*** UPDATE 1 - 10:07 am *** Hynes called Quinn about 25 minutes ago to concede, according to WBBM Radio.
*** UPDATE 2 - 10:16 am *** Hynes is speaking now. He’s conceding. “Let us choose peace.” … “And to the victor goes our compliments, and our support.” … “Illinois needs him to continue as governor.”
* It sounds on the radio as if he is on the verge of tears as he thanks his friends and family for their support.
*** UPDATE 3 - 10:25 am *** NBC5 has live video. CLICK HERE.
Hynes, answering questions from reporters, said he will serve out his term as comptroller. “I don’t see a campaign in my future.”
End. We’re expecting a news conference by Gov. Quinn soon, so stay tuned.
*** UPDATE 4 - 10:29 AM *** From the Quinn campaign…
Governor Pat Quinn will hold a news conference today at 11:30 a.m. in the press room of the Hotel Allegro. At that time, he will have a statement on Comptroller Dan Hynes’ concession this morning and will take questions from reporters.
[*** End of Updates *** ]
* We’ll use this post to live-blog Hynes’ announcement. WBBM Radio says it will be broadcasting it live, so click here and help out with the live-blogging and analysis in comments….
Dan Hynes’ campaign has scheduled a 10 a.m. press conference in Chicago to announce whether he’ll seek a recount against Gov. Pat Quinn.
With final tallies showing Quinn ahead by 8,000 votes, it now appears unlikely Hynes will challenge, though the margin is still well within the 5 percent needed under Illinois law to seek it.
* Meanwhile, as I think I told you yesterday, Raja Krishnamoorthi conceded last night at about 9:30 pm. From an e-mail to supporters…
Thank you for being with me during this incredible journey over the last 10 months.
A little while ago, I called David Miller to congratulate him on becoming the Democratic nominee for Illinois State Comptroller.
This is not the outcome we had hoped for, and we all wish last night and today would have included a victory celebration. Indeed, we came within a whisker of winning.
While I did not finish first in the polls, we did shape the debate on what the office of Comptroller should be - the taxpayers’ watchdog.
Your support during these last 10 months has been incredible and uplifting.
I want to thank all of you for your time, your persistence, your financial support and your belief that we can change the game in Illinois. We can have a government that conducts itself openly and is accountable to you. We didn’t get there with this election, but we pushed the ball forward and will get there someday.
Thank you again for your support and dedication to this effort. I am deeply grateful to have traveled this incredible journey together.
Miller just sent out this press release…
The following statement can be attributed to David Miller, Democratic nominee for Illinois State Comptroller:
The results of this race show we are a diverse party with some very solid ideas on moving Illinois forward.
I commend both Raja and Clint for running great, positive campaigns – they ran for the right reasons. We all share the same heartfelt desire to overcome the challenges before us, and we all seek better transparency and accountability for taxpayers.
Our agreement on these priorities strengthens and unifies us as democrats, and sends a strong message that we are the ones who will get the state back on track.
The people of Illinois have already been through enough, from the budget crisis to a leadership crisis, and the last thing they want to hear is another person calling for terminations.
I am eager to get to work, to restore confidence in our public offices and provide real solutions in managing our state’s finances.
- Will County Woman - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:36 am:
i do think hynes should go for the re-count. it wouldn’t hurt a sole for him to do so. in fact it should be automatic as per the 5 percent threshold.
but, i suspect he’ll concede.
- Anon - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:42 am:
==it wouldn’t hurt a sole for him to do so.==
What about a flounder?
- cassandra - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:43 am:
Miller’s statement sure sounds like a future guv candidate to me.
But not specific eough for me re: being the “taxpayer’s watchdog.”
Sigh. We need one bad in Illinois state government.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:47 am:
If Hynes is the leader he claims to be, he’ll take the high road and let it drop. Who knows, maybe Quinn will pick him to replace Cohen.
- titan - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:51 am:
The treasurer candidates appear to be acting like responsible, even classy, grown ups here. That is a refreshing change.
- George - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:52 am:
WCW - do you feel the same way about Brady/Dillard?
- Amalia - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:52 am:
if Cohen goes down, Hoffman should be the replacement.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:53 am:
–Miller’s statement sure sounds like a future guv candidate to me.–
The whole point of being comptroller is a future run for governor.
Hynes will concede, which means nothing, legally. His folks will be watching the whole process to the end in hopes that lightning strikes.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:56 am:
WOOHOO! Miller!
Putting Lynwood on the map, baby!
