Duckworth Could Snag Prime-Time Speaking Spot at Democratic Convention

While her Republican opponent in the U.S. Senate race is skipping his party's convention this summer in order to focus on his campaign, U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth will definitely be attending the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Lynn Sweet says Duckworth might be tapped to give one of the coveted prime-time speeches at the convention, a move that could provide a financial boost to her bid to oust GOP incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk.

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Kirk recently announced that he would miss July's Republican National Convention in Cleveland so that he could focus on what will likely be a tough battle with Duckworth for the state's Senate seat in November.

Some political observers, however, have suggested that Kirk is bailing on the convention, in part, to distance himself from Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump. Kirk, who is seeking a second term, has said he would support the divisive candidate for president if Trump were to receive the GOP nomination.

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Recently, Duckworth has used that endorsement in a political ad against Kirk. (Watch the entire commercial, which Duckworth posted on Twitter.)

Duckworth, while talking Friday to the Sun-Times' Sweet, was dismissive about Kirk's convention skipping, as well as the headlines he's garnered for being the only Republican lawmaker to meet with Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee. GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has adamantly said he will not hold nomination hearings Garland, Obama's choice to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia's seat on the high court.

“I think [Kirk] is all about smoke and mirrors. He gets a lot of attention for doing nothing. ... It’s what he does. ... I think he is trying to distance himself from his entire personal voting record in Washington and the Republican Party"

Kevin Artl, Kirk's campaign manager, responded by saying Illinois voters viewed his candidate as "a genuine, thoughtful and independent leader."

More via the Chicago Sun-Times