77 Comments - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 9:51 am: A Rauner endorsement will be the kiss of death to whomever is appointed. Springfield is not an anti-union town and won’t accept an anti-union replacement, especially after how Rauner has made it his mission to destroy unions. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 9:54 am: I thought Rauner was for “local control”. How can you say you want local control for collective bargaining and other items, and then dictate who locals will have representing them? - wordslinger - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 9:55 am: Rauner bought the state GOP fair and square. There were no other bidders. - AC - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 9:56 am: The will of the voters is just a needless obstacle to “structural reforms” because Rauner knows best. /s - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 9:58 am: ===“The governor is watching the process closely and has not weighed in at this time, but plans to make an endorsement,” said Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly.=== So… Rauner can’t get Poe to vote his switch as he wants, gives an option to run Ag, Poe accepts. All good. Smart. “That’s the business we’re in”. Now… Instead of looking at how Poe kept the seat safe, and the district, and it’s dynamics, and it’s real… place… in how a diverse GOP caucus can and does work… … Gov. Rauner… “…plans to make an endorsement,” said Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly. Wow. Hi, ck- The name of the game is at times to be the “silent hand”, and at least leave the illusion, in this specific instance of local, Sangamon County, Springfield, autonomy until the appointee is sworn in. Why publicly have the possible stigma of an anti state worker governor involved in a district full of state workers? Why go THAT far? The move is great, completing the movement, not so much. Thanks! ow - Casual observer - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 9:58 am: Paging Larry Bomke. Please help. - Stones - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 9:59 am: Rauner doesn’t need the gig. He has millions and the Governorship is just a toy for him. His wealth allows him to have “chutzpah” (Rich’s term) rather than compromise which most successful politicians understand. - Austin Blvd - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:00 am: Rauner is still a hot commodity in Sfld. Not wise to sell his endorsement short. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:00 am: VMan I’m not so sure about it being a kiss of death. Springfield area voters are like Pavlovi’s Dog. They go into the voting booth vote Republican without thought. The local GOP party talks about smaller government and the Springfield voters nod their heads in unison about the need for smaller government then drive off to their state jobs or local business who depend on state dollars to stay in operation. - Apocalypse Now - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:05 am: Why I am shocked that the Governor, the leader of the Republican Party, would take an interest in seeing who is appointed to the seat. I would be flabbergasted, if Madigan was involved in anyway in the DUNKIN primary. Madigan has probably never put his two cent in on a Democratic race. - Georg Sande - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:05 am: Intervene? - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:06 am: This worries me. If they push for Sara Jimenez then I will eat one of my Red Sox hats. I keep an extra around in case if such an emergency. - Gantt Chart - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:08 am: Yeah, Rich…it truly would be something; something awful now that the Guv’s silenced Rich Brauer and Raymond Poe. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:13 am: It isn’t shocking that a politician would get involved in naming a replacement. But, why wouldn’t Durkin be the one with an endorsement. This is his caucus. He may not be allowed to talk though. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:17 am: 360, there are 20 million reasons, for starters, why Durkin doesn’t have a say in the matter. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:18 am: ===But, why wouldn’t Durkin be the one with an endorsement. This is his caucus.=== 1) Rauner owns the GOP Caucuses. 2) The reason the $20 million is in Rauner’s committee and not in the caucuses committees is for decisions like these. 3) Rauner, by purchasing the Caucuses gets to own the voting switches. That’s the ball game here. And… I have no problem with it as a move whatsoever. - walker - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:18 am: Wait, isn’t someone named Schneider the Illinois Republican Party Chair? /s - Been there, done that - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:19 am: According to the SJ-R article, one of the names in the hat for Poe’s replacement is Sara Wojcicki Jimenez - Diane Rauner’s chief of staff. How would that appointment play out in the union halls in the 99th - filled with union members from both sides of the aisle? - #5 - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:19 am: Casual Observer +1 - Bemused - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:24 am: Sangamon County is a Red county. It would be even more red were it not for the fact a number of State workers opt to live in bordering county’s. Not sure I would rate Poe as pro-union. Perhaps union-neutral would be a better description. Winning Poe’s seat by a Democrat is not impossible, I walked precincts for the last person to do so. Reality is, getting a Democrat elected in a county wide race in Sangamon is a tough row to hoe. It will be very interesting to see if the Union Gop State folks Support the recent Appointees. