[Comments now open on this post.]
* I’ll do another one of these later today or tonight if people send me their mail, pics, robocalls, etc. For instance, click here to see a Republican mailer that makes the case that Sen. Gary Forby, who’s about as pro-coal as somebody can get, is actually anti-coal.
In the meantime, click here for the latest campaign finance updates, and here’s today’s quotable…
“We’re going to wake up on the day after the election, and Bruce Rauner will still be governor, and the Democrats will still be in control of the Legislature,” Yepsen said. “And what is going to change as a result of this? If anything, I think the partisanship will continue.”
* At first glance, these may look like 75th House District Democrat Martha Shugart’s signs. But look closer…
Shugart is up against appointed Rep. David Welter (R-Morris). She’s only raised about $46K since July. But the chatter has started increasing on the contest of late.
* Speaking of Madigan, check out this story about the Adams County Sheriff race between incumbent Democrat Brian VonderHaar and Republican challenger Jon McCoy…
VonderHaar’s largest contributor has been the Health Care Council of Illinois Political Action Committee, which represents nursing homes throughout the state.
That $10,000 contribution in mid-October prompted some McCoy supporters to try to tie it to Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan. Republican campaigns throughout the state have been trying to link Democratic candidates to the unpopular Madigan.
Although Madigan has received money from the Health Care Council of Illinois PAC since Jan. 1 — $53,900 to his personal campaign account and $107,800 to two other campaign accounts he controls — the committee also has donated to Republican candidates, including two in West-Central Illinois.
The PAC has given $30,000 to state Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, and $5,000 to Illinois Senate candidate Jil Tracy, a Republican from Quincy, this year.
Sheesh.
We’ve essentially crossed the line into McCarthyism with that one.
* Also, too…
* From a Democratic pal in response…
While they send out tweets, I am early voting pluses
* But…
* From a reader…
Hi Rich,
Hope you’re enduring the last weekend before the ads go silent (briefly.) Two years ago, I e-mailed all the mailers I’ve gotten:
https://capitolfax.com/2014/11/03/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-um-mailers/
Here’s 2016’s haul– they started coming in August and now go past my couches. I’m still in Carol Stream in the middle of two races, Seth Lewis vs. Tom Cullerton and Heidi Holan vs. Deb Conroy (Christine Winger vs. Cynthia Borbas rages on literally a few streets over.) Included a few door hangers in here as well.
Thanks,
Lunchbox
Last year’s pic…
This year’s…
Whew.
* From a Republican Senate candidate…
Rich,
The other day you had a post questioning the relationship of Personal PAC and the Republican candidates. This is how Terry Cosgrove treats pro-choice Republicans these days.
A female friend in the district just got this text. . .
‘Please vote for pro-choice Laura Murphy for State Senate. Her opponent, Mel Thiliens, wants to make abortion illegal & will vote to end access to birth control. Laura needs your vote to win! Personal PAC thanks you.’
Phone # was xxx-xxx-xxxx
The text is simply not true, and he knows it.
Mel Thillens
* From a reader in that very same district…
Republican Party Mailer against Laura Murphy says “we need a State Representative who will fight for us,” also very, very over the top and misleading.
Murphy is an appointed Senator…
* Dan Proft’s newspaper writes about a Dan Proft ad. It’d be perfectly “meta” if a quote from the Proft newspaper was actually used in the Proft ad…
A campaign ad put out by a political action committee against one of the relative few incumbent state House Democrats running opposed this election season seems, at first glance, to show the state’s House speaker in drag with Trump hair.
The image in the ad appears to be the face of state House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) superimposed onto the shoulders and head of Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, complete with pearl earrings. The image is topped with what probably is the tussled hair of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
* From a reader…
Rich,
This has been a fascinating race to watch. Here’s what came yesterday in our Park Ridge mailbox (2 blocks from Hillary’s childhood home). Not sure how effective the Hillary letter will be. Not too personable. Interested to see what comes tomorrow.
Best regards,
Mark
The letter from Sen. Durbin is here.
* Other stuff…
* Trump and Madigan: How will they affect local races in Will County?
