Interesting: Illinois Republicans have a hot 2014 gubernatorial candidate...

Erika Harold is half African-American/Native American, has a degree from Harvard Law School, and was Miss America.

Via The Weekly Standard: 

In the short-term it’s difficult to see how the Republicans in Illinois can break the Democratic stranglehold.

But they may have a political star in the wings by the name of Erika Harold. Harold’s resume is almost too good to be believed: born and raised in downstate Champaign, she is half African-American/Native American, has a degree from Harvard Law School, and was Miss America. Lest anyone doubt her conservative bona fides, her platform as Miss America was teen abstinence. She’s been practicing law in Chicago and doing all the little things expected of someone who aspires to a political career.

That career almost began last year: in March 2012, shortly after winning his uncontested primary, Congressman Tim Johnson announced he would retire from Congress at the end of the term. The post-primary retirement is a common maneuver by Illinois congressmen hoping to put their political (or actual) scions in their seat without the messiness of a primary. Johnson’s former chief of staff announced shortly thereafter (his website was actually up before the announcement) that he would stand for the nomination, which post-primary is chosen by the chairs of the various Republican County Committees.

As Johnson’s district director for most of his decade in office he knew these people well—and they weren’t fans. Shortly after his announcement downstate Congressman John Shimkus’s district director, Rodney Davis, who also happens to be from the district, announced his candidacy, and the other downstate congressmen quickly coalesced behind him.

Then Harold announced that she would contest the seat. She made a few appearances and was beyond impressive, and people began to pay notice to her... Keep on reading...