Jim Ryan's Comeback

Chicago - At 63, Jim Ryan has known his share of hardship and loss. He's a cancer survivor who also lost a child to suicide. The Fox Chicago Rasmussen Poll done recently shows him with a very high favorability rating from Illinois voters, most of whom are familiar with his story.

Ryan has run for governor before and lost. In 2002 he was beaten by Rod Blagojevich in a tight race in which Ryan was hampered, particularly downstate, by confusion about whether he was related in some way to former Republican governor George Ryan who is now serving time in a federal prison for corruption.

Six years later, he wants to capture the Republican nomination for governor again. He has been teaching law and politics at Benedictine University where he told us in 2004 that "I don't so much miss the public eye."

But Ryan calls this a "defining moment" in Illinois politics, a time when massive budget deficits and political corruption have brought the state to what Ryan believes is the brink of disaster.

"I want to bring a sense of urgency and change to Illinois, I'm tired of politics in this state," Ryan said.

When asked why he would subject himself and his family to the rigors of a political campaign at this stage of his life in a state where politics are often brutal and vulgar Ryan said "that is the problem. Why does it have to be a blood sport? Why are people willing to accept it has to be a blood sport?"

Some of his Republican opponents in the primary, and there are six, will likely make it that way. Ryan's law school friend and long time political contributor Stuart Levine was a key witness against Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko in his corruption trial after pleading guilty to fraud and corruption charges. Ryan has never been implicated in any of Levine's misconduct.

"We were very close," Ryan said, but "I didn't know anything about what he was doing....even his wife didn't know."

But fairly or unfairly, some might suggest a two term attorney general in Illinois should have known something about a man who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Ryan's political campaigns.

If the race is close, and it may well be with such a crowded field, the attack ads could be devastating and should Ryan win the nomination it will give his Democratic opponent fodder to come after him as well.

But Ryan said he's confident he can weather the slings and arrows of opponents.

"Politics is a tough business but I've been in the arena before," Ryan added.

The former Golden Gloves boxing champion knows how to take a punch and deliver one. If he can raise the money he needs, and he said he's confident he can, he could quickly emerge as a frontrunner in a primary contest where none of his six opponents has ever won a statewide race.