Freshman Senator Mark Kirk is trying something that’s been rare to find in the GOP these days: something smart.
The Illinois Republican is up for election this term, and has decided to break ranks with his party by publicly calling for the Senate to hold hearings to confirm SCOTUS nominee Merrick Garland. He also personally met with Garland. In response, President Obama sent a thank you note, which Kirk was only too happy to share via Twitter:
Thanks @POTUS. I met w/ Judge Garland because my responsibility to people of #IL is more important than partisanship pic.twitter.com/4EloRLfDlo
— Mark Kirk (@SenatorKirk) April 7, 2016
So why would he do this?
In short, Kirk is trying to save his job. He’s long been considered one of the Senate’s most vulnerable 2016 candidates, and he’s acutely aware of it. His likely Democratic opponent, Tammy Duckworth, already has endorsements from both President Obama and Joe Biden. Illinois is Obama’s home state, and he’s still very popular there.
The timing of this is no mistake. In a report by the Chicago Tribune, Duckworth issued a direct challenge to Kirk that his oath:
“…does not cease to apply in an election year, nor does it cease to exist for the benefit of a political party that lost the last presidential election and wishes to impose a procedural do-over.”
And now, we see Kirk breaking rank with Mitch McConnell and the GOP roadblock, making an effort to appear that he actually cares about doing his job. It’s a shrewd move by Kirk, who is a more moderate Republican and not considered conservative enough by the ultra-right wingers in the state.
This is part of the backlash of the GOP obstruction of Garland’s nomination. Vulnerable Republicans are placed in even bigger danger of losing their seats, and at least one them has found that a clever way of trying to keep his job is by sucking up to President Obama.
And who said bipartisan cooperation doesn’t happen these days?
Feature image via Getty/Win McNamee
