Campaign 2010 roundup
Tuesday, Mar 9, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sheila Simon’s on the LG short list, according to Sneed…
Word late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon’s daughter, Sheila, submitted her application for the job is worth noting: Sneed has learned she was on Gov. Quinn’s list of five nominees for the job weeks ago.
Pssst! Sneed is told Quinn treasures a bow tie that once belonged to Sen. Simon, one of his heroes — given to him by Sheila Simon after her father died.
Sneed’s bet: The Dem party will select state Rep. Art Turner, for lieutenant governor.
The buckshot: Watch for a rumpus and a ruckus from angry African-American congressmen if Turner, who placed second in the primary, doesn’t get the ballot spot.
We’ll see soon enough.
* More on the hopeful LG horde, which now tops 200…
Mary Stonor Saunders of Chicago, for example, notes that she runs a company that sells high-end granola.
Carol Qualkinbush of Evanston is a partner in a company that sells products aimed at controlling foot odor.
“I am definitely not a politician but will hopefully bring an integrity that career politicians cannot often afford,” Qualkinbush notes in her application. […]
The son of Joseph Hartzler, the federal prosecutor who oversaw the conviction of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, also has tossed his name in the ring.
* Erickson looks at what these people are vying for…
On a recent tour of the space, visitors were greeted by the sound of the Capitol heating system, which still pours warm air into the offices.
Desks had been hastily cleared in the aftermath of the exodus. One room contains a jumble of furniture. Computer monitors remain, but important paperwork and any personnel effects left by Quinn’s staffers is nowhere to be seen.
In all, there are six offices jammed into the small space, including a large, high-ceilinged affair that serves as the main meeting room for the lieutenant governor’s team.
The desk in that room was once former Gov. Richard Olgilvie’s. The desk was brought into the office in 1991 when newly elected Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra walked into the space to find that his predecessor, George Ryan, had cleaned almost everything out.
To accommodate other aides, there are five offices crammed into the area. There also is a tiny bathroom, a couple of utility closets and a kitchen. In all, the budget allows for about 30 people to work for the lieutenant governor. Some work out of other offices in the Capitol complex.
* Meanwhile, in other campaign news, Ben Smith at Politico reports that Giannoulias is meeting with Axe today…
Embattled Illinois Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias — an old Obama ally, but not his preferred candidate — will be by the White House for Greek Independence Day tomorrow, and the local press has been asking the campaign what kind of welcome he’ll receive.
I’m told he’s likely to stop in and chat with political aides like Axelrod and Patrick Gaspard, part of a running effort to convince national Democrats not to write the race off.
The hits are obviously working if the national press is starting to think that Giannoulias’ troubles give him little chance of beating Mark Kirk.
* Kirk is being targeted by some robocalls…
A group of centrist Republicans found themselves target of robocalls on Tuesday, courtesy of a liberal action group, pressuring them on healthcare reform.
Americans United for Change launched a series of robocalls targeting 10 potentially vulnerable House GOP lawmakers, as well as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
The calls take aim at the House lawmakers for “being an important member of Congress, but when it comes to his health care he should be no better than the rest of us,” and, in the case of McCain, makes an issue of his own personal wealth.
You can listen to a sample robocall by clicking here.
* Other stuff…
* Preckwinkle commits to debates, reforms: The Chicago Democratic Hyde Park alderman said she would debate Republican Roger Keats and Tom Tresser of the Green Party in front of the City Club some time before the November election. She also promised a full rollback of the 1 percentage point increase in the county sales tax imposed in 2008 and scheduled to be cut in half in July.
* New bridge, revived downtown top priorities for Batavia candidates
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 9:37 am:
Keatster can bring us up to date on his landfill activity and other”green” initiatives. Should be fun
- Adam Smith - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 9:47 am:
No matter what Alexi’s flacks say, the banking scandal, exacerbated by Crain’s reporting of the family’s pending tax windfall, is seriously hurting his campaign. He’s been in damage control mode for weeks and it ain’t getting better.
The ususal suspects will swarm here to launch their rhetorical scuds at Kirk because, rather than admit that Alexi is damaged goods and sinking fast, they try to divert attention by throwing mud at Kirk. It is a time-honored tactic of political soundrels to shift attention.
The fundamental problem the Dems face with Alexi is that there are many troubling aspects of the Broadway fiasco and none of them are partisan. They are not about his positions on issues. They are about his fundamental character and fitness for office.
Criticizing Kirk does not change anything with respect to Alexi and his role in the Broadway fiasco.
- Robert - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 9:48 am:
who’s sneed’s source - blago? if turner was going to be the candidate, I imagine they’d have named him already - I bet they’re trying to figure out who to pick that would be more helpful in winning swing voters than Turner
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 9:49 am:
Alexi and Axelrod will have a lot to commiserate over. Axelrod’s been taking a beating in the Washington press for Obama being stuck in the mud. So has Obama, for that matter.
There’s been a curious spate of “If only Obama had listened to Rahm” articles in the Washington Post and New Republic.
I wonder where those came from? Over the years, we’ve seen chiefs of staff throw other staffers under the bus with inside stories. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen a president thrown under the bus for the benefit of the chief of staff.
- irish - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 10:15 am:
===Mary Stonor Saunders of Chicago, for example, notes that she runs a company that sells high-end granola.===
My vote is for Mary, maybe the fiber in her product could things moving in the GA and the Administration.
- Mike - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 10:28 am:
Preckwinkle will take her marching orders from the Daleys. She has already met with John Daley to go over her instructions. This is a FACT!
- Louis G. Atsaves - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 10:31 am:
===but important paperwork and any personnel effects left by Quinn’s staffers is nowhere to be seen.===
I’m biting my tongue here. Biting it hard!
