Biggest Losers:
Don Gray looking completely incompetent in an office to which he was not elected, but appointed by party leaders. Terrible that he wasn’t even available for comment to either media or election judges last night. He basically went underground. How many people simply left in Sangamon county last night? How many were disenfranchised, we will never know.
Bruce Rauner - Dunkin and Benton
Biggest Winners:
Anyone running against Don Gray in November.
Biggest winner: The voters of Illinois, who rebuffed the Raunerite charge and the money that funded it. Hopefully their message will be heard and a balanced budget will be brought.
Biggest losers: Rauner, Dunkin, (rarely do you see and incumbent crushed so mightily) and Bernie–he’s done.
Biggest winner has to be Madigan, and biggest loser has to be Rauner. When you consider the absurd amounts of money spent by Rauner and his allies to defeat Madigan, McAnn, and Stratton, etc., the result was a resounding kick in the teeth.
Biggest winner, McCann. Rauner went all in to out him, including usurping gop events and private introductions of Benton, plus millions on attack adds.
Biggest Loser: Dunkin/Rauner, it turns out actions matter more then money, and they both learned that the hard way.
Biggest Winner of the universe: all the folks who rcvd the millions spent by proft and Rauner to run adds….
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:24 am:
Winners: Dorothy Brown. Got the party endorsement, had it rescinded, people in her office are pleading guilty and she still won the nomination. Can she ride it out through Election Day in November?
Sam McCann: Despite the Raunerite money in opposition and his own foibles with his USMC enlistment, won the nomination.
Losers: Karen Lewis. Her chosen candidate beaten by Christian Mitchell. Oh and good luck getting sympathy from people for your April Fool’s Day of Action or whatever you are calling it.
Dick Mell. Lost his committeeman race. How does that affect his alderman daughter in 2019?
Another thread pretty much covered the biggest winner being Madigan and the biggest loser being Rauner, but on a race to race basis I think Dorothy Brown was the biggest winner and Bryce Benton ends up the biggest loser.
Dorothy Brown pretty much walked to victory with little trouble, in a race that could have been hyper competitive. She was the fortunate recipient of nobody really caring about much outside of the States Attorney race.
Benton tied himself, for better or worse, to Rauner & Proft for which he was defeated. He will be able to rehab some if he wants to move forward in the game, but in the short term he is an arm of Rauner machine, which proved to be anything but well-oiled last night.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t this the 2nd straight election Proft has inserted himself in a large number of races, winning exactly none of them?
Madigan, Rauner, McCann, Dunkin will be discussed over and over. Imagine being in the next ISP shift change as Benton comes back to work. Probably not his planned reception.
A real concern is does Rauner do a RFK/D-Day: ‘Don’t get mad, get even’.
The biggest losers were the highlighted Raunerites, Rauner’s “must” and “want” races…
Raunerites are not a party… and here… here is when money and hubris meet the voters. They’re were the biggest losers last night.
Keep in mind Benton and Dunkin were Raunerites, while claiming to be a Republican and a Democrat.
Raunerites, high profile Raunerites, were the biggest losers.
Let me be clear. Raunerite losing do not mean Republicans lose. They are two very different political animals.
When Republicans learn that being who they are, and not what Rauber demands, Rauner himself will find his greatest success, and only when autonomy happens in the GOP GA will the Governor find a stride to be a functioning governor.
The biggest winners? Labor and the process of “Voting Accordingly”.
Both go hand and glove here, specifically.
Understanding that elections have consequences and actively finding where Labor needed to be effective, that’s half of it. Following through and voting accordingly to be inpactful and not a victim to their failures of the past, that’s their biggest win for Labor in all this, let alone the defeating of a Democrat and leading a Republican to a victory…
Think on that… Labor needed to assist in… defeating a Democrat, and lead a Republican to victory.
Wow.
Madigan is a biggest winner, by himself winning, removing a festering Raunerite, and embarrassing Rauner and framing Rauner as a referendum come November.
Think on that…
Rauner again will be up for Referendum, this time even statewide… and Labor already knows, the stakes are way too high.
I’d hate to have to defend myself with Rauner for the next 8 months as I can’t shake a cozy relationship that Labor sees as “dangerous” and voters see as toxic, in a Predidential ekectui year. Raunerite ideals will be an anchor to the poor Republicans paired with Rauner.
Faithless - incorrect. Rich included this in his subscription blast, but Proft-backed candidates McConchie, Skillicorn, Halbrook and McGuire won. I apologize if I missed anyone, but those are the four off the top of my head that I remembered before I went to bed. The first three were close, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. But given how the media and a lot of insiders zeroed in on the Dunkin and McCann races, I can see the confusion.
The winners were Madigan and the unions. The Biggest Loser was the Illinois GOP. Runner did well in a lot of his Republican races. He will drag that party farther out into the weeds than it has ever been. His trying to build a cult of personality will Doom them for years to come.
- Michael Westen - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:46 am:
Winner: Speaker Madigan for obvious reasons
Loser: Dan Proft. Unlimited resources, outspent flawed opponent probably six to one when it is all tallied, still couldn’t put it in the “W” column. Anyone think he’s some kind of genius? Most overrated consultant in Illinois, maybe the country.
- Huff and Puff - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:46 am:
Winners: Labor
Losers: Illinois “Media” who tried to hand this thing to Benton. The SJ-R is notoriously bad at writing endorsements and it’s good to see them rebuffed.
Loser: “Hang in There” Todd, who sold the state chamber’s name and sold out his statewide members for Dunkin, getting sideways of Emanuel and GA majorities in the process.
Partial win for Todd if Gov. Rauner took him out for a nice dinner and a show afterwards.
Hillary - Duckworth - Foxx - Stratton - Mah - Dorothy Brown. Most of the big wins were all women, and women of color. I think that’s something we need more of.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:49 am:
Rauner is the most obvious loser and MJM is the most obvious winner.
The other big loser in my mind is Maisch and the Chamber for that ill begotten million bucks for Dunkin. I guess the bright side for them is that they have the veto backstop for another 10 months. But then? Madigan and Rahm have long memories.
Winner: Leslie Munger, if she gets the message to distance herself from the Governor until November 9th.
Loser: Leslie Munger if she does not get the message.
IllinoisGO started the year with about $9 million and spent much of it by paying Resolute Consulting to do mail for various candidates. I wouldn’t mind losing like that.