The Dentist is in.
“Smiles! Everyone! Smiles!”
- Will County Woman - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:57 am:
ah! catch of the day, anon!!!
I just wanted to see if anyone was paying attention. *blushing*
darn the english language! too many words that sound alike, but are spelled differently; different spelling means different meanings.
too
to
two
four
for
fore
soul
sole
new
knew
- Will County Woman - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:59 am:
george about the automatic recount? yes. on the dillard/brady thread I made some comments.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:59 am:
=if Cohen goes down, Hoffman should be the replacement.=
I’m wondering, how is it that Cohen is not going to be the lite gov candidate? The thread below discussed that ad nauseum with the outcome that Cohen can’t be removed and ain’t likely to leave on his own. How does Hynes, or Hoffman or anyone else end up as the lite gov candidate given the legal/political reality that is Cohen?
There are medications for delusional disorders. The democrats need to take some to shake off the belief that Cohen is gone or that PQ wins the election.
- Amalia - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:06 am:
thank you Dan Hynes.
- UISer - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:07 am:
Hynes concedes according to WBBM.
- Jeff - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:07 am:
WBBM just reported that Hynes will concede.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:07 am:
Hynes is out.
- dave - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:07 am:
And Hynes has conceded!!
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:09 am:
Cohen spent $1 million plus of his own money for this nomination. With that kind of judgment, why would anyone expect him to drop out?
- Bill - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:09 am:
Some of you are assuming that Hoffamn or Hynes would even want to be Lt. Gov.
- Tim - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:11 am:
2-minute warning on the WBBM Hynes press conference feed.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:12 am:
Great, now PQ can get on with the important work of saving the state of Illinois by, by, um, well, what was I doing? (Pssst, PQ, you were fumigating - oops. Uh, you were raising taxes on the rich, oops. Er, you were signing the capitol projects bill - oops)
Ooops.
- tubbfan - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:12 am:
Does Hynes support Quinn? Will he actively campaign for ticket?
- dupage dan - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:15 am:
Pot, Maybe Cohen is looking for some touch, or something? Maybe he could offer to take the Tollway in exchange and put it up in his pawnshop.
- dave - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:15 am:
**Does Hynes support Quinn? Will he actively campaign for ticket?**
He has said that he would endorse Quinn if Quinn won the primary.
- Jeff - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:16 am:
Very emotional Dan Hynes is “doing the right thing” for Illinois by conceding.
- Tim - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:16 am:
Hynes reiterates that he will support Quinn.
- Jeff - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:19 am:
Hynes choking back tears as he talks about family and supporters. He is a winner because he has a great family.
- I want my GOP - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:20 am:
Got 50 bucks that says they all break out into a stirring rendition of “Oh Danny Boy”
- Jello - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:20 am:
Please people, there is no crying in baseball (or politics).
- George - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:21 am:
I think Cohen’s ego is big enough that he doesn’t want to be remembered as the guy who sunk the ticket.
$2 million to buy yourself Democratic Party hatred for the rest of your life ain’t worth it. Stepping down allows him to come back in a few years when he has “cleared the air”.
- anon - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:25 am:
Hynes is showing exactly why he is a leader. I have a lot of respect for him and hope he doesn’t fade away. We need more like him in the Democratic Party. A month or so ago, nobody gave him a chance, and he and his campaign proved everybody wrong. They should get a lot of credit among politicos for what they accomplished.
- Bill - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:25 am:
Nice job, Danny. Pure class all the way through. That’s why we love you. You didn’t lose, Illinois did.
- so many scenarios - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:26 am:
why would we expect SLC to drop out? I don’t expect this but I think you have to acknowledge that is is possible. Quinn’s oppo researcher is likely spending more time now on SLC than anyone; what if they find out more fire where there’s smoke? then they’ll confront SLC with whatever more they find and say, hey, the repubs probly already know this, do you really want to go through this? so there’s a chance he’ll resign…then who replaces him - Turner, Hynes, Hoffman, Krishnamoorthi?
- Tim - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:27 am:
Hynes says he’ll definitely finish out his term as comptroller - but “I don’t see a campaign in my future.”
- fs - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:30 am:
@Bill, yeah real classy. Classy is how I would describe Hynes’s entire campaign for Governor…
- Loop Lady - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:40 am:
fs: you took the words right outta my mouth…so glad he lost…ran a despicable campaign…
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:47 am:
What a class act in defeat.
We have to take a step back for a moment and look at Quinn, Hynes, Dillard, and Brady.
