Politics
NEW: Former Dem Governor Turned Trump Ally Hints At Republican Senate Bid
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, the former Democrat Governor of Illinois who was convicted of corruption charges despite vehemently swearing he was the victim of a hit job orchestrated by Democratic Party operatives and former President Barack Obama, is considering a new run for office.
The report comes just days after longtime Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the current ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that he will not be seeking re-election in 2026. Durbin, 80, became the fourth Senate Democrat to announce his retirement ahead of the pivotal midterm elections.
With Durbin stepping aside after 44 years in office, Democrats will now have to defend yet another seat and win the pivotal name recognition battle, albeit in a longtime blue stronghold in Illinois. Additional retirements have been announced in Minnesota (Tina Smith), New Hampshire (Jeanne Shaheen) and Michigan (Gary Peters), all of which are expected to be either razor close or relatively close races.
The Democratic Party received more bad news on Saturday, however, when former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich left the door open to a Senate bid in an interview with Breitbart News.
Blaojevich was impeached after being convicted of public corruption charges in 2011, for which he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. He served eight years of the steep sentence before it was commuted by President Donald Trump in 2020.
During a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, Blagojevich explained that he has never stopped swearing his innocence. He instead insists that he was framed by Democratic Party leadership in order to protect then-President Barack Obama.
According to Blagojevich, he was approached by a high-ranking Democratic Party labor ally to appoint top Obama ally Valerie Jarrett to the president’s vacant seat. He refused to do so, the former governor claims, but was framed in order to cover up the shady conduct committed by Obama’s team, for which he was ultimately convicted.
“Is it something you’d consider: Running as a Republican — as a MAGA, America First Republican — for the U.S. Senate in Illinois? Or if not … what’s your advice to various possible candidates out there?”” the former governor was asked by Breitbart News host Matthew Boyle.
“You know, never say never,” Blagojevich replied. “It’d be quite a story, wouldn’t it? You know, coming out of prison after eight years and then returning to Washington and becoming a United States senator.”
“I’d like to say to your listeners: I didn’t break a law across the line or take a penny,” he continued. “When people ask me, ‘What is my greatest accomplishment as governor?’ I used to think it was providing affordable health care to every child in Illinois.”
Blagojevich also touted providing free public transportation to seniors and the disabled as another accomplishment he was proud of during his time as governor.
“But now, I believe my greatest accomplishment was standing up to weaponized prosecutors who criminalized things that were legal. Criminalized conversations Obama started. You go to the White House for eight years and I go to the — I go to prison for eight years because I wouldn’t give in. And I think that’s one of the greatest — I do believe that’s the greatest constitutional challenge in American history since the Civil War,” Blagojevich went on to say.
“If I ever was in a place of influence where I could play a role in trying to return our government — not just back to the people, but actually, you know, end this frightening trend towards weaponizing prosecutors and politicizing courts for politics. Which, again, is not what our founding fathers envisioned, and this is the greatest threat to freedom in America,” he continued. “I would love to play that role.”
Blagojevich has long credited his wife, Patricia, for getting him through the ordeal and believing in his innocence the entire time.
“Now, would I run for the United States Senate? You know, I gotta tell you, Matt, that would be a crazy thing,” the former governor admitted, noting that his political career has had on his family.
“She’s [Blagojevich’s wife] made it clear, Matt, that if I did something like that I’d have to do that with my second wife. So, in order for me to actually, like, decide to do something along those lines, I’d have to win my first primary — and that one’s right in my bedroom. And I’d have to convince my wife, Patty, that she should go along with something like that,” he said.