Big winner: Preckwinkle - with Foxx’s big win, and Emanuel in the tanks, she is THE Democratic power player in Chicago. Her two State Rep candidates (Stratton & Mitchell) won easily. As a bonus, her protege, Kurt Summers is well-positioned for a Mayoral run.
Other winners: Madigan (as party leader and as 22nd District Rep), Labor (is there a race they didn’t win?), Asian political power (Raja, Morita and Mah)
Big loser: Bernie Sanders went 0 for 5, enough said.
Other losers Rauner (at least he won vs. Edgar in the 102nd), Dick & Deborah Mell (congratulations your new committeeman is Aaron Goldstein)
UISer, before being too hard on Don Grey, keep in mind that registered voter turnout yesterday was 43% in Sangamon County. In the 2012 primary it was 18% and in 2008, the first for Obama, only 30%. Sure there is a relatively small cost for printing and sending out extra ballots, but where do you draw the line?
Bernie was not a loser here but Ohio.Trump as a winner and that makes Rauner an even bigger loser. There was a huge Republican turnout ..
He spends zillions and this is what he gets
What does he get in Nov with the GOP in chaos?Hang on we may get a budget in 2017 or sooner if enough republicans wake up.
Let me be clear. Raunerite losing do not mean Republicans lose.
You hope you can explain the difference, but the GOP let themselves be bought by a man whose character comes straight out of a Dickens novel. The GOP has sat silently as their governor has shut down our state using laughable excuses which shouldn’t pass muster in a third grade classroom. The GOP has given us a governor who claims more victimization and less power than a township clerk.
The GOP had hoped that money and small government ideology could persuade a majority of citizens to overlook their governor’s lack of ethics, morality, work ethic or soul. The GOP gambled on Bruce Rauner and after over a year of worsening fiscal conditions and escalating turmoil, that gamble is showing a massive loss.
The GOP here in Illinois, with Rauner as their leader, will have a similar future as a party as the Whigs had, back in 1850. The GOP had their chance, and they blew it.
The worst is yet to come for the Illinois GOP - thanks to their governor, who won’t govern and persists on holding Illinoisans hostage to satisfy his warped sense of leadership.
- DownStateGrl - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:04 am:
Biggest winners:
McCann - Beat Governor’s bankrolled and Ken-doll looking opponent. You can cross the Governor for the sake of your constituents and still keep your Republican seat.
Madigan - He crushed it regarding the races he was in on hard.
Biggest losers:
Dunkin - It almost takes effort to fall that far from the graces of your constituents and your own party.
Rauner - Even when forcefed to a starving public the turnaround agenda is just not the path Illinoisans choose to move forward.
—
The poor general public keeps falling for the same old song and dance.
—
Is this just a rhteorically-flourishy way of saying — quite condescendingly, actually — that the voters voted wrong?
It’s not a “song and dance” if it’s the will of the voters. The people are what matter — they’re the voice. And they’ve spoken here.
What will matter — and what will help keep the momentum going — is whether Rauner continues to ignore the people. His is the song-and-dance, I suspect — the thing that was rejected.
After listening to Oswego Willy armchair quarterback all these weeks it’s nice to hear him give credit where credit is due. No question McCann would be gone without the public employee volunteers and rank and file cross over voters.
Winners: Madigan, television ad sales reps and media buyers, Toni Preckwinkle and karma.
Losers: Andrea Zopp and her supporters who misread that race by a mile (thanks Bill Daley!), Dick Mell (Dick Mell!), Bruce Rauner as discussed above, and Dorothy Brown.
“But didn’t Brown win 47th?” you ask. Yes, but in case you missed it, a key former employee copped a plea with the feds yesterday, which guarantees front page coverage when her indictment is handed down.
Also, McCann won yesterday, but I suspect the mileage thing is going to haunt him (Mautino too). The committeemen may yet get a chance to appoint Benton, assuming his voice recovers in time for him to actually speak up and ask for it.
I meant to include this because I haven’t seen anyone else mention it. To me, it was both a big surprise and a big loswer: the Illinois Kasich operation was a complete bust.
Given the who’s who of mainstream Illinois GOP supporters, does this mean common-sense Republicans can no longer win in Illinois? That would be a disaster for everyone if true.
- Name Withheld - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:24 am:
Biggest Winners: McCann/Stratton and those who fought against the governor’s chosen.
Biggest Loses: State Universities - nothing is still going to get done since we now have the General Election to worry about.
- Left of Central IL - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:25 am:
Winner — little “d” democracy.
Explanation — The engagement of the singular voter in astounding numbers. The information that has been exchanged between social media, traditional media, etc., is good for “d”emocracy!
Loser — GOP.
Explanation — That “sh*+” is a hot mess! Establishment vs outsiders. Money vs money. Puppets vs puppeteers. Conservatives vs re-surging Neo-Cons. Truth vs “Truth.’
Biggest winner: Labor, who showed they can elect candidates in the face of incredibly well-funded opposition.
Other winners: Madigan with his winning margin, Democratic Representatives who were angry with Dunkin and soon won’t have to look at him anymore, all of us for there being a good voter turnout.
Biggest Loser: Ken Dunkin, with his losing margin.
Other losers: Republican Senators upset with McCann, Bernie Sanders for not pulling out a win that would have carried a strong message.
I may be off in the weeds, but I don’t see Rauner as a loser. He put a lot of money where his mouth was, showing he will come through with big bucks to reward or punish. He seems well-positioned for 2018 if he maintains control over the House Republicans. His strategy to starve the beast and blame Madigan is carrying out brilliantly. If somehow the House Democrats gain a super majority in the fall, the pressure will be on them to be fiscally responsible and pass a budget of their own, and being fiscally responsible is not popular with voters.
Gov. Rauner is the biggest loser! It just opened my eyes that the Gov. spent millions of Dollars donating to Proft, Durkin’s Campaign, Benton’s Campaign, among others and has nothing from it! It bothers me to see a man throw millions away and he is our Governor and leader. It is going to be a long and costly 2 1/2 years!
47th - the Kasich “effort” was almost fractured. Ron Sandack and Ed Sullivan are workers, but a lot of people associated with Governor Kasich seemed more like figureheads or socialite-types.
Also - good point on the mileage thing. McCann will face serious problems with that in the near future. And the outrage over the Elections Board agreeing to hear it is silly. The board is split.
