Thompson's for Giuliani, Hastert's for Romney

EX-GOV | 'We're going to be important as a primary state'

9/7/2007

Chicago Sun Times

Scott Fornek 

It's a potential battle of Illinois' GOP titans.

Former Gov. Jim Thompson threw his support to Republican presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani on Thursday, calling the former New York mayor "a smart, tough candidate" who "will appeal to a broad cross-section of people across the country."

"I think he's probably philosophically closest to my views," said Thompson, a moderate Republican.

The move puts the man who was Illinois' longest-serving governor at odds with former U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert -- who hosted a fund-raiser for rival GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign at Hastert's Plano home Thursday and is expected to be named Romney's honorary Illinois chairman in a few weeks.

Thompson downplayed any rifts among Republicans.

"Listen, a lot of my friends are with different candidates," Thompson said. "It's good that Republicans are becoming involved in all the campaigns. It's good for our state."

Romney's wife, Ann, was in the car with state Sen. Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac), head of the former Massachusetts' governor's Illinois campaign, on Thursday, driving to Hastert's fund-raiser when Thompson gave Rutherford a courtesy call.

"It was really funny," Rutherford said. "I didn't even tell Ann Romney who it was. I thought, 'Why do this to her today in Illinois?' I'm like, 'OK, governor, this is really good.'

"All kidding aside, I do not see this as a problem," Rutherford said.

Newfound importance

Rutherford already is facing off against state House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego), who is heading up Giuliani's campaign here.

"It's not like you're running against one another," Rutherford said. "It's not like it's a personal battle. I honestly don't see it here in Illinois. With the principals, the candidates themselves, that's another thing."

Other Illinois Republicans who have lined up with presidential candidates include state Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), who is backing Arizona Sen. John McCain, and U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, who is supporting former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson.

Former Gov. Thompson predicted that the GOP race here will become especially spirited because the state's new Feb. 5 primary date puts it among the early contests.

"We're going to be important as a primary state, which I don't think we've been on the Republican side for at least, gosh, I guess the '80s," he said.