Politico: "DGA campaign torches Brady"

[Ban my account ffs!]

I read this paragraph 3 times and I still don't get it.  Could somebody help?

The ad takes advantage of two of Brady’s most serious vulnerabilities: his downstate base, which leaves in a weaker starting position against Gov. Pat Quinn in Illinois’s population center, and his conservative voting record.

Particularly this portion "his downstate base, which leaves in a weaker starting position against Gov. Pat Quinn in Illinois's population center..."

[Ban my account ffs!]

I think I figured it out.. the writer forgot to include the word "him" between "leaves" and "in".

Then it all falls together.  Usually my brain just automatically puts in missed words like that... but this time it didn't and it seemed rather jarring.