On the contrary, I’d say that fake measures to aid corporate power and not do anything for education at all lost. Is there plenty of reform room in IL? Of course, but the voters realized Rauner’s “reforms” aren’t really reforms.
Want to enforce term limits? Do it at the balllot box.
What is really needed is public financing, but Rauner is about the farthest thing away from that.
Winners:
•Voters- Great turnout numbers
•Speaker Madigan/organized labor: big wins where they needed them, yes they spent big and yes Rich make a great point about sustainability but they had to make a stand and they did….setting aside the question, for now, about how these results change the landscape or increase likelihood of budget deal.
•Sen. McCann- withstood onslaught, held on to win…I realize his was just another proxy race between deep pockets but I was surprised by the result. Thought something was amiss when Benton and Gov. campaigned together and Benton seemed uninterested. Internals must have been showing him something.
•Anti-establishment voters- Despite Hillary’s win, Anti-establishment Ds and Rs sent message to political class. Hillary likely to adjust her message to ensure she speaks to those voters this coming fall, ensure they don’t hold nose and vote for Trump. Saw a little bit of that last night in her V speech. Speaking of Trump, the party of Lincoln, Thompson, Edgar, and Ryan just chose D. Trump as its preferred choice for POTUS. Incredible. Should be a wake-up call for the Governor and his party.
•Black Lives Matter movement/organized protests: Interesting that someone got on stage last night at the Foxx event right before her V speech and said something to the effect of “…2 down, one to go…” we all know who the “one” is…BLM and the organized protests surrounding the use of excessive or deadly force by CPD, got their proverbial head on a platter last night by helping to take down Alvarez. Suffice it to say, D. Brown is lucky that she was able to skate under the radar or she would have suffered a similar fate.
Losers:
•Gov. Rauner and Dan Proft: While Proft can point to a primary victory in a safe R district, his PAC and main benefactor, Governor Rauner were major losers last night. Money is a wonderful tool to have I abundance but it does not guarantee results. Rich makes an excellent point that that neither Proft nor Rauner will notice the cash they burned through and that there’s plenty more $$ where that came from, however, last night’s results suggest a real problem, internally, on deciding where to fight and whom to support. Where can they really make a difference?
•State Chamber of Commerce: They either were forced into the Dunkin V. Stratton race by the Governor or wanted to weigh in…in either case they did themselves no favors and may have complicated their relationship with Springfield and City of Chicago D’s and an albeit unpopular Chicago Mayor.
•Ken Dunkin: for obvious reasons, interested in seeing whether the Gov’s commitment to him extends to life after the ILGA….my guess, it won’t.
•IllinoisGo: see Rich’s comments on Capfax
=== The committeemen may yet get a chance to appoint Benton, assuming his voice recovers in time for him to actually speak up and ask for it. ===
This isn’t going to happen, but Benton would be a terrible selection for them. He’s not a good campaigner - remember the hide behind the king act during the Rauner Benton tour. He never talked on his ads. When you see him on a TV interview you see one of the reasons why.
I’m sure there’s a better puppet out there. One that the Sangamon County folks would reward for his/her work for the county party.
To the post, I’ll add Benton as a winner. Now he’ll be able to build up and keep his State Police pension.
Loser: Rahm. Though Sander’s good showing is not limited to the negative impact of Hillary having connections to Rahm, it helped. I also think that given the trouncing Alvarez took, it’s not a stretch to say Chuy would be Mayor right now had the Laquan McDonald tapes surfaced sooner. The electorate has a relatively short memory, I don’t think so in this case. Rahm will be an untouchable for a long time, maybe forever.
Loser - Citizen’s United. It is becoming clear that the voices of the people can overcome the incredibly loud voice of money.
Winner - Citizen’s United. It is also clear that the voice of money is far more loud and persistent than anything that opposes it. In many campaigns that could matter.
Biggest Winner-Madigan and Dorothy Brown. Madigan showed Rauner that he’s not done yet. Brown is self-explanatory since besides getting dumped by the Dems, investigated by the Feds and running a poor operation, the Voters still came through for her.
Losers-IL Voters and citizens since we’re still stuck in the middle of the fight between Rauner and Madigan.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:34 am:
And…obviously yesterday represented a huge loss for Ken Dunkin and that will rightfully be a large part of today’s focus.
But I also believe that Dunkin lost the future too. Lots of folks assume there’s a handshake deal with Rauner to get him a gig. And maybe there was. But I’m still not convinced that Rauner will reward blind loyalty from a sycophant who has nothing to offer him in the future. Rauner’s history is a world where you produce or you’re gone, and that kind of loyalty is for chumps. Time will tell, but I’m betting against some Dunkin appointment in January, especially if it has to be confirmed by the Senate
“Ron Sandack and Ed Sullivan are workers, but a lot of people associated with Governor Kasich seemed more like figureheads or socialite-types.”
Sandack will almost certainly attend the GOP as a delegate. http://electionresults.dupageco.org/Results/2016/Primary/Republican-1.htm At the convention will he maintain his “Trump? Ohgodno! Never!” stance — or will he just salute and fall in line behind the guy with the big money and bad ideas?
=National) Voters who won’t have any good Presidential candidates in November.=
Couldn’t agree more RNUG. It would’ve been nice if Bernie could’ve squeaked out wins in Illinois and Missouri. Sure, it wouldn’t have changed the delegate count much but it would’ve changed the media narrative about Hillary. Losing her home state would’ve been a naarative to question her success in the general should she get there.
By the math, I think he’ll need 58% going forward but the race now shifts into the more progressive states. It could be interesting but ultimately it’s probably Hillary Vs. Trump. Pains me to say I’ll be voting Trump.
Other Losers were obviously Rauner, DONE-kin, and Benton. Dunkin was absolutely annihilated.
Earnest - while I may be a partisan Republican, your reasoning is solid regardless of political affiliation or feelings towards Rauner or Madigan. It is entirely possible for the House Republicans to pick up a few seats, and Rauner has shown a willingness to fund cherry-picked campaigns. His staff is also full of eager people who will help out and work races at the drop of a hat.
=Losers: ……
(National) Voters who won’t have any good Presidential candidates in November.=
Only if you’re chained to the two-party system.
Dr. Jill Stein US Green Party is an excellent candidate.
Perhaps Rauner should visit the mail carriers’union hall in Chicago and read a poignant saying on the wall which could or should temper his views on union goals. It reads: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NOT COLLECTIVE BEGGING.
