Scott Lee Cohen, the Democratic nominee for Illinois lieutenant governor, removed himself from the campaign Sunday, freeing Gov. Pat Quinn from the baggage Cohen brought to the ticket, but also leaving him without a running mate.
"I'm someone who made mistakes in my life. And look where I am. If I let you down I'm sorry," Cohen said Sunday evening in a tearful announcement at the Hop Haus Tavern.
For days, the pawn broker-turned Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor was dogged over allegations he abused anabolic steroids, went into fits of rage, sexually abused his then-wife, got behind in child support payments and held a knife to the throat of a former girlfriend who is a convicted prostitute.
The task now turns to Illinois Democratic Party leaders to pick a replacement for Cohen. As head-spinning and bad of an episode as this has been, at least it resolved itself fairly quickly. The Republican gubernatorial primary, however, looks like it won't be resolving itself any time soon.
Selection of a replacement to fill the ballot vacancy is the work of the 38-member Democratic State Central Committee, made up of a male and female representative from each of the state's 19 congressional districts. The state central committee is scheduled to meet March 17, though a meeting could be held sooner.