These races could have made these two days far worse than Gore v. Bush, with just the small size of a state (versus the entire country) and all four haven’t gone over the edge. They have held their collective powder, imcluding Brady and Dillard falling over themselves calling the other “friend” and actually meaning the term.
There is no circus in town… not yet. But look at Brady and Dillard and you can’t see either “storming the Bastille”. They exude CALM, thank goodness.
Free advice; Keep Dillard away from a mic. The man, bless his heart, has had a horrible week.
Whoever is his press flack, make YOURSELF available, send Kirk somewhere to de-compress, mourn, collect some thoughts.
I was around a table, with others, listening to Dillard talk about a “clerk” and it came off brash … He should have been called on it, and was …but I think the real issue is having Dillard out there. The votes are the votes, you can’t talk more ballots appearing from thin air.
Dillard campaign; let your man de-compress.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:57 am:
I’ll believe the unity and love when I see it. Let’s see how many state payment checks get delayed out of Hynes’ office or how many of Hynes’ cost-cutting measures get sloughed off by Quinn.
- Will County Woman - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 11:18 am:
I am a cynic at heart, and I agree with Team Sleep.
Hynes did what he needed to do and said what needed to be said. So, that’s it. He doesn;t need to do anymore. Besides, because he will not be in public life anymore after this year, Hynes is not obligated in anyway to help Quinn and he should not help Quinn. I’m not suggesting this for personal “dislike” reasons. I just think Hynes should do essentially what Claypool did, and stay out and away from the election cycle’s political scene. Don’t endorse and don’t campaign; it’s up to illinoisans to pick and for each candidate to make his best case.
- Loop Lady - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 11:55 am:
gosh WCW, I am so surprised at your last post…it really is interesting how you can’t be bothered to vote, but you have no qualms about posting your opinions and endless trains of tought on this blog…the saying goes if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem…this applies to both you and your perrenial favorite son if IL polical dynasties Dan Hynes as well…
- Will County Woman - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 1:13 pm:
i didn’t vote on Primary Tuesday because I voted early. It’s funny how neither you nor quinn have problems with emil jones, madigan, burke and daley political dynsaties. though I suspect much of quinn’s problem with dan hynes “getting his political career from his father” as opposed to “working for it” applies to the afore-mentioned as well, but quinn just doesn’t have the guts to say it. that is unless one of them were to run against him. surely they must know and understand that when talking about Hynes, Quinn was talking about them too. it doesn’t make sense that quinn would hold hynes to a different standard than all the rest.
- hynes supporter - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 1:44 pm:
will county woman- here’s to you taking a break from blogging!
it was a tough race, and we lost. dan ran a good campaign. howver, it is time to move forward. your previous posts are beginning to sound bitter somewhat.
take a deep breath and chill out.
- Loop Lady - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 1:45 pm:
I suspect Quinn has an issue with all of those families, but especially when one of them run against him as an an “outsider”…
please don’t bother me with a snarky know it all response-your guy lost-please eat some humble pie
for once…
- anon - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 6:30 pm:
@Loop Lady…
Humble pie? I think Quinn needs a little humble pie. The guy’s in trouble. He barely squeaked out a win. It’s time for him to work at bringing the party together also. Half of his party didn’t support him. As a Democrat, I’m disgusted. We nominated the weakest general election candidates for Senator, Governor, and Lt. Governor. The odds are pretty good that we’re going to lose in November. We might as well resign ourselves to that fact.
- Jello - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 7:50 pm:
Anon, I have been bitter In the past about my gal/guy losing. Fortunately I am old enough and wise enough to realize every elected official I supported and loved eventually disappointed me. Saint Hynes would have broken your heart too. You sound like you drank a little too much koolaid. Really, you think Quinn is in the same catgory as SLC? You are delusional. Save your digust for sour milk, maggots, rotten eggs. Gov. race was a fair fight. Can’t be mad when it is a close race. Unless— it is stolen by say the Supreme Court.
- crymeariver - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 8:25 pm:
Hynes ran and top sheld amazing campaign…he came 8K votes after being down by 30 or 40 points. Hats off to him and his campaign staff… they did a brilliant job. Hynes had what it took to try to be a leader FOR Illinois…and now the rest of the circus act will follow until November when there MIGHT– just MIGHT be one democrat standing in a constitutional office…and that would be jesse white.
What a mess.
- crymeariver - Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 8:26 pm:
that was “top shelf”…sorry.