Maybe he can take #1 loser Dan Proft with him.
MrJM - my guess is that Rep. Sandack will make things interesting. Who knows. But he does work. He and a few others went to other states during non-session weeks to campaign for Kasich.
Of course the biggest loser is Bruce Rauner and assorted flunkies like Proft. The snark comment would be: isn’t Bruce a great businessman, look how well he invested his supporter’s funds, and the fantastic ROI he got. He’s not even good at what he’s supposed to be good at. Point is, arrogance, hardline positions and closed mind = losing in politics and governing. Not sure what it means in business. Winner: Progressive groups, unions, democrats in the state soundly sent the Rauner strategy down to defeat.
- Fake Charles Thomas - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 11:23 am:
Winner: Chuy Garcia. MJM now owes him a favor, which is never a bad thing.
Loser: Maze Jackson. He and his are next to feel the wrath of those he’s been impugning ever since he “left” the Black Caucus. Hope he hasn’t spent all the money he’d made up to now because the well’s gonna run dry soon.
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 11:26 am:
The Losers. The working poor and middle class. No one tallied about how revenues would be raised. Dem leadership will take the path of least resistance and go along with the last income tax increase.
The biggest loser will be AFSCME. The gov will accelerate labor board to reach ” impasse”. Strike or take last and best.
Winners: The voters in Dunkin’s and McCann’s districts. They took care of business. In one, they cleaned a powerful pox from their house. In the other, they resisted a powerful siege intended to install a Stranger in their house.
Loser: The reputation of Rauner and his powerful fellow travelers. Purchased airwaves, stuffed mailboxes, scheming, and propaganda could not accomplish th goal. And Rauner now has to endure ownership of Ken Dunkin’s sordid legacy, due to bad planning and lack of foresight. (Which Superstar is going to be placed in the ejector seat over this one???)
Agree on Maze Jackson. Just shocking that to the very end he supported Dunkin and those racial stereotype characterizations of Madigan. Politics on either side need not go there. President Obama didn’t even hold sway on old Maze. Is WVON gonna keep giving him airtime? Who’s his audience?
Biggest winner in McHenry County - Mike Walkup, former candidate for State Senate as a Democrat beat Old Establishment candidate and current County Board Chairman for the first at-large election of the office.
Biggest loser - County Board Anna May Miller, wife of Bob Miller, Algonquin Township Road Commissioner. The campaign against her was that she is compensated about $98,000 for being his Road District secretary. Two of the couple’s Road District- employed sons-in-laws were tagged for being in the family ring of nepotism.
The biggest loser will be AFSCME. The gov will accelerate labor board to reach ” impasse”. Strike or take last and best.
No doubt Rauner’s losses won’t make him come to his senses and have a Kasich moment and negotiate with the union. But it has become a little more likely that a Republican State Rep might vote yes for HB 0580. Or if a strike happens Rauner will lose on that too. Having a bargaining unit # of 36,000 definitely gives afscme some leverage, especially in light of yesterday.
- Original Rambler - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 2:34 pm:
Two of the biggest winners may turn out to be Radogno and Durkin. These results may make them relevant again.
Winners - voting public and the temerity to stand your ground in the face of withering media blitz; organized labor; the Speaker’s old school politics.
Losers - anyone associated with the Governor; big money politics and absentee bullies.
Biggest Losers - Dunkin, Rauner, Alvarez, Brookins, Meister
I add Brookins because he really failed to capitalize on his race against Rush. Yesterday’s primary was a big win for the machine. You have to have name recognition to win these local races. Dorothy Brown got lucky, because everyone was focused on Alvarez. If the GOP had an actual formidable reformer candidate for Circuit Court Clerk, then they might’ve been able to give her a run for her money.
===You hope you can explain the difference, but the GOP let themselves be bought by a man whose character comes straight out of a Dickens novel. The GOP has sat silently as their governor has shut down our state using laughable excuses which shouldn’t pass muster in a third grade classroom. The GOP has given us a governor who claims more victimization and less power than a township clerk.===
I disagree.
Why?
The number of “Yellow” votes and “NV” show more of a hostage situation then complicity.
If they ALL were conplicit, there’d be no “Yellow” or “NV”s
- UISer - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:22 am:
Biggest Losers:
Don Gray looking completely incompetent in an office to which he was not elected, but appointed by party leaders. Terrible that he wasn’t even available for comment to either media or election judges last night. He basically went underground. How many people simply left in Sangamon county last night? How many were disenfranchised, we will never know.
Bruce Rauner - Dunkin and Benton
Biggest Winners:
Anyone running against Don Gray in November.
Madigan
- unspun - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:22 am:
Biggest winner: The voters of Illinois, who rebuffed the Raunerite charge and the money that funded it. Hopefully their message will be heard and a balanced budget will be brought.
Biggest losers: Rauner, Dunkin, (rarely do you see and incumbent crushed so mightily) and Bernie–he’s done.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:22 am:
Winner - The People
Loser - Money
- slow down - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:23 am:
Biggest winner has to be Madigan, and biggest loser has to be Rauner. When you consider the absurd amounts of money spent by Rauner and his allies to defeat Madigan, McAnn, and Stratton, etc., the result was a resounding kick in the teeth.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:23 am:
Loser:
Rauner’s mandate. He assumed he had one. A big one. He doesn’t. And this election proves it.
Winner:
Madigan (and the thousands and thousands of Illinois voters he controls)
- Ghost - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:24 am:
Biggest winner, McCann. Rauner went all in to out him, including usurping gop events and private introductions of Benton, plus millions on attack adds.
Biggest Loser: Dunkin/Rauner, it turns out actions matter more then money, and they both learned that the hard way.
Biggest Winner of the universe: all the folks who rcvd the millions spent by proft and Rauner to run adds….
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:24 am:
Winners: Dorothy Brown. Got the party endorsement, had it rescinded, people in her office are pleading guilty and she still won the nomination. Can she ride it out through Election Day in November?
Sam McCann: Despite the Raunerite money in opposition and his own foibles with his USMC enlistment, won the nomination.
Losers: Karen Lewis. Her chosen candidate beaten by Christian Mitchell. Oh and good luck getting sympathy from people for your April Fool’s Day of Action or whatever you are calling it.
Dick Mell. Lost his committeeman race. How does that affect his alderman daughter in 2019?
- Gooner - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:26 am:
Sometimes the obvious choice is the right one.