* Bernard Schoenburg election predictions
* Meet the multi-millionaire GOP governor using his fortune to push his agenda — and punish his foes
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 8:07 am:
36 Hours!!! (When will it be over?)
- observer - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 8:57 am:
75th is not even a race. Shugart ran the most poorly organized campaign I’ve seen in my lifetime. She just about handed a potential pick up seat to the young guy welter.
- Rod - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:01 am:
I am not sure Tom Ricketts would appreciate using the Cubs World Series victory as a basis for attacking Speaker Madigan. I know for sure Mr. Ricketts sister Laura who heads Cubs Charities and rejects the family’s GOP leanings, serving on the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee would dislike the IL GOP tweet.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:01 am:
Rauner’s “Vertical Integration” in full Proft mode.
It’s 100% Meta, as it’s also 100% Vertical Integration, just as Raunerites want.
Rauner owns the ILGOP.
Rauner’s Radio gets quotes… From Rauner owned think tanks like IPI or Proft…
Rauner’s newspapers, run by Proft, quote Proft, from a Rauner-owned source.
Rod Blagojevich just didn’t have the money to make all this come true. Rod also couldn’t hijack a whole party for $20 million.
The vertical integration Rauner has rolling isn’t a Republican thing, it’s a Raunerite Meta thing, which is very surreal to the politics of party, but perfect for the politics of agenda.
- Highland IL - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:03 am:
No contested state races here equals empty mailbox & no robocalls.
Contested Chairman race with two R household and no contact from MadCo GOP.
- The truth - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:04 am:
Let’s be totally clear. Rauner is not taking any “arrows”. It is the poor, the homeless, the disabled, the elderly, the students and now the unions that are taking the “arrows”. The billionaire is doing just fine as noted by the fact he can easily dump tens of millions of dollars into political coffers.
- Daylight Savings Time - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:10 am:
…is not being taken into account on the blog comments!
- Amalia - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:13 am:
Love the Tom Cullerton tv commercials. He’s straight forward.
- Lynn S. - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:14 am:
I have to go to another state Wednesday. I have decided to I am leaving Tuesday evening, simply so I can be traveling and avoid campaign coverage. I may check returns on the internet around midnight. Everyone who knows me will tell you what a political animal I am, and I just want this cycle to be over.
- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:19 am:
Proft “newspaper” quoting Proft ad. The guy can’t do anything on the level.
But I guess he’s as much of an independent journalist as Kass and the tronc edit board.
- Lynn S. - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:38 am:
Didn’t Proft go to Catholic school? If yes, shouldn’t the nuns and teachers (or priests) be shaming him over his political antics?
- Stark - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:48 am:
John Kass’s grip on logic for a “journalist” is slim pickings these days. Think party line, then write the article accordingly. Laughable he can’t fathom his argument turned on its head as a vote for the GOP being a vote for Trump.
- JoeMaddon - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 10:33 am:
Who’s idea were the Shugart signs? Reick is doing the same thing with Bartman.
Do they understand how yard signs work?
- paddyrollingstone - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 11:25 am:
I am a Madigan supporter but I do understand those who believe (wrongly, in my view) that he is the one to blame for the current mess that our state is in. That being said, it amazes me to no end that people like Kass and Steve Cochran, the Trib editorial page, etc, are all in on the Governor’s con. The Whos’s adage “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss,” might be appropriate but for the fact that the new boss would be so, so much worse for 99% of the people of this state. Oh, well. Its not like I read Kass (other than the headlines) or listed to Cochran (except by accident).
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 12:19 pm:
==75th is not even a race. Shugart ran the most poorly organized campaign I’ve seen in my lifetime. She just about handed a potential pick up seat to the young guy welter. ==
Welcome to the blog Mr. Welter!!! LOL
Don’t know if Shugart can win that district, but it will be a lot closer than it probably should be. I think she has impressed a lot of people.
- Amalia - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 12:29 pm:
apparently someone created and passed a flier that proclaims via a photo of a Chicago Alderman that the Ald. has endorsed McAuliffe’s opponent. only that is not true and the Alderman is not happy.