvi stiffed by national and state Republican donors" in Illinois Review.)

Once more, the Illinois Republican party--if it can honestly be said that there is one--is worse than pathetic. Sure, Democrats dominate Illinois, but giving up on Salvi like this is disgraceful.

I know Salvi and she is exactly the kind of candidate party needs if it wants to no longer be comatose. She's smart, decent, independent and honest. She'd be vastly better than the go-along-to-get along Duckworth. 

Even if you think that Duckworth is a sure winner, voters must mark for Salvi to demonstrate that the party has quality candidates whom Republicans care enough about to support.