The Speaker won the races he needed to win.
The Governor lost the races he needed to win.
Nobody else comes close.
- Downstate GOP Faithless - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:27 am:
Another thread pretty much covered the biggest winner being Madigan and the biggest loser being Rauner, but on a race to race basis I think Dorothy Brown was the biggest winner and Bryce Benton ends up the biggest loser.
Dorothy Brown pretty much walked to victory with little trouble, in a race that could have been hyper competitive. She was the fortunate recipient of nobody really caring about much outside of the States Attorney race.
Benton tied himself, for better or worse, to Rauner & Proft for which he was defeated. He will be able to rehab some if he wants to move forward in the game, but in the short term he is an arm of Rauner machine, which proved to be anything but well-oiled last night.
- Obamas Puppy - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:28 am:
Winner : Unions
Loser : Proft
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:30 am:
Winner: Labor
Loser: Todd Maisch and the Chamber
- out of touch - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:34 am:
Winner: Madigan. “Thanks for the candidate”.
Loser: Rauner. Dunkin and Benton (Rauner publicly claims Benton is a litmus test on himself)
- Allen D - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:34 am:
Winner : Unions
Loser : Illinois Taxpayers
- Downstate GOP Faithless - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:36 am:
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t this the 2nd straight election Proft has inserted himself in a large number of races, winning exactly none of them?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:38 am:
Losers: Rauner, his big-money, his hatchet man, Proft, and the shills at the Trib edit board.
This election, they picked a fight.
Winners: Those who ended it — Madigan, Preckwinkle, unions and their GOTV.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:38 am:
How Dorothy Brown can be the “will of the people” is completely beyond my comprehension. She is the big winner but not in a good way.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:40 am:
Winner: the friends of Esther Golar.
Loser: Ken Dunkin
- Enviro - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:41 am:
Biggest loser: Marco Rubio who had massive support by wealthy Republicans but lost and dropped out yesterday.
- train111 - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:41 am:
Biggest Winner
Lipstick manufacturers–Rauner is going to go all in for millions again this fall to try and dress that pig called the turnaround agenda.
- Enviro - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:42 am:
Biggest winner: Hillary Clinton
- 4 percent - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:42 am:
Winners: Unions, Sam McCann, IE Pacs, Madigan
Losers: Rauner, Dunkin, Dan Proft, Todd Maisch & the Illinois Chamber
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:42 am:
Madigan, Rauner, McCann, Dunkin will be discussed over and over. Imagine being in the next ISP shift change as Benton comes back to work. Probably not his planned reception.
A real concern is does Rauner do a RFK/D-Day: ‘Don’t get mad, get even’.
- Flunky McTaggert - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:44 am:
Biggest Loser: Anita Alvarez
Biggest Winner: Justice
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:44 am:
The biggest losers were the highlighted Raunerites, Rauner’s “must” and “want” races…
Raunerites are not a party… and here… here is when money and hubris meet the voters. They’re were the biggest losers last night.
Keep in mind Benton and Dunkin were Raunerites, while claiming to be a Republican and a Democrat.
Raunerites, high profile Raunerites, were the biggest losers.
Let me be clear. Raunerite losing do not mean Republicans lose. They are two very different political animals.
When Republicans learn that being who they are, and not what Rauber demands, Rauner himself will find his greatest success, and only when autonomy happens in the GOP GA will the Governor find a stride to be a functioning governor.
The biggest winners? Labor and the process of “Voting Accordingly”.
Both go hand and glove here, specifically.
Understanding that elections have consequences and actively finding where Labor needed to be effective, that’s half of it. Following through and voting accordingly to be inpactful and not a victim to their failures of the past, that’s their biggest win for Labor in all this, let alone the defeating of a Democrat and leading a Republican to a victory…
Think on that… Labor needed to assist in… defeating a Democrat, and lead a Republican to victory.
Wow.
Madigan is a biggest winner, by himself winning, removing a festering Raunerite, and embarrassing Rauner and framing Rauner as a referendum come November.
Think on that…
Rauner again will be up for Referendum, this time even statewide… and Labor already knows, the stakes are way too high.
I’d hate to have to defend myself with Rauner for the next 8 months as I can’t shake a cozy relationship that Labor sees as “dangerous” and voters see as toxic, in a Predidential ekectui year. Raunerite ideals will be an anchor to the poor Republicans paired with Rauner.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:44 am:
Faithless - incorrect. Rich included this in his subscription blast, but Proft-backed candidates McConchie, Skillicorn, Halbrook and McGuire won. I apologize if I missed anyone, but those are the four off the top of my head that I remembered before I went to bed. The first three were close, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. But given how the media and a lot of insiders zeroed in on the Dunkin and McCann races, I can see the confusion.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:46 am:
The winners were Madigan and the unions. The Biggest Loser was the Illinois GOP. Runner did well in a lot of his Republican races. He will drag that party farther out into the weeds than it has ever been. His trying to build a cult of personality will Doom them for years to come.
- Michael Westen - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:46 am:
Winner: Speaker Madigan for obvious reasons
Loser: Dan Proft. Unlimited resources, outspent flawed opponent probably six to one when it is all tallied, still couldn’t put it in the “W” column. Anyone think he’s some kind of genius? Most overrated consultant in Illinois, maybe the country.
- Huff and Puff - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:46 am:
Winners: Labor
Losers: Illinois “Media” who tried to hand this thing to Benton. The SJ-R is notoriously bad at writing endorsements and it’s good to see them rebuffed.
- Aldyth - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:47 am:
Winner: Madigan
Loser: Rauner
Question: Is Rauner capable of learning anything from this?
Answer: Probably not.
- LincolnParker2 - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:48 am:
Loser: IllinoisGo and Greg Goldner went all in with Dunkin and came up empty handed.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:48 am:
Loser: “Hang in There” Todd, who sold the state chamber’s name and sold out his statewide members for Dunkin, getting sideways of Emanuel and GA majorities in the process.
Partial win for Todd if Gov. Rauner took him out for a nice dinner and a show afterwards.
- Giovannia - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:49 am:
Biggest winner - women.
Hillary - Duckworth - Foxx - Stratton - Mah - Dorothy Brown. Most of the big wins were all women, and women of color. I think that’s something we need more of.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:49 am:
Rauner is the most obvious loser and MJM is the most obvious winner.
