GOP wooing Keyes to take on Obama Ex-presidential hopeful lives in Maryland but open to running here

Barack Obama might get a race, after all.

Former GOP presidential candidate Alan Keyes told IllinoisRepublicans Monday that he is "open to the idea" of taking on theDemocrat in the U.S. Senate race -- a move that would pit twoeloquent, nationally known African Americans against one another.

"It would be a classic race of conservative vs. liberal," saidstate Sen. Dave Syverson, a member of the panel looking for acandidate to go up against Obama. "It would put this race on the mapin this country -- just for excitement."

Syverson spoke to Keyes several times Monday and said Keyes didnot commit to making the run. The former State Department officialand radio and …