Aside from the frenzy of political speculation about the choice, pundits were lukewarm on embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's selection of former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to fill the Senate seat vacated last month by President-elect Obama.
Burris became the first African-American elected to statewide office in Illinois in 1978, when he won the first of three terms as state comptroller. He was then elected attorney general in 1990 -- and also served as a vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1985-1989.
But his political career, while free from scandal, has hit a number of bumps at the polling place during the past decade and a half. Efforts to win the Democratic nomination for Illinois governor in 1994, 1998 and 2002 were unsuccessful -- with his 2002 defeat coming at the hands of Blagojevich.
Burris, now an attorney and lobbyist, was also overwhelmingly defeated in a 1995 primary bid against Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
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