The other big loser in my mind is Maisch and the Chamber for that ill begotten million bucks for Dunkin. I guess the bright side for them is that they have the veto backstop for another 10 months. But then? Madigan and Rahm have long memories.
- SAP - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:53 am:
Winner: Leslie Munger, if she gets the message to distance herself from the Governor until November 9th.
Loser: Leslie Munger if she does not get the message.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:54 am:
Biggest losers: Dunkin and his wealthy patron.
Biggest winners: Dunkin’s constituents.
- The Captain - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:54 am:
IllinoisGO started the year with about $9 million and spent much of it by paying Resolute Consulting to do mail for various candidates. I wouldn’t mind losing like that.
- Century Club - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:54 am:
Big winner: Preckwinkle - with Foxx’s big win, and Emanuel in the tanks, she is THE Democratic power player in Chicago. Her two State Rep candidates (Stratton & Mitchell) won easily. As a bonus, her protege, Kurt Summers is well-positioned for a Mayoral run.
Other winners: Madigan (as party leader and as 22nd District Rep), Labor (is there a race they didn’t win?), Asian political power (Raja, Morita and Mah)
Big loser: Bernie Sanders went 0 for 5, enough said.
Other losers Rauner (at least he won vs. Edgar in the 102nd), Dick & Deborah Mell (congratulations your new committeeman is Aaron Goldstein)
- Justfacts - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:55 am:
Losers - the general public, for we follow like sheep to slaughter.
Winners - The current power structure that led us to this problem. The poor general public keeps falling for the same old song and dance.
Ultimate loser; Bernie Sanders
- 332bill - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:58 am:
UISer, before being too hard on Don Grey, keep in mind that registered voter turnout yesterday was 43% in Sangamon County. In the 2012 primary it was 18% and in 2008, the first for Obama, only 30%. Sure there is a relatively small cost for printing and sending out extra ballots, but where do you draw the line?
- illinois manufacturer - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:59 am:
Bernie was not a loser here but Ohio.Trump as a winner and that makes Rauner an even bigger loser. There was a huge Republican turnout ..
He spends zillions and this is what he gets
What does he get in Nov with the GOP in chaos?Hang on we may get a budget in 2017 or sooner if enough republicans wake up.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 9:59 am:
Biggest Loser?
The Illinois Chamber being saddled with a completely compromised shill for Bruce Rauner in Todd Maisch
I’d tell the Chamber to, well… I’d leave that to Todd to tell his sold out members his lil advice.
If worse comes to worse, Todd could tell his members, you know… in a letter… all the Rauner talking points and they need to suck it up, and …
The Chamber is a biggest loser, they just found out why.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:00 am:
Let me be clear. Raunerite losing do not mean Republicans lose.
You hope you can explain the difference, but the GOP let themselves be bought by a man whose character comes straight out of a Dickens novel. The GOP has sat silently as their governor has shut down our state using laughable excuses which shouldn’t pass muster in a third grade classroom. The GOP has given us a governor who claims more victimization and less power than a township clerk.
The GOP had hoped that money and small government ideology could persuade a majority of citizens to overlook their governor’s lack of ethics, morality, work ethic or soul. The GOP gambled on Bruce Rauner and after over a year of worsening fiscal conditions and escalating turmoil, that gamble is showing a massive loss.
The GOP here in Illinois, with Rauner as their leader, will have a similar future as a party as the Whigs had, back in 1850. The GOP had their chance, and they blew it.
The worst is yet to come for the Illinois GOP - thanks to their governor, who won’t govern and persists on holding Illinoisans hostage to satisfy his warped sense of leadership.
- DownStateGrl - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:04 am:
Biggest winners:
McCann - Beat Governor’s bankrolled and Ken-doll looking opponent. You can cross the Governor for the sake of your constituents and still keep your Republican seat.
Madigan - He crushed it regarding the races he was in on hard.
Biggest losers:
Dunkin - It almost takes effort to fall that far from the graces of your constituents and your own party.
Rauner - Even when forcefed to a starving public the turnaround agenda is just not the path Illinoisans choose to move forward.
- Jimmy H - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:05 am:
Winners: the middle class, social services, higher ed., AFSCME, and their champion Madigan.
Losers: Koch brothers, ALEC, and Rauner, The Turnaround Dude who’s now officially The Turnaround Dud.
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:05 am:
Beyond the obvious…
Losers: political reform. education reform.
Winners: rahm. (Alvarez losing takes some of the heat off of him, Hillary winning saves some embarrassment and empowers a friend).
- RNUG - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:06 am:
Winners:
The media firms that took all the Rauner / PAC money … which probably includes Proft personally if he skimmed enough off the buys.
Labor who re-learned they do still have power if they start early enough and focus on organization.
Losers: Most the people who hooked themselves to the Rauner money and promises.
(National) Voters who won’t have any good Presidential candidates in November.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:07 am:
—
The poor general public keeps falling for the same old song and dance.
—
Is this just a rhteorically-flourishy way of saying — quite condescendingly, actually — that the voters voted wrong?
It’s not a “song and dance” if it’s the will of the voters. The people are what matter — they’re the voice. And they’ve spoken here.
What will matter — and what will help keep the momentum going — is whether Rauner continues to ignore the people. His is the song-and-dance, I suspect — the thing that was rejected.
- The Muse - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:07 am:
Winners: the Speaker
Losers: the Gov.
I wonder if the governor will change his tone now?
- Bibe - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:13 am:
After listening to Oswego Willy armchair quarterback all these weeks it’s nice to hear him give credit where credit is due. No question McCann would be gone without the public employee volunteers and rank and file cross over voters.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:13 am:
Winners: Madigan, television ad sales reps and media buyers, Toni Preckwinkle and karma.
Losers: Andrea Zopp and her supporters who misread that race by a mile (thanks Bill Daley!), Dick Mell (Dick Mell!), Bruce Rauner as discussed above, and Dorothy Brown.
“But didn’t Brown win 47th?” you ask. Yes, but in case you missed it, a key former employee copped a plea with the feds yesterday, which guarantees front page coverage when her indictment is handed down.
Also, McCann won yesterday, but I suspect the mileage thing is going to haunt him (Mautino too). The committeemen may yet get a chance to appoint Benton, assuming his voice recovers in time for him to actually speak up and ask for it.
- Anonish - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:15 am:
Winners: whomever is on the disbursements report of the D2s in the 5th IL House.
