Marathon Pundit: It figures: Expelled Illinois Dem state rep likely to be elected to his old seat

Several times I heard Teri O'Brien on her essential BlogTalkRadio show explain that most Obama voters are oblivious as to who represents them in the state legislature.

Chicago's West Side is stuffed to the brim with Obama voters. Well, as stuffed to the brim as can be in a city that has been hemorrhaging residents for decades. Voters in Chicago and many of its suburbs know how to do one thing--robotically vote for candidates with "Democrat" next to their names.

Democrat Derrick Smith, who was appointed to a vacant Illinois House seat last year, was indicted on bribery charges in March. He was able to easily win his primary race shortly after that indictment. Smith was expelled from the General Assembly two months ago but he remains on the November ballot. However, the House may have to expel him again. A We Ask America poll finds that Smith is favored by 48 percent of voters in his old district, just 9 percent favor Unity Party candidate Lance Tyson, who Democratic party bosses chose to oppose Smith. 43 percent are undecided. Because of petition issues, the Republicans have no candidate. (Typical Illinois GOP failure.)

Get a load of the explanation on these surprising poll results.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Gregg Durham, chief operating officer of the polling group, said it appears residents in the 10th House District may be unaware of Smith's August expulsion from the House because of his federal bribery charge.

"Usually, when we dig into these types of details, there's a surprising amount of people busy making a living, raising kids and going through normal struggles of life who are unaware of what has happened," Durham told the Chicago Sun-Times.

"Former Rep. Smith has a common last name, and it's not uncommon anywhere in Illinois for people to not pay attention in a state representative race, especially when there's an important presidential race at hand," he said. "If this election were held today, he'd swamp Mr. Tyson."

Smith was indicted last spring after allegedly accepting a $7,000 cash bribe from an undercover FBI informant who claimed to be acting as an intermediary to a purported daycare operator wanting Smith's help in obtaining a $50,000 state grant. Smith allegedly wrote a letter of support for the daycare operator before taking the informant's money.

Durham is full of bull. The Smith indictment and his subsequent expulsion were big news stories in Chicago. But if people don't bother to follow current events, they won't know the difference between Derrick Smith and Emmitt Smith.

An ill-informed electorate is the catalyst of Chicago's maladies. In a Democracy you get the government you deserve, as the old saying goes. Sure, laugh at Chicago and the dopes who elect clowns, criminals, and mental basketcases to represent them, but laugh at yourself too. Because Chicago-style politics took over America in 2009.

Hmm....you're not laughing anymore.

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