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* The 2022 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best US Representative goes to Adam Kinzinger…
As someone mentioned above, given that there are 435 members, it is difficult for 1 congress-critter to make a big difference. But Adam stood up for the entire country when he called out Trump and his insurrectionists for what they are. He was 1 of 2 republicans on the January 6th Committee, thus giving the committee some bipartisan legitimacy. Illinois has some really good representatives in Congress, but not one of them can come close to what Adam did, not just for Illinois, but the entire country.
Runner-up is Lauren Underwood.
* The 2022 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Statewide Officeholder goes to JB Pritzker…
He’s the first Governor to be elected to two terms since 2006, he has a list of accomplishments as long as your arm, and he has an excellent sense of the long game. During COVID, he made sure that he moved fast…but never first. During his re-election campaign, he recognized that he’d have to prime the pump for people to believe the good news about the state after decades of misery.
Runner-up is Susana Mendoza.
Congrats to all!
* On to today’s categories…
Lifetime Achievement Award
Please do your best to nominate in both categories and make sure to explain your nominations or they won’t count. The “Association/Union Leader” category is new this year, so we’ll see how this works out. House Majority Leader Greg Harris won the Lifetime Achievement Award last year, so he’s ineligible this year.
* And now I have some very good news to share…
A Christmas miracle? Thanks to many folks and a very generous contribution today by John Atkinson, we have surpassed LSSI’s goal of $45,000 to buy presents for foster kids! Thanks!!! https://t.co/OHxXNKUUtI
— Capitol Fax (@capitolfax) December 14, 2022
Y’all are amazing! Give yourself a big round of applause! My (White Sox) hat is off to you. Thanks!!!
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:23 am
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How much would we need to raise to get Rich to don a Cubs cap?
Comment by Amazing Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:32 am
Billions. Move along lol
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:34 am
That’s so cool JB can add it to his actual collection of golden horseshoes.
Comment by P Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:35 am
Best Association/Union Leader: Marc Poulos. When you amend the Constitution, you get a blog award. I don’t make the rules.
Lifetime Achievement Award: As much as I’d love to make an argument for Greg Harris, c’mon, we all know this is going to Jesse, and that we should probably just name the award after him.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:39 am
Oh, and of course I started typing before I read that Harris was ineligible anyway. LOL.
Jesse by acclimation?
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:40 am
Best Association Lead: Laura Minzer. She is brilliant, she cares, she is a great negotiator, and she represents a challenging industry incredibly well. They are lucky to have her and have dodged some real losses because of her skill.
Lifetime achievement: Jesse.
Comment by Drew Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:53 am
Lots of possible lifetime achievement award winners this year, but the paired categories mean I get to sneak two in.
For association/union leader, the great Terry Cosgrove deserves one more award. He’s one of those organizers who makes difficult wins seem inevitable in retrospect. Even as recently as a few years ago, a sizable number of Democratic legislators were wary of any expansions of abortion rights, including the House Speaker. Now the anti-abortion wing of the Democratic party has dwindled without sacrificing any of their majority, and Illinois is a beacon of abortion rights in the Midwest. He helped build a movement and a state that’s ready for the post-Roe world.
For lifetime achievement, who else could it be but Jesse White? There will be people more qualified than I to talk about his record as Secretary of State, so I’ll instead dwell on his political accomplishments. He was an old-school city politician, some might even say a ward heeler. But through hard work, competent governing, and boundless charm, he appealed across party lines like maybe no other politician in the country. I can’t tell you how many doors I’ve knocked on where a voter said “I will never vote for Democrats,” and then remembered, “Oh except for Jesse White of course.” His popularity is worthy not just of praise, but academic study. Political scientists should be flocking to red Illinois counties to see how he did it. I’ve often wondered if anyone, up to and including Barack Obama, could beat Jesse White in an Illinois election. It’s laughably insufficient to say “they don’t make em like Jesse White anymore,” but they really don’t make em like Jesse White anymore.
Comment by vern Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 10:54 am
Lol, noted Rich.
Best Union Leader - I’ll go with Reiter at the CFL, he quietly does the work and has been a strong leader and a consensus builder in a difficult position.
Lifetime achievement - It’s gotta be Jesse. The legend. Enough said.
Comment by Amazing Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 11:02 am
Union- IEA President Kathi Griffin
As a member of management, I have long found the IEA easy to work with. Reasonable and grounded. This has everything to do with their long-term leader Kathi. At a time when everyone seems extreme, the IEA under Kathi’s leadership has charted a centrist path and tried to keep the focus on kids and learning while advocating for her members. I have a lot of respect for her leadership even when we disagree.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 11:03 am
“Jesse by acclimation?”
Yes. Voting adjourned
Comment by Lurker Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 11:10 am
Best Association Leader: Laura Minzer. There is no other choice. When you talk about any policy in Illinois regarding Insurance, you bet that Laura has had her hands in the negotiations. She is clear, respectful, yet tough. She is incredibly respected, even by those who don’t always agree with her.