- Jack Jackson - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:15 am:
Winner: Parents and families in the city who support neighborhood public schools, Omar Aquino, professional educators.
Losers: Charter School profiteers, Big testing industry, Nobel St. Charters, Angelica Alfaro, Rauner - recruited Stand for Children http://illinoistimes.com/article-8899-how-stand-for-children-snuck-into-the-statehouse.html
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:16 am:
===After listening to Oswego Willy armchair quarterback all these weeks… ===
If you don’t understand what I was “doing”, that’s on you….
I also pretty quick to accept blame, and try to give credit completely and quickly.
Ask around…
- siriusly - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:19 am:
winners: Unions who backed Stratton, Preckwinkle
losers: Jason Gonzalez, Ken Dunkin - no denying they both talked a lot of smack and lost bigtime
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:20 am:
Just like Garry McCarthy’s firing took some of the heat off of Anita Alvarez.
– MrJM
- Dr X - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:21 am:
All losers. The status quo continues throughout the year despite a primary. Same legislators and a Gov who thinks he is winnin’
Another Loser = The Illinois public will have to face another Kent Gray race. Maybe Park Board? Please make it stop.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:24 am:
I meant to include this because I haven’t seen anyone else mention it. To me, it was both a big surprise and a big loswer: the Illinois Kasich operation was a complete bust.
Given the who’s who of mainstream Illinois GOP supporters, does this mean common-sense Republicans can no longer win in Illinois? That would be a disaster for everyone if true.
- Name Withheld - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:24 am:
Biggest Winners: McCann/Stratton and those who fought against the governor’s chosen.
Biggest Loses: State Universities - nothing is still going to get done since we now have the General Election to worry about.
- Left of Central IL - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:25 am:
Biggest Winner: TV stations
Biggest Loser: Rauner
- cdog - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:26 am:
Winner — little “d” democracy.
Explanation — The engagement of the singular voter in astounding numbers. The information that has been exchanged between social media, traditional media, etc., is good for “d”emocracy!
Loser — GOP.
Explanation — That “sh*+” is a hot mess! Establishment vs outsiders. Money vs money. Puppets vs puppeteers. Conservatives vs re-surging Neo-Cons. Truth vs “Truth.’
(I do find it very entertaining, though.)
- Earnest - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:29 am:
Biggest winner: Labor, who showed they can elect candidates in the face of incredibly well-funded opposition.
Other winners: Madigan with his winning margin, Democratic Representatives who were angry with Dunkin and soon won’t have to look at him anymore, all of us for there being a good voter turnout.
Biggest Loser: Ken Dunkin, with his losing margin.
Other losers: Republican Senators upset with McCann, Bernie Sanders for not pulling out a win that would have carried a strong message.
I may be off in the weeds, but I don’t see Rauner as a loser. He put a lot of money where his mouth was, showing he will come through with big bucks to reward or punish. He seems well-positioned for 2018 if he maintains control over the House Republicans. His strategy to starve the beast and blame Madigan is carrying out brilliantly. If somehow the House Democrats gain a super majority in the fall, the pressure will be on them to be fiscally responsible and pass a budget of their own, and being fiscally responsible is not popular with voters.
- Anon - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:30 am:
Gov. Rauner is the biggest loser! It just opened my eyes that the Gov. spent millions of Dollars donating to Proft, Durkin’s Campaign, Benton’s Campaign, among others and has nothing from it! It bothers me to see a man throw millions away and he is our Governor and leader. It is going to be a long and costly 2 1/2 years!
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:30 am:
47th - the Kasich “effort” was almost fractured. Ron Sandack and Ed Sullivan are workers, but a lot of people associated with Governor Kasich seemed more like figureheads or socialite-types.
Also - good point on the mileage thing. McCann will face serious problems with that in the near future. And the outrage over the Elections Board agreeing to hear it is silly. The board is split.
- Southern Illinois Hoopdee - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:31 am:
==Losers: political reform. education reform.==
On the contrary, I’d say that fake measures to aid corporate power and not do anything for education at all lost. Is there plenty of reform room in IL? Of course, but the voters realized Rauner’s “reforms” aren’t really reforms.
Want to enforce term limits? Do it at the balllot box.
What is really needed is public financing, but Rauner is about the farthest thing away from that.
- Dozer - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:31 am:
Winners:
•Voters- Great turnout numbers
•Speaker Madigan/organized labor: big wins where they needed them, yes they spent big and yes Rich make a great point about sustainability but they had to make a stand and they did….setting aside the question, for now, about how these results change the landscape or increase likelihood of budget deal.
•Sen. McCann- withstood onslaught, held on to win…I realize his was just another proxy race between deep pockets but I was surprised by the result. Thought something was amiss when Benton and Gov. campaigned together and Benton seemed uninterested. Internals must have been showing him something.
•Anti-establishment voters- Despite Hillary’s win, Anti-establishment Ds and Rs sent message to political class. Hillary likely to adjust her message to ensure she speaks to those voters this coming fall, ensure they don’t hold nose and vote for Trump. Saw a little bit of that last night in her V speech. Speaking of Trump, the party of Lincoln, Thompson, Edgar, and Ryan just chose D. Trump as its preferred choice for POTUS. Incredible. Should be a wake-up call for the Governor and his party.
•Black Lives Matter movement/organized protests: Interesting that someone got on stage last night at the Foxx event right before her V speech and said something to the effect of “…2 down, one to go…” we all know who the “one” is…BLM and the organized protests surrounding the use of excessive or deadly force by CPD, got their proverbial head on a platter last night by helping to take down Alvarez. Suffice it to say, D. Brown is lucky that she was able to skate under the radar or she would have suffered a similar fate.
Losers:
•Gov. Rauner and Dan Proft: While Proft can point to a primary victory in a safe R district, his PAC and main benefactor, Governor Rauner were major losers last night. Money is a wonderful tool to have I abundance but it does not guarantee results. Rich makes an excellent point that that neither Proft nor Rauner will notice the cash they burned through and that there’s plenty more $$ where that came from, however, last night’s results suggest a real problem, internally, on deciding where to fight and whom to support. Where can they really make a difference?
•State Chamber of Commerce: They either were forced into the Dunkin V. Stratton race by the Governor or wanted to weigh in…in either case they did themselves no favors and may have complicated their relationship with Springfield and City of Chicago D’s and an albeit unpopular Chicago Mayor.
