Giannoulias attacks from the Left and right leave Kirk in the Center with most Illinois voters

(From the Kirk Campaign)

 First Alexi Giannoulias said Mark Kirk wasn’t conservative enough…

“Giannoulias campaign manager Michael Rendina claimed Mark Kirk was too moderate, saying ‘Conservatives here don’t trust Congressman Kirk.’” (Alexi for Illinois, 8/25/10)

Now Alexi Giannoulias says Mark Kirk is too conservative…

Later today, Alexi Giannoulias will stand with interest groups who endorsed the Democratic candidate in an open seat in a desperate attempt to convince voters that Kirk is not the moderate he claims to be.  Unfortunately, this would be yet another Giannoulias flip-flop…this time on Mark Kirk.

That Probably Means Mark Kirk Stands with the Vast Majority of Illinois Voters…in the Center…

 Congressional Quarterly Vote Rating 2009: Mark Kirk’s voting record rated at 50% on presidential support (i.e. exact center of the House of Representatives).

Daily Herald Endorsement, 10/12/10: “We have admired Kirk’s knowledge of the issues and his willingness to shake the shackles of partisanship and look at issues from a broad perspective. He is, indeed, ‘Mr. Independent.’”

Moline Dispatch/Rock Island Argus Endorsement, 10/24/10: “Unlike recent conservative GOP candidates for U.S. Senate from Illinois, we suspect Rep. Kirk more closely aligns with the majority of Illinois voters. He is a social moderate, a fiscal conservative and a military hawk.”

 Chicago Tribune Endorsement, 10/7/10: “And for 10 years in the U.S. House he has voted as what he says he is: a social moderate, fiscal conservative and national security hawk. Watch on the video as Kirk rips through the long list of issues on which he’s voted against the conservative line — health insurance for kids, stem cell research, predatory lending, campaign finance reform and so on. You’re struck less by where you agree or disagree than by the totality of what you know about his temperament. Kirk has been his own counsel, not his party’s robot.”

Bloomington Pantagraph Endorsement, 10/17/10: “Kirk has been effective in Congress working with both sides of the aisle. He has demonstrated leadership in the House and would be better able to hit the ground running in the Senate.”

 Peoria Journal Star Endorsement, 10/16/10: “Mark Kirk is a thoughtful, independent, moderate conservative in a Washington that has too few of those, and he gets our solid endorsement.”

Pioneer Press Endorsement, 10/7/10: “Kirk is one of the few moderate Republicans in Washington, an endangered species, and someone with potential to represent all the constituencies of the state.”

 Belleville News-Democrat Endorsement, 10/17/10: “He has a reputation of working well with politicians on both sides of the aisle, which is preferable to the polarized, can’t-get-anything-done politics often on display. For example, Kirk says Republicans should support Democratic President Barack Obama’s proposal for a line-item veto because it’s a good idea.”

Quincy Herald-Whig Endorsement, 10/10/10: “Kirk, a moderate who has demonstrated the ability to be a consensus builder and has shown a commitment to work behind the scenes to find practical solutions to problems during his decade in Congress, is our choice.”

 Southtown Star Endorsement, 10/17/10: “Kirk has shown a willingness to break with his own party on key votes…We want to send Kirk to the U.S. Senate to unwind the partisanship, to leverage his independence by swinging between both sides of the aisle. Illinoisans embrace middle-of-the-road positions, and so do most Americans. It’s called common sense. It’s called compromise.”

Lake County News-Sun Endorsement, 10/9/10: “His decade-long record has been one of service to the district and state, of a social moderate and fiscal conservative; of a Republican not in lock-step with party leaders.”

Crain’s Chicago Business Endorsement, 10/22/10: “The North Shore congressman’s support for O’Hare expansion underscores another reason we support him: a record of bucking party authority when it’s in the best interests of his constituents.”

 Chicago Jewish Star Endorsement, 10/27/10: “A moderate Republican, we have long respected his independence, his work in congress, and his strong support for Israel.”