This could be a real circus
Thursday, Nov 12, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember Andre Smith from our post yesterday? He’s the guy gearing up to run against Rep. Ken Dunkin in the Democratic primary. Smith talked to Charles Thomas yesterday as well…
“He let the people down as well as the Democratic Party,” said Andre Smith, a democratic candidate who has set out to challenge Dunkin.
Activist Smith has noted Dunkin’s independence and has already launched a democratic primary campaign to unseat the seven-term incumbent.
“Ken Dunkin, he makes backroom deals and he’s an undercover Republican,” Smith said.
“I wasn’t sent down there to be a Democrat, to be a Republican. I was sent down there to serve the people of my district and throughout the state,” Dunkin said.
* I quickly skimmed several text messages from Smith for my post yesterday, but re-read them again this morning and realized that I’d missed something important. See if you can spot it…
Great it seems that everyone in the 5th District want Ken Dunkin out I’m getting a lot of major support in endorsements I officially will be making my announcement to the media today and tomorrow that I am officially in the race to run in to defeat King Rauner and Queen Dunkin The 5TH District will not only get there vote back therefore King GovRauner and Queen st rep Dunkin wrote a check that they can’t cash insufficient funds They must go….
Um. Yikes.
A MightyText screen shot is here.
…Adding… I was out of the office yesterday when Smith posted this in comments…
I am running but i need your help Queen Dunkin and King Rauner can be voted out if we come together join my Campaign ANDRE SMITH 773-668-9210
* But, as I tipped you yesterday and as subscribers found out this morning, there is another candidate…
Juliana Stratton, a former top aide to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, has surfaced as a possible Dunkin primary challenger, a source tells Illinois Playbook
Her bio is here.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:35 am:
Maybe Smith is the GO-backed candidate? Split the anti-Dunkin vote LOL.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:36 am:
Holy run-on sentence, Batman!
- walker - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:38 am:
Yikes is right.
Playing the down low.
Smith just disqualified himself in my mind.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:39 am:
I noticed the “Queen Dunkin” business yesterday and had hoped it was just a very sloppy chess metaphor.
But in the cold morning light, two things are clear: 1) Mr. Smith’s campaign is very, very sloppy, and 2) that weren’t no chess metaphor.
– MrJM
- thunderspirit - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:42 am:
Gosh, I wonder what Smith is trying to imply with that “Queen Dunkin” bit. /s
Yikes indeed.
- Blago's Luxurious Grey Mane - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:45 am:
My kingdom for punctuation.
- Snucka - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:45 am:
I’m more troubled by the fact that his writing is nearly unreadable.
Hopefully he won’t be able to get on the ballot, and the more serious challenger will have a clear shot at Mr. Dunkin.
- walker - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:45 am:
Seems the new route to candidacy among Chicago Dems, is thru Toni P’s staff. Telling you, she’s making a strong steady move.
- Arizona Bob - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:48 am:
One piece of advice here….If you drink and are illiterate, don’t text.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:48 am:
Smith asked the Cap Fax commenting crew to help his campaign yesterday. We could have some fun with this.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:49 am:
Mike Madigan and the run-on sentences he controls.
- JoanP - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:50 am:
“See if you can spot it…”
My high school English teacher would have put a great big red skull-and-crossbones on that. Run-on sentences (and sentence fragments) were not allowed.
Furthermore, he needs to get whatever device he’s using fixed, because the punctuation keys aren’t working.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:50 am:
I wouldn’t be so fast in touting Preckwinkle’s candidate pipeline. Take a look at the ’success’ of her previous endorsements. (Toi Hutchinson, Edwin Reyes, Blake Sercye, Toni Berrios). The list goes on and is growing.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:53 am:
===I’m getting a lot of major support in endorsements===
The Elimination of Punctuation Coalition?
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:54 am:
The inability to edit before hitting ’send’ can be so telling.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:54 am:
===Take a look at the ’success’ of her previous endorsements===
I don’t think that Toni Berrios, at least, was a Toni recruited candidate. This would be different.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 10:55 am:
I do not endorse the using of “Queen” in that context. Not appropriate. He needs to go the Don Harmon route i.e. “Grass Bowl”. Subtle and effective. I can make suggestions, but I could get banned. Unless Rich makes it a question of the day.
