In 2004, the Republican Party in Illinois was looking for a sacrificial lamb in the race for U.S. Senator. Democratic nominee and then-State Senator, Barack Obama, was cruising in the polls and the G.O.P. was desperate for a candidate who could show that their party was just as inclusive as the Democrats. Without any available options in the land of Lincoln, the state G.O.P. had to recruit someone from Maryland, Alan Keyes. He lost bad. But now it seems the state party is back to its old tricks.

Illinois Republicans know winning statewide office is a long shot, but they're counting on at least two races to help attract new voters to their struggling party.

Hispanic businessman Robert Enriquez will seek the Republican nomination for secretary of state, a position no major Republican wants because it would mean challenging popular Democratic incumbent Jesse White.

And Asian-American lawyer Steve Kim plans to run for attorney general and the chance to face incumbent Lisa Madigan — a race declared "virtually unwinnable" by one top Republican.

The newcomers say they're entering their respective races to win, but acknowledge another goal: to get more minorities to take a close look at the message of the Republican Party.

"What I'm trying to do is open up the world of Republican issues to a community that may not have really looked," said Kim, 39.

The men say the party's low-tax, pro-business attitude should appeal to the many Hispanics and Asian-Americans who run small businesses and hope to grow. And they say the Republican anti-abortion message matches the beliefs of many Catholic Hispanics and conservative Christian Asians.

With a dismal record in Illinois the past few years, the Republican Party can use all the help it can get.

It doesn't hold a single statewide office. Its last two U.S. Senate candidates — one of whom had to be imported from Maryland — were thrashed at the polls. No well-known Republicans wanted to step up and run for secretary of state or attorney general.

In fact, Joseph Birkett, the DuPage County state's attorney and former candidate for governor, dropped out of the race for attorney general after learning he'd have to face Madigan. He said the race would be virtually unwinnable because of her political organization and fundraising ability.

So if party leaders want to turn things around, one way is to find support among fast-growing minority groups.

"If we as Republicans don't look to expand to people of different races and different religions and different backgrounds, then shame on us," said state Sen. Dan Rutherford of Pontiac, who encouraged Kim and Enriquez to run and who is running for treasurer himself.

But some minority leaders say Republicans will have to do more than recruit Hispanic and Asian candidates for races that no one else was willing to enter.

"I can't see where the Republican Party can attract minorities just by putting up candidates. That's sort of assuming it's solely identity and not issues," said Ann Kalayil, a Chicago-based board member for Asian Pacific Americans for Progress. "It's a very shallow approach."

She said many minorities differ from the Republican Party on such issues as immigration reform, health care and education policy.

Still, the Republicans' interest in reaching out to minorities won praise from Kalayil and Selma D'Souza, a Chicago attorney and a member of the board of the Asian-American Action Fund.

D'Souza agreed that minority voters aren't likely to rally around a candidate simply because of ethnicity. But it's possible that Kim or Enriquez could catch fire if they already have a record of hard work and strong relationships within their communities, she said.

Enriquez, who was born in Honduras, is a former Marine and a member of the Illinois Human Rights Commission, which reviews allegations of discrimination.

Kim, born in South Korea, was an aide to Gov. Jim Edgar on trade and Asian affairs. He has also worked for Time Warner Cable and AT&T Illinois and now provides legal services to corporations.

At least this time, the candidates are from their own state.

(Hat tip to APAP Board Ann Kalayil.)