Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, Ill., got lots of attention after blasting Democrats who trotted out a 290-page pension reform bill on Tuesday and scheduled a vote the same day.

Bost got more than a little angry about Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, bringing out bills at the last moment. He threw the bill in the air, punched it as it came down and dropped the f-bomb.

Bost appeared on Fox and Friends on Wednesday morning and said he was mad because the bill shifts the burden of the state’s unfunded pension liabilities to taxpayers “instead of taking care of the real issue which is trying to reform the issue.”

During a later interview Bost said he was not sorry about the outburst and would not apologize.

The video shown above has deleted the offending word that helped the blurb go viral.

Anzone Liszi Research has completed a voter survey that shows Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, with a commanding lead over Republican challenger Randy Frese of Paloma.

A summary of the poll shows that Sullivan held a 60 percent to 25 percent edge over Frese on a toss-up question about who respondents plan to support in the election. Survey respondents who identified themselves as Democrats favored Sullivan by an 86 percent to 4 percent margin over Frese. Independents were 40 percent for Sullivan and 16 percent for Frese. Meanwhile, 48 percent of Republicans favored Frese, while 41 percent favored Sullivan.

The poll did offer information on both candidates, but the followup responses were not significantly different than the toss-up responses.

There are two big things to point out about the poll. At least 15 percent of respondents said they have not yet decided how they will vote in November. In addition, Sullivan’s favorable responses of 62 percent versus unfavorable of 13 percent indicated he would be tough to beat if the election were held today.

Things can and do change as elections draw close. Frese will be watching what votes Sullivan makes in the Legislature as the session winds down.

Sullivan has an edge not only in this poll. He held an eight-to-one edge in campaign cash on hand after the most recent reporting cycle and as an incumbent has very high name recognition.

Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., returned home this week after nearly three months in therapy after a serious stroke.

A video promoted on Kirk’s campaign site shows some of Kirk’s rehabilitation therapy. In another place, Kirk said he’s working hard to get back enough mobility to return to the U.S. Senate. He said he must negotiate 45 steps to reach the Senate and has used that as an incentive to keep working.

David Thomas of the Springfield State Journal-Register did interviews with both state senators from the area this week. His story is linked here.

Neither Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, or Sen. Sam McCann, R-Carlinville is committed to Gov. Pat Quinn’s pension plan that would boost the retirement age to 67 and add at least 3 percent to employee contributions.

Medicaid cuts by Quinn drew a different response. McCann said he would oppose Quinn’s plan, but wants Medicaid access limited to U.S. citizens.

Sullivan does not know how he would vote on the plan and is worried about adult dental services, which would be eliminated by Quinn.

Both men oppose Quinn’s funding idea of an additional $1 tax on each pack of cigarettes.