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:24 am: I understand the 20 million reasons why Durkin has given up control of his caucus. Madigan interviews and gets involved with local appointments of House members. This is a little different. The Executive Branch is involved in appointing someone to the legislative branch. The Governor has gone around the state touting “local control” for everything from prevailing wage to collective bargaining - but when it comes to something that he can control, meh, local control is out the window. - walker - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:25 am: In all seriousness, we have needed a stronger Republican Party in Illinois for years now. If we can get past the perception of shifting values — “Raunerite” vs. “traditional Republican” — then firm leadership from the Governor’s office is probably a good thing. The only problem is that structure will not last over time, due to changing personalities in the office. - AlabamaShake - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:29 am: **. Rauner won the district, but so did Jim Oberweis. Jesse White and Lisa Madigan won it, so I suppose that gives the Democrats a tiny ray of hope, and Democratic turnout will be stronger next year than it was last year.** I don’t really care about the numbers from 2014. What were the numbers in 2012? - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:30 am: Who carried the last GOP primary for governor in Sangamon county? Was that candidate pro or anti-union? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:32 am: - 360 Degree TurnAround - Don’t confuse the politics and the governing. The politics demand that Rauner and his $20 million dictate to the political leadership to choose a member of the General Assembly politically friendly to someone holding the purse strings. The autonomy of the Co-Equal branches being dictated to… by the Executive and governmental decisions being dictated by one branch having undue influence over another in the governing, that’s the rub. Actually, that’s more than the rub. It’s one thing to control the voting switch on, even a handful, votes. It’s completely another to own the switches, every vote, every decision with the $20 million and the $&@#% problem threats. “This is the business we chose”. However, choosing to be an ally versus having your voting key taken, huge difference. - Anonin' - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:32 am: Poor Sara, but better than promotin’ Gov Lingle for auditor general. At least Catie was wise enough to dive for the hospital gig. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:33 am: VMan: I believe Dillard was endorsed by the Sangamon County GOP and carried the county. That being said, if this seat go to the Dems, it would be more than an upset. Last time a D held that seat was Mike Curran. - Blago's Luxurious Grey Mane - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:34 am: This is a done deal for Sara. Rosemarie Long’s son got a $120K+ job from the administration. Guess whose bidding Rose will do? The locals are not happy, and a spirited primary will ensue. - Austin Blvd - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:35 am: During Rauner’s campaign, a Sfld attorney who is now head of the Ikkinois Gaming Board spent lots of radio ad money convincing state employees that Rauner was good for their future pensions. Rauner cleaned up in Sangamon County. Now that Rauner himself is proposing unconstitutional changes to employee pensions, do we think Sangamon County will have problems with Rauner’s endorsement? Nah. The replacement will be coached on what to say and all will play out as planned, with a Republican elected in 2016. - RNUG - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:38 am: It’s clear that Rauner and his people, from both a political and practical perspective, don’t know when to shut up and work behind the scenes. There are times to bigfoot things and times to just lightly tug strings. This one of those string tugging times. Having said that, as a long time Sangamon county GOP supporter, I’ll be voting for whoever Rayner doesn’t endorse / support … even if that means voting D. - Put the Fun in unfunded - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:41 am: There is no chance that this seat will flip now. It was more competitive before they moved most of north and east Springfield into Sue Scherer’s district in the remap. Nonetheless I don’t know why Rauner would make a public statement about the selection. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:43 am: The mere fact “ck” put into public play what was known as a quiet given shows… 1) Rauner must be seen as the power, and must be seen as the brand. 2) A complete lack of understanding the “silent hand” and behind the scenes positives of just letting things happen. 3) “ck” can’t see, that saying what doesn’t need to be said is overruled by doing what she’s told, no matter what’s told to her isn’t “helping”. - GOP Extremist - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:46 am: A third local puppet legislator installed. Knowone saw that coming. Lol - Independent retired lawyer, journalist - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:46 am: Hasn’t Poe voted with Rauner this year? Is he really pro-union? - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:47 am: OW - respectively. No confusing politics and governing here. Even though that is the major problem in Springfield and D.C. - more politicking than governing. But, it is important for the fourth branch of government (the press) and the fifth (capitol fax blog) to point out hypocrisy when it exists. And I am reminded that in 2003, the Democrats seemingly gave Blagojevich just about anything he wanted. - Norseman - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:51 am: RNUG, that’s what it’s going to take. The Sangamon GOP has been purchased. Unless enough folks wake up to this and send a message, that’s the way it will be. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:53 am: - 360 Degree TurnAround - Respectfully… Appointments to seats, they are the politics, they aren’t the governing. That’s why for the statehouse, the “party” of the person leaving gets to choose the replacement. The party. The political party apparatus. It’s inherently political from Jump Street. Now, once they are seated, and begin voting, that’s the difference. - Century Club - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:54 am: When I was a kid, I got a new baseball mitt for my birthday. Unfortunately I was sick and spent my day watching through the window as my brother used it to play catch with my dad in the front yard. Leader Durkin, if you need to talk, just let me know. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 10:59 am: First - the local Dems have serious trouble even finding candidates. Tony G is a good candidate and ran a good campaign in his county board district, but running in an entire house district is much different. Second - there are few elected Sangamon County GOP officials who could be considered “Raunerites”. None who ran for alderman or city office are Raunerites and only one at the county level (Don Gray) is possibly a Raunerite. Hence why Mrs. Jimenez is up for consideration. - The Machine - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:03 am: OW doesn’t like? Probably a good move. - downstater - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:04 am: ==Jesse White and Lisa Madigan won it, so I suppose that gives the Democrats a tiny ray of hope== Give me a break. Jesse White’s “opponent” was never seen or heard from during the entire election. Madigan’s opponent was also a joke with no name ID and no money. These results shouldn’t give Democrats even a tiny ray of hope in this district. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:07 am: ===OW doesn’t like? Probably a good move.=== Read what I wrote about the move, then get back to me. If you can’t read, that’s on you. - Johnny Jutice - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:12 am: Poe voted with Rauner on the AFSCME bill to ban strikes and mandate binding arbitration. Other than that his pro-union record was good enough for AFSCME to tell potential opponents that they were still gonna back him - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:12 am: OW - I get the political apparatus and everyone following the Governor’s lead, not the first time and won’t be the last time. It is just against the back drop of our Governor who wants to return so many things back to the locals, he can’t help but interject himself here. I agree with your previous post, there is no need for the Governor’s office to comment on this appointment process. - Austin Blvd - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:15 am: ‘ck’ says Rauner will be involved. That begs the question…did she say that on the state payroll or the political payroll? - Johnny Jutice - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:16 am: Smarter for the Gov. to get his man/woman in there but keep quite about it, like he did when Butler replaced Brauer, but that does nothing to feed his very large ego! - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:16 am: ==shouldn’t give Democrats even a tiny ray of hope=== I agree that it’s nearly impossible, but there’s always a tiny ray of hope. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:21 am: How big of a pay cut would that be for Sara Wojcicki Jimenez if she was appointed? I don’t know what Gray Noll makes in current job either. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:35 am: ===It is just against the back drop of our Governor who wants to return so many things back to the locals, he can’t help but interject himself here.=== Respectfully, you are again confusing the political and the governmental. The appointing process dictates that Rauner is front and center and the $20 million is there to remind those who may forget. Governing? Governing at the local level has nothing to do with a political party choosing a replacement within the apparatus they have to do so. Different animals. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:36 am: 360 - by the time a committee appt or two and per diems are taken into account, Mr. Noll would come out about even. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:41 am: Maybe Don Tracy should jump in the race since he ran radio spots telling state workers they have nothing to fear from a Governor Rauner. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:42 am: ===None who ran for alderman or city office are…=== Any Springfield aldermen Rauner appointees? Just asking, for clarification…. - Dr X - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:45 am: All these comments point out the obvious - voters are not important and are not to be consulted. You will obey your overlords!! - The Dude Abides - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:52 am: Of course Rauner will appoint an anti Union guy. That’s why he gave Poe the Agriculture appointment. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:54 am: OW: Springfield Alderman Cory Jobe is Rauner appointee, Director of Tourism. - Liberty - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 11:54 am: The Sangamon GOP shouldn’t take their state workers for granted. These are pocketbook issues and Rauner’s brand of leadership is scary. - Anon - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:01 pm: If the local party is smart, they will not go with Sara. How awesome would it be for the Democrats to have a posterchild-type candidate to use to consolidate all of the union support and anti-Rauner sentiment and make what should be a GOP district a real race? Appointing First Lady Rauner’s assistant makes the perfect target. Will be interesting to see what the locals do. Will show a lot about what to expect in the future if they do the Governor’s bidding on such an important appointment. