Once upon a time, Mark Kirk was a "moderate" Republican who held a Democratic-leaning seat just north of Chicago. Party leaders, knowing Illinois doesn't elect wingnuts, heavily recruited Kirk, calculating (correctly) that he was the Republican with the best political profile to win the state.

Then the teabaggers showed up, and Kirk can't run fast enough to the Right.

Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk penned a memo to Republican poobah Fred Malek hoping to secure an endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his Senate candidacy, according to a copy of the memo obtained by the Fix. After noting that Palin will be in Chicago later this month to appear on "Oprah", Kirk writes that "the Chicago media will focus on one key issue: Does Gov[ernor] Palin oppose Congressman Mark Kirk's bid to take the Obama Senate seat for the Republicans?" Kirk goes on to write that he is hoping for something "quick and decisive" from Palin about the race, perhaps to the effect of: "Voters in Illinois have a key opportunity to take Barack Obama's Senate seat. Congressman Kirk is the lead candidate to do that."

You are seriously worried about the teabagger challenge in the primary if you go begging to the Queen of Death (just ask Doug Hoffman) to give your campaign a lift.