# Who would take over Obama's Senate seat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 26, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853 "2008-07-26T16:10:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853/41 "2008-07-31T15:22:04Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] I’m saddenned to see that being black is considered a pre-requisite. [/quote] I don’t think it’s going to be the determining factor, but seeing as how he is the only black Senator it might get some consideration. (Then again, they said the same thing about Sandra Day O’Connor’s Supreme Court spot when she retired.) > [@](#): > > One of the good things about Obama’s candidacy is that race doesn’t matter any more. Doesn’t matter for who, exactly? That’s an exceptionally broad statement. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853/42 "2008-07-31T15:22:13Z")
**BG** some prefer tyranny of the minority so long as they are the minority in charge of course. Hard to know if **Carol** is arguing a libertarian perspective, or for more local control and representation at a more granular level than statewide office, or just whining that his/her POV often loses in Illinois because of all those damn liberals (and moderates) in the Chicago metro area. I think it’s that. Whatever. Back to the op. Remember it? So Lisa Madigan would be good but might not want it and might not be offered. Duckworth good. Jesse Jackson Jr. would be good. Schakowski not off the table. (Come to think of it, that’s a nice diverse crowd of qualified people for a Midwestern state!) Statewide for election they’d probably play well in that descending order. I think any of 'em would be good Senators. I wonder who would try on the GOP side next election? Oberwiess never seems to quit or run out of money to waste. Probably even Schakowski would win just because there isn’t much competition left in Illinois. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853/43 "2008-07-31T15:23:35Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Then again, they said the same thing about Sandra Day O’Connor’s Supreme Court spot when she retired. [/QUOTE] But O’Connor wasn’t the only woman on the Supreme Court when she retired. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853/44 "2008-07-31T15:30:25Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] But O’Connor wasn’t the only woman on the Supreme Court when she retired. [/QUOTE] I know. But there was some speculation that her seat would become a female seat permanently - and the first nominee for her post was a woman. Since Obama is getting a “promotion,” I don’t think it will be considered necessary to appoint a black Senator to replace him. But I can see where it will get some thought. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853/45 "2008-07-31T15:32:49Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I know. But there was some speculation that her seat would become a female seat permanently - and the first nominee for her post was a woman. [/QUOTE] Ahhh…I see what you’re saying now. Of course, that first nominee was Harriet Miers, so it’s not like they were trying to make it a _distinguished_ permanently female Supreme Court seat… ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853/46 "2008-07-31T15:45:07Z")
I’d say the only fair thing would be to appoint the runner-up from the election. Hello, Senator Alan Keyes! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-take-over-obamas-senate-seat/457853.md?page=2)