GOP should sit back and watch Democrats fight over Illinois Senate seat

As the comedy of errors is set to begin tomorrow in Washington, D.C., the republicans would be smart to sit back and let the Democrats handle the Illinois Senate seat.

Roland Burris is on his way to Washington to claim the seat he was appointed to by disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich despite having his paperwork rejected by Senate Democrats. Earlier today Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson rejected Burris' certificate of appointment to the Senate as invalid. Before flying off to the nation's capital, Burris told reporters that he is the state's junior senator and that his appointment by Blago was legal and constitutional.

Burris plans on going to the Senate on Tuesday to be sworn in despite having been told by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that he would not allow Burris to take his seat in the Senate. Reid, D-Nev., said he would not allow Burris to be sworn in due to the controversy surrounding Blago's alleged attempt to sell the seat to the highest bidder. However, with reports that Reid attempted to sway Blago's appointment (prior to Blago's arrest) Reid is walking a thin line of piety.

So while the Democrats squabble over the Illinois replacement for President elect Barack Obama, Republicans should sit back and watch the fireworks. The Democrats have backed themselves into a politically correct corner. Can they afford to refuse a black appointee - to a seat held by a wildly popular black legislator (the only black member of the Senate) simply because he was appointed by a disgraced governor? The GOP, which has been marginalized in Washington and Illinois, should quietly hope for Illinois lawmakers to hold a special election for the Senate seat. Playing a petulant game of hardball over Burris and Blago will only remind voters of why Republicans lost overwhelmingly in November - and can remind Illinois voters of possible compliance during the corrupt administration of Republican Gov. George Ryan . If a special election is held in Illinois, that's when Republicans need to turn up the heat and remind Illinois voters of Blago's corruption and the corruption of the Chicago Democratic Machine. Remind voters they wanted change in DC, which brought about the election of Obama, but that change is needed in Springfield and the Illinois GOP offers that change.