With the Obama Senate seat vacant and the governorship of Illinois quite possibly soon to become vacant given the arrest and disgrace of incumbent Rod Blagojevich, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's name now regularly comes up as a prospect for higher office. Madigan has, as expected, been active in office in going after business defendants, and her much-publicized lawsuit against Countrywide this summer over its mortgage lending practices drew criticism from the late Tanta of Calculated Risk (see also Felix Salmon). On the other hand, she got some surprisingly favorable publicity in October from the Madison County Record:

Fears that Madigan would be a trial-happy opponent of tort reform groups have so far proven unfounded, said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois Civil Justice League.

"She's been a pleasant surprise to those of us who were concerned that she would be very closely aligned and sympathetic to plaintiffs' lawyers," said Murnane, who serves on the board of directors of the American Tort Reform Association.

One other favorable data point here (stayed out of dubious lead paint nuisance amicus joined by 16 AGs).