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:02 pm: I appreciate the respectful give and take, and information shared. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:08 pm: - 360 Degree TurnAround - All Good. That’s what makes this place great, the hashing out and all of us trying to figure out what’s really going on. - Give Me A Break -, Yep. The point was that Rauner does have his hands in Springfield politics. Can’t think of a person who wouldn’t want the gig Jobe has, plus his background with years with Judy Baar Topinka inoculates the blanket Rauner operative. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:12 pm: Just my opinion, but Cory would generate some crossover support from Dems. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:24 pm: Willy - yes, there are two: Cory Jobe), who was alderman for almost a full term before Governor Rauner came into power, and Andrew Proctor, who is now head liaison at IDES. Mr. Jobe has also cultivated a pretty good career on his own. He should have run for mayor, but unfortunately he pulled the plug and ran for reelection. He is a likely mayoral candidate in 2019. I do take back my statement as Mr. Proctor is likely a Raunerite. But, again, he has a high concentration of state workers in his ward, so that would cause him plenty of heartburn. The others are all union types (Chuck Redpath and Herman Senor) or businessmen (John Fulgenzi, owner of Fulgenzi’s Pizza and my alderman). - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:40 pm: - Team Sleep - Much respect as always as you understood my point. All good, and further I think you’re Spot On with your assessment on Jobe. OW - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:43 pm: Thank you Willy. I will always look to you on Kane and Kendall County affairs. Jobe would make a great mayor. I promised to walk the entire north end for him if he ran. Alas, my offer wasn’t good enough to sway him. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:48 pm: - Give Me A Break -, It’s not that I disagree with you, but I can’t see anyone giving up the gig Jobe has with Tourism and the salary, to take a pay cut and be the least senior GA House member, in the Minority Party caucus too. Respectfully. - Johnny Jutice - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:52 pm: Team Sleep: You are right about Ald. Proctor being a Raunerite, but he lives in Scherer’s District. Rauner would be smart to back Proctor for Rep. in the 96th. He’d have a much better chance to knock off the unpopular & smarts challenged Scherer than that elderly woman who announced for the GOP nomination. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 12:56 pm: Willy is right. Jobe makes good money, has a great gig and can pad his resume for when he runs for something higher. Sorry for banging the mayoral drum, but that is clearly what he wants. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:00 pm: Johnny - if Governor Rauner asked me for my advice, I would tell him to back the Brinks truck up to Winston Taylor’s insurance office and ask him to run. Just my two cents. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:07 pm: Team Sleep: You owe me a keyboard for that comment about Winston. Willy: I agree it would be step down for Jobe. Somewhere right now, Sam Cahnman is plotting his comeback and calling Mapes to tell him where he wants to sit on the floor. - Johnny Jutice - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:07 pm: Proctor, on the other hand, is not gunning for Mayor, but is clearly politically ambitious. Plus he has a low level state job, so State Rep. would clearly be a big step up for him. The GOP has never run a candidate of Proctor’s caliber against Scherer, so with Rauner’s $$ he could well send Sue packing. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:12 pm: Johnny Justice: If Proctor is a legislative liaison he not a low level state employee, in that position you carry the Gov’s water and don’t question it and you are face of the Gov to many members of the GA. - Anon - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:17 pm: This seems very wrong. The people of the 99th district deserve someone who represents their views. Not a puppet for the Gov - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:33 pm: Well then, Anon 1:17, what are your feelings about Rep. Sue Sherer?! Since, you know, she’s such an independent thinker and actor. - Cheswick - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:39 pm: The Poe we knew is not the Poe we know. Rauner flipped him like a pancake on a hot griddle. Good luck to whoever takes his place. You’re gonna need it. - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 1:40 pm: Give Me - am I to assume that’s out of frustration?! I happen to think he’d by the GOP’s best bet given how that district is, ahem, drawn. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 2:09 pm: Team: Jobe was elected with good number of Dems in his ward supporting him. He works his tail off, does not come off as a fire breathing conservative and at least at the local level, has good ideas and workwbto implement them. And the fact he is not seen as “Old Guard Sangamon County GOP” helps him with some Dems. - Johnny Jutice - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 2:47 pm: Give Me A Break: I stand corrected. Former House GOP staffer, Proctor’s legislative liaison gig is not low level. However, my point was that it is not at Jobe’s level of Director of Tourism. So State Rep. would be a big step up for him & would be a smart move for him, Rauner & Durkin. He can pick up a seat for the House GOP. The 99th is already GOP & will remain GOP, so not that big of a deal who gets it. - nona - Wednesday, Nov 18, 15 @ 5:53 pm: Ald. Proctor might be stiffer competition for Scherer than she has so far faced. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.