The Chicago Sun-Times ran write-up of Chicago’s Inspector General David Hoffman’s candidacy for the Democratic Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate to replace Roland Burris.

At the bottom, was another article, next to which was a list of “THE FIELD.”

Take a look.

At the bottom are the Republicans.

At the bottom is the name of “blogger Andy Martin.”

Above his name were

• U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk
• Retired Judge Don Lowery
• Matteson resident Eric Wallace
• Hinsdale businessman Pat Hughes

Martin, who used to be known as Anthony Robert Martin-Trigona, ran in the GOP primary for governor in 2006 using the simpler version of his name. He got 6,095 votes.

When he ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2008, however, he received 240,548 votes. Steve Sauerberg won the race. Sauerberg didn’t spend a lot of money, so I figure Martin has a pretty good ballot name.

The Chicago Tribune trashed Martin on its front page. It wasn’t a real professional article. In any event, the article and lack of respect from and coverage by mainstream media show in the disdain that they have for his running for public office.

My guess is that Martin could afford to spend some money on a campaign, but evidence of his spending much has not been seen.

He is quite good at doing things Pat Quinn got lots of publicity for when he was seeking office.

For example, last week when the Illinois State Republican Central Committee refused to allow him to campaign in the Ag Director’s lawn, where the big doings were at the State Fair’s Republican Day, he went to Sangamon Court and forced his way in.

Martin has a law degree from the University of Illinois, but was denied a license to practice by the Illinois Supreme Court shorting after the Roy Sophisberg–Ray Klingbeil Civic Center Bank scandal. He has said he worked with Chicago Daily News reporter Charles Nicodemus on the story and not being granted a law license was pay back.

But Andy Martin is the name that you will see rarely mentioned in coverage of the U.S. Senate.

He has run for office many times in Illinois, Connecticut, Florida.