Cross-posted from Blue Downstate
U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL-8), who recently gave birth to a baby girl, is considering running for the U.S. Senate seat here in Illinois that is currently held by Republican Mark Kirk two years from now, and Kirk is being a total jerk about it:
The Illinois Republican is running "come hell or high water" in Democratic-leaning Illinois as perhaps the most vulnerable GOP incumbent in next cycle. There are several Democrats who could line up to challenge the freshman senator, but in an interview Thursday with The Hill, he suggested that Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who had her first child this week, would be better served to wait for Sen. Dick Durbin's (D-Ill.) term to end in 2020.
“She has a very bright future ahead of her. After only one term … you know, when you run for the Senate, you have to give up your congressional seat. If she gives up her congressional seat and loses against me, that's a very sad ending to a bright career,” Kirk said about the congresswoman and potential rival.
“To fight and lose a Senate race against Kirk is a terrible start to a career,” the Illinois Republican said in a sit-down interview in his Senate office.
The only person who should be deciding what Tammy Duckworth should do about her political career is Tammy Duckworth. The fact that Kirk the Jerk thinks that he should tell Tammy Duckworth what she should do with her political future tells me that A) he's a condescending, sexist jerk and B) he's afraid that Tammy Duckworth might defeat him if she were to run against him.
Even if Tammy Duckworth doesn't run for U.S. Senate here in Illinois, there's plenty of other Democrats in this state who can defeat Kirk the Jerk in 2016.