•Ken Dunkin: for obvious reasons, interested in seeing whether the Gov’s commitment to him extends to life after the ILGA….my guess, it won’t.
•IllinoisGo: see Rich’s comments on Capfax
- Norseman - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:32 am:
=== The committeemen may yet get a chance to appoint Benton, assuming his voice recovers in time for him to actually speak up and ask for it. ===
This isn’t going to happen, but Benton would be a terrible selection for them. He’s not a good campaigner - remember the hide behind the king act during the Rauner Benton tour. He never talked on his ads. When you see him on a TV interview you see one of the reasons why.
I’m sure there’s a better puppet out there. One that the Sangamon County folks would reward for his/her work for the county party.
To the post, I’ll add Benton as a winner. Now he’ll be able to build up and keep his State Police pension.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:32 am:
Loser: Rahm. Though Sander’s good showing is not limited to the negative impact of Hillary having connections to Rahm, it helped. I also think that given the trouncing Alvarez took, it’s not a stretch to say Chuy would be Mayor right now had the Laquan McDonald tapes surfaced sooner. The electorate has a relatively short memory, I don’t think so in this case. Rahm will be an untouchable for a long time, maybe forever.
Winner: Madigan
- Dilemma - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:33 am:
Loser - Citizen’s United. It is becoming clear that the voices of the people can overcome the incredibly loud voice of money.
Winner - Citizen’s United. It is also clear that the voice of money is far more loud and persistent than anything that opposes it. In many campaigns that could matter.
- Belle - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:33 am:
Biggest Winner-Madigan and Dorothy Brown. Madigan showed Rauner that he’s not done yet. Brown is self-explanatory since besides getting dumped by the Dems, investigated by the Feds and running a poor operation, the Voters still came through for her.
Losers-IL Voters and citizens since we’re still stuck in the middle of the fight between Rauner and Madigan.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:34 am:
And…obviously yesterday represented a huge loss for Ken Dunkin and that will rightfully be a large part of today’s focus.
But I also believe that Dunkin lost the future too. Lots of folks assume there’s a handshake deal with Rauner to get him a gig. And maybe there was. But I’m still not convinced that Rauner will reward blind loyalty from a sycophant who has nothing to offer him in the future. Rauner’s history is a world where you produce or you’re gone, and that kind of loyalty is for chumps. Time will tell, but I’m betting against some Dunkin appointment in January, especially if it has to be confirmed by the Senate
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:37 am:
“Ron Sandack and Ed Sullivan are workers, but a lot of people associated with Governor Kasich seemed more like figureheads or socialite-types.”
Sandack will almost certainly attend the GOP as a delegate. http://electionresults.dupageco.org/Results/2016/Primary/Republican-1.htm At the convention will he maintain his “Trump? Ohgodno! Never!” stance — or will he just salute and fall in line behind the guy with the big money and bad ideas?
Again.
– MrJM
- CrazyHorse - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:40 am:
Losers:
=National) Voters who won’t have any good Presidential candidates in November.=
Couldn’t agree more RNUG. It would’ve been nice if Bernie could’ve squeaked out wins in Illinois and Missouri. Sure, it wouldn’t have changed the delegate count much but it would’ve changed the media narrative about Hillary. Losing her home state would’ve been a naarative to question her success in the general should she get there.
By the math, I think he’ll need 58% going forward but the race now shifts into the more progressive states. It could be interesting but ultimately it’s probably Hillary Vs. Trump. Pains me to say I’ll be voting Trump.
Other Losers were obviously Rauner, DONE-kin, and Benton. Dunkin was absolutely annihilated.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:49 am:
Earnest - while I may be a partisan Republican, your reasoning is solid regardless of political affiliation or feelings towards Rauner or Madigan. It is entirely possible for the House Republicans to pick up a few seats, and Rauner has shown a willingness to fund cherry-picked campaigns. His staff is also full of eager people who will help out and work races at the drop of a hat.
- Qui Tam - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:52 am:
=Losers: ……
(National) Voters who won’t have any good Presidential candidates in November.=
Only if you’re chained to the two-party system.
Dr. Jill Stein US Green Party is an excellent candidate.
- Roscoe Tom - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:55 am:
Perhaps Rauner should visit the mail carriers’union hall in Chicago and read a poignant saying on the wall which could or should temper his views on union goals. It reads: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NOT COLLECTIVE BEGGING.
Maybe he can take #1 loser Dan Proft with him.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:56 am:
MrJM - my guess is that Rep. Sandack will make things interesting. Who knows. But he does work. He and a few others went to other states during non-session weeks to campaign for Kasich.
- Molly Maguire - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 11:06 am:
Of course the biggest loser is Bruce Rauner and assorted flunkies like Proft. The snark comment would be: isn’t Bruce a great businessman, look how well he invested his supporter’s funds, and the fantastic ROI he got. He’s not even good at what he’s supposed to be good at. Point is, arrogance, hardline positions and closed mind = losing in politics and governing. Not sure what it means in business. Winner: Progressive groups, unions, democrats in the state soundly sent the Rauner strategy down to defeat.
- Fake Charles Thomas - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 11:23 am:
Winner: Chuy Garcia. MJM now owes him a favor, which is never a bad thing.
Loser: Maze Jackson. He and his are next to feel the wrath of those he’s been impugning ever since he “left” the Black Caucus. Hope he hasn’t spent all the money he’d made up to now because the well’s gonna run dry soon.
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 11:26 am:
The Losers. The working poor and middle class. No one tallied about how revenues would be raised. Dem leadership will take the path of least resistance and go along with the last income tax increase.
The biggest loser will be AFSCME. The gov will accelerate labor board to reach ” impasse”. Strike or take last and best.
- Stumpy's bunker - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 12:53 pm:
Winners: The voters in Dunkin’s and McCann’s districts. They took care of business. In one, they cleaned a powerful pox from their house. In the other, they resisted a powerful siege intended to install a Stranger in their house.
Loser: The reputation of Rauner and his powerful fellow travelers. Purchased airwaves, stuffed mailboxes, scheming, and propaganda could not accomplish th goal. And Rauner now has to endure ownership of Ken Dunkin’s sordid legacy, due to bad planning and lack of foresight. (Which Superstar is going to be placed in the ejector seat over this one???)
- anon - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 1:01 pm:
Agree on Maze Jackson. Just shocking that to the very end he supported Dunkin and those racial stereotype characterizations of