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 10:32 am:
Rahm Emanuel has ensured that “had Obama listened to me” stories are out there. Mr. Emanuel isn’t just willing to plow over Republicans, he has a list of Democrats with his tire tracks plastered on their backs too.
His love of political torture for his opponents is legendary. I believe he has no problem doing to The One that he has done to others.
As to Giannoulais, I was taken aback by Smith’s “but not his preferred candidate” introduction. Why are we seeing this after his Primary win?
Folks, we might be seeing a situation where a party is fighting over why their president hasn’t succeeded in office. Emanuel is scrambling for an exit, Axelrod is looking sad over both his Massachusetts governor’s, and his US president’s political fortune, and the Washington press is searching for excuses to print.
This is so not good.
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 10:35 am:
I’m with Robert on this one - why take so long to pick the “obvious” candidate? PQ snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!
- Brennan - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 10:48 am:
=Why are we seeing this after his Primary win?=
Reportedly, Madigan and Dart were both recruited for the race, but declined.
- Levois - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 11:02 am:
Why are there rumblings about the Lt. Governor slot by black pols. They should’ve rumbled about getting one of their own to run against Quinn. Well more difficult but a lot smarter especially if there is some movement to eliminate this position.
- Will County Woman - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 11:27 am:
“Preckwinkle will take her marching orders from the Daleys. She has already met with John Daley to go over her instructions. This is a FACT! ”
it is what it is. interesting. not surprising. sad. i was afraid that this would happen. she endorsed joe berrios too. i guess she had no choice. the press rightly called quinn out for his endoresement of berrios, but overlooked Toni’s.
Don’t get me wrong, Toni seems like a nice and very bright person and were it not for the Daley’s i thinks he would bring a new tone and needed changes to county government. if i were a cook county voter i would be voting for keats, as a way to bring REAL change to the cook county board and cook county government.
- Lakefront Liberal - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 11:47 am:
WCW: “Don’t get me wrong, Toni seems like a nice and very bright person and were it not for the Daley’s i thinks he would bring a new tone and needed changes to county government.”
He??? Obviously you have really spent a lot of time getting to know how “nice and very bright” Toni is before discounting “him” in favor of Keats. LOL!
- GreenBeer - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 11:52 am:
Great the Dems are gonna pick a loser according to Sneeder, Art Turner, to replace Scott Cohen.. second place, first loser.. You’d think they’d pick someone with a little excitement no Art “yawnfest” Turner..
- Lakefront Liberal - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 11:54 am:
I happen to know that “Mike” is taking his marching orders from Slats Grobnik, and that he has already met with Slats to go over his instructions — this is a FACT!!!!
Seriously, at yesterday’s City Club lunch Toni said she had met with Commissioners Bridget Gainer and Larry Suffredin; is she also taking orders from them?
- Brennan - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 11:58 am:
Lakefront Liberal: Oh snap. You got her. Except…
=i thinks he=
Oops, typo.
- Will County Woman - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 12:12 pm:
brennan yes, it was a typo. thank you.
lakefront liberal, i wish were not true, but i don’t think the daley’s are going to let toni p. run cook county any old way she wants to. in all sincerity, as woman i hate that because i think this a real opporunity for a woman to highlight her executive leadership abilities and skills. i like toni p. and i want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but i get the sense that even with her it’s just new player in the same old game. why? because of the daley’s, and to some extent mike madigan too.
- girllawyer - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 12:17 pm:
Hartzler’s son? Is he out of college yet? He can’t be any older than the kid running on the Republican side!
- Captain Flume - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 12:24 pm:
Just an observation on the irony of the “Democratic” Party running a candidate for second (partial) term for Governor who was never elected to his first (partial) term and a candidate for Lt. Governor, whom the voters never elected to the candidacy because the Party did not like the candidate the voters did elect. But this is Illinois.
- Consider This - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 12:32 pm:
Louis - What are you biting your tongue about and what’s the big deal? There is no Lt. Governor so there’s no budget for the office. Which means there are no employees there. Did anyone think they were going to leave their personal effects behind? And the proper thing to do with the important paperwork would be archive it. Gee, I bet they did. Hardly a great piece of investigative reporting.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 12:57 pm:
Like leaving the place in shambles?
And yes, last I’ve heard there is a budget for this office.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 2:57 pm:
so Sneed bets it’s Art Turner….please dems, prove her wrong. art lost in the primary. whatever you think of him, remember that.
- Illinois voter - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 3:36 pm:
I hope Sneed is wrong too. Why have an application process if they are going to pick Turner anyway? There are better candidates than Turner.
- Consider This - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 3:42 pm:
Louis - the reporter didn’t say “in shambles”. So some furniture was jumbled in an office. Big deal - at least they left it for the next guy - if there is one. And if you’re talking about the FY10 budget, you’re wrong. The Legislature didn’t include a budget for the LTG office. We’ll have to wait to see about the FY11 budget.
- Charles - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 9:37 pm:
a theory - Sneed’s source is likely either madigan’s people or quinn’s people, neither of which would likely leak to sneed without authorization. quinn clearly doesn’t want turner; if he did, this would be settled by now and he wouldn’t have asked duckworth first. my thought is that madigan is trying to push the process by making turner look like a done deal - why? so madigan can push a non-threatening LG to lisa’s future plans. hopefully quinn won’t go for it and will pick someone who, you know, can either raise funds, campaign hard and competently, and win swing voters. hey, i voted for turner for LG and don’t think he’s a bad guy, but he’d be a lousy choice to boost quinn’s chances of winning…not that madigan necessarily cares about that.
- T.J. - Tuesday, Mar 9, 10 @ 11:39 pm:
Please let it be Sheila Simon, who totally won a City Council race once upon a time and nothing since.