- CCP Hostage - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:06 am:
I’m looking for candidates who will rise above the fray to represent us, not sink below it.
- Anon - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:12 am:
What does Andre Smith have against punctuation? What did punctuation ever do to him?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:17 am:
Not a Republican or Democrat, but a representative of his district?
How do you figure? Is being absent being representative?
- A guy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:18 am:
I’ve read this text 5 times now. My conclusion:
I forgive you for missing anything.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:19 am:
His run on (and on and on and on) sentence reads like he was yelling back to the press while trying to run down a passing taxi.
- The Historian - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:20 am:
I was hoping that Rich was implying that Mr. Smith didn’t graduate from college as an English major. Innocent me it seems.
- Matt P - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:21 am:
“Will not only get there vote back…”
He can’t even choose the correct “their”…
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:21 am:
You’re right, his disregard for punctuation and or poor grammar skills TOTALLY disqualify him from public service.
I prefer my Pols built-in-a-lab.
- DuPage Don - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:30 am:
I have a different take on the “king” and “queen” references. I think it’s a chessboard reference because Smith is all too happy to become another Madigan “pawn” because he’s no “knight” or “bishop,” though he could qualify as a “rook.”
- Matt P - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:31 am:
@Name,
The job involves analyzing, modifying and debating legislation. It would help to have public servants who have mastered the basic skills required to do the job.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:33 am:
Maybe we’re all missing the boat here, and this is really an analysis of the American Pie lyrics “When the jester sang for the King and Queen”.
- DuPage Dave - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:37 am:
Not ready for prime time….
- Wensicia - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:38 am:
Obviously a man without campaign advisors.
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:40 am:
Matt P- I’ll take a citizen with pure intentions and with the peoples’ best interest at heart over a genius 10 times out of 10.
Seeing through the B.S > Everything else.
- Harold's Left-wing Dinner - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:47 am:
Deep roots on this sort of nonsense (I could show you some examples from the 1930s). Here’s a good read: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/political-manhood/9780231129961
Do you think he is reflexively playing this theme, or is he targeting more specific rumors?
- Amalia - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:49 am:
jeez. so is ASmith a LGBTQ rights advocate fighting against someone who does not support those rights? cause this tactic is not even used in this way by those advocates. they are tough, but that kind of blatant verbal abuse is not cool.
- sigh - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:50 am:
Maybe King of Ties?
Either way, I am all ready for Juliana Stratton.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 11:51 am:
His staff is about as good at editing as Ben Carson’s.
- NOTFUNNY - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 12:04 pm:
Rep Dunkin needs to make sure CPS is funded because the school system obviously failed Andre Smith.
Rich you didn’t post Smith’s message because it wasn’t worthy of mention on this blog.
- proudstatetrooper - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
What is this guys background and qualifications ? I cant find his background anywhere except for his stint with Chicago against Violence.
- Cheswick - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 12:39 pm:
Thanks for the mightytext tip, Rich. Looks very useful. I’ll be trying it out this afternoon.
- burbanite - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 12:43 pm:
Just what Springfield needs, more hyperbole. Glad to see someone else may be stepping up b/c this guy is not the answer.
- Mokenavince - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
Send in the clowns.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:18 pm:
It’s interesting that this pops up not too much later than Rich’s earlier post about Mr. Hicks. Both candidates may be good retail politicians and might have some good ideas, but unforced errors and hyperbole will doom them before it’s even time to turn in petitions. Why is it so hard to just keep quiet and calm and try to give reasoned answered? What’s wrong with just saying, “I’m getting some support and I hear negative things about my potential opponent.”
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
Sneering, prurient innuendo — must be election time in Illinois.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:38 pm:
==This could be a real circus==
Was expecting a post about November 18. /s
- Dome Gnome - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 4:19 pm:
I’m just going to gingerly step around this one and move right along.
- Juvenal - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 6:11 pm:
Dunkin for Court Jester.
- Wronger Rauner - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 9:15 pm:
Other than the punctuation, the spelling errors bug me!!! their NOT there