Comment by Avocado Toast Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 11:31 am
Best union leader: James Sweeney, IUOE Local 150.
Since Jim has taken over as president/business manager of Local 150, the union has taken giant steps forward in terms of organizing, bargaining and political activity. This year alone, Jim navigated Local 150 through a strike against some of the world’s largest aggregate producers (think Lefarge), and worked tirelessly to ensure that the Workers’ Rights Amendment became part of the Illinois Constitution. Under Jim’s leadership, “Local 150” has become a heavy hitter and household name in Illinois politics.
Lifetime achievement: Jesse White.
Nuff’ said.
Comment by The Fifth Deputy Governor Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 12:07 pm
No question that Marc Poulos is the best labor leader. He has been instrumental, very instrumental, in the last 2 successful Constitutional Amendments! No one else can say that. From drafting to bipartisan legislative passage to winking at the mailbox, Marc has been the key. And how greatly helpful has that been for union members! The jobs created and protected by the lock box amendment which was an important first step to passage of the infrastructure bill and then the infrastructure bill and then the workers rights amendment. Quite an unmatched trifecta!
Jesse White!
Comment by Labor Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 12:15 pm
Best Union/Association Leader: Terry Cosgrove of Personal PAC for helping expand abortion access in the state.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Retiring Secretary of State Jesse White (D) for his long tenure of service to Illinois.
Comment by Justin Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 12:15 pm
Jim Sweeney at 150 is changing the landscape- as an Operating Engineer should.
Jesse White made the SoS a destination, instead of a hallway/closet. He has made his Party and State proud.
Comment by West Sider Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 12:29 pm
I’ll go ahead and echo the sentiment of Jim Sweeney for Best Union Leader. In addition to the reasons already mentioned, Jim has shored up a pension fund that took a big hit during the Great Recession, as well as working to secure funding for the essential work that Local 150 members do to keep work somewhat steady (by construction standards) through the next fifteen or so years. Let’s not forget the important part that IUOE Local 150 did to help get the WRA passed statewide. And, as head of Local 150, Jim has helped quite a few key people thrive in their roles for the betterment of the membership. Cough, Marc Poulos, Bob Reiter, cough.
Comment by Handsome Guy Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 12:57 pm
Lifetime- Is Jesse White
Union/Association Leader- James Sweeney. Between leading on how to finance the fight against Rauner with the fight back fund, the Transport lockbox, capitol bill and the gas tax, the Workers Rights Amendment, and running a strong union that brought three multinational conglomerates to their knees during a strike this summer. Jim is very much a leader in the movement while never losing sight of the fact his members are priority number 1.
Comment by Peoples Republic of Oak Park Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 1:41 pm
Despite the danger of making OW stroke out, I’d like to nominate Roberta Lynch of Afscme.
Navigating the angry IDOCs through the vaccination problems and then the political endorsement process and keeping every one in the union was a triumph of diplomacy and skill. She took flack from every corner but held us together. A lesser leader would have seen the fragmentation of our union. It’s not a glorious labor victory but I can’t begin to tell you how impactful her achievement of keeping us together is. At some point, every faction was mad at everyone else. But like a stern mother she caught us by the ears and “showed us what fer”. We go into contract negotiations as a whole and United union and not as a divided and whittled down fragment.
She deserves great accolades for what she did.
Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 1:42 pm
Best association leader should be Jim Collins at the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. After Griffin’s money knocked off Justice Kilbride, he worked to redraw the Supreme and Appellate Court maps. The legislature passed that map and it led to two democrats winning in 2022. The republicans thought knocking off Kilbride would result in a 4-3 Republican court. Instead, it’s a 5-2 democratic court for at least a decade. No one can match that kind of result.
Lifetime achievement has to be Jesse, with a respectful bow to Harris.
Comment by Golden Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 1:46 pm
Best Association/Union Leader: Mark Denzler. He has taken an organization which was already respected, including being a significant player in Illinois, and taken the association to an entirely new level. His ascension to Third House Speaker yesterday only underscores it. He knows how it all comes together under the dome and across the state, in the policy and political arenas, scoring victories for business even under Dem Governors and GA Dem supermajorities.
Lifetime: Jesse, indeed. Hands down.
But man there are a bunch of accomplished folks leaving the GA who deserve honorable mentions: Durkin, Harris, Demmer, Bush, Zalewski, Wheeler, Batinick, Conroy (but, I guess, she’s not done yet!), Bourne, Butler. Brain Drain is a real thing.
Comment by Inverted Pyramid Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 2:02 pm
Jesse by acclimation… a true public servant, and a very good man. Always looked to do something positive.
Jim Sweeney without a doubt as top union leader. Always working to the benefit of his members, and growing and wielding a level of power unseen before in all my years by an Illinois union leader. And he does so to the State’s ultimate benefit. He’s a good man (if he’s on your side). A formidable enemy if he’s not.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 2:08 pm
Sweeney and Poulos gonna split the 150 vote, lol
Comment by Norm MacDonald Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 2:16 pm
Beat assn/union leader: this hands-down goes to Terry Cosgrove at Personal Pac. This also the end of his extraordinarily successful tenure heading this organization. People who care about choice in Illinois owe him everything and he’s come through session after session and election cycle after election cycle.
Lifetime achievement: again, Terry Cosgrove. He’s capping off nearly three decades of this work and built an organization that is hands-down, the most organized and successful on the campaign and legislative side then perhaps any other I can think of. This new president is going to have very big shoes to fill. And the pro-choice community needs to make sure that it’s filling the void he will leave behind. And nothing against Jesse, but there’s no comparison here on actual impact on Springfield.
Comment by Shytown Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 2:44 pm
Sweeney & Poulos are talking the biggest positive impact in the lives of hard working men and women of Illinois. Above and beyond all others. They are in a league of their own.
Comment by Illinois Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 3:15 pm
Union: Tim Drea. The “laid off coal miner” is the hardest working man under the dome. No one was put on this earth more than him to do the work of the AFL. Bonus points for having a lovely family!
Ditto to Jesse White
Comment by SYPG Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 3:15 pm
For best association lead - Mike Sturino with IRTBA. A few years ago he helped pass the lockbox amendment and codified the lockbox language to protect funding in the recent capital bill. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in his favor this year in the lockbox case against Cook County. In addition, he manages an outspoken group of contractors and engineers with tact and grit. Under his leadership membership diversity has increased. Sturino has a way of working with agencies and elected officials with diplomacy and resolve.
Comment by (Sigh) Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 3:19 pm
Best Union Leader: Greg Kelley, President of SEIU Healthcare IL & the SEIU State Council.
Greg helped bring millions of dollars from the state this year to ensure adequate staffing and pay at nursing homes. He’s stood with essential workers as they successfully fought for PPE and other protections. He works well with elected officials. He spread the good word about vaccines. Chicago’s minimum wage hit $15 in July after years of work from SEIU both on state and city level and the state’s minimum wage is on its way. He’s helped build coalitions across labor and community groups to speak out about racial and social justice beyond the workplace walls.
Comment by Mo Green Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 4:52 pm
Jim Sweeney earns the best union leader award in a strong field of contenders including Tim Drea and Bob Reiter. As Local 150’s first full-time organizer in the 90s and president since 2007, Sweeney grew the membership from 10K to 23K in an era when the rest of the labor rankers were shrinking. And Sweeney has literally never lost a strike - his members have come out stronger from every single one. Everyone knows Sweeney as a guy who gets wins for his members, but he doesn’t get enough credit for all he does for the broader labor movement and the entire working class. Under Sweeney, Local 150 delivered the vision, the strategy, and the muscle behind the Safe Roads Amendment, the Rauner containment, and the Workers’ Rights Amendment. This state will never see another labor leader as innovative and effective as Jim Sweeney.
Comment by Rufus T. Firefly Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 8:30 pm
===Best Association/Union Leader===
I nominate Tim Drea. In 2022 Labor in Illinois accomplished a great feat by enshrining union rights in state constitution. While many can stake a claim on some credit for this historic success, but Tim Drea was the man at the helm of the Illinois AFL-CIO when it happened. Tim Drea will forever be a historic President of the Illinois AFL-CIO and the worker rights amendment is a BFD.
I think that Roberta Lynch with Council 31 is worth an honorable mention. Under Roberta Lynch’s leadership AFSCME Council 31 has consistently and quietly racked up legislative victories with 2022 being no exception. No matter what issues may be at the forefront of our attention, Council 31 continues unabated to take action to improve the working conditions of public employees in the state.
===Lifetime Achievement Award===
I think it has to be Jesse White.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 8:57 pm
Leigh Ann Vanausdoll (IL Optometric Association CEO) for the association leader category: While COVID presented challenges to most industries, no doubt it challenged health care associations more than most. In the face of the tumultuous times of the pandemic Leigh Ann continues to keep optometrists and the public we serve across the state well informed and up to date and safe. During the pandemic, she improved IOA corporate efficiencies and updated the policies and practices to allow for virtual meetings. She was integral in modernizing the organization in ways such as updating the organization structure to be more suited to quickly navigate the pandemic’s challenges and beyond.
Perhaps her greatest strength is her political acumen. She continues to represent optometry with the highest level of professionalism and gravitas. Her understanding of Illinois politics has proved invaluable as is her relationships with legislators and so many others
And maybe someone mentioned Jesse White.
Comment by MJ Thursday, Dec 15, 22 @ 11:51 pm