In July 2004, Ditka, a self-described "extremely mega-super-ultra conservative",
[7] was reportedly considering running against
Democrat Barack Obama for an open seat in the
U.S. Senate for
Illinois in the
2004 Senate election. The seat was being vacated by
Peter Fitzgerald, a
Republican, and Republican nominee
Jack Ryan withdrew from the race amid controversy at the end of June, leaving the Republicans in a bind. Local and national political leaders, from Illinois Republican Party Chair
Judy Baar Topinka to National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair
Sen. George Allen, whose
father by the same name was an assistant coach with the Bears in the 1960s when Ditka played, met with Ditka in an effort to persuade him to fill the spot on the ticket.
On July 14, however, Ditka announced he would not seek the nomination, citing personal and business considerations (his wife was against the run and he operates a chain of restaurants)
[8]. Barack Obama went on to defeat former ambassador
Alan Keyes in the November 2004 election. In October 2008, Ditka introduced vice presidential candidate
Sarah Palin at a rally in
Latrobe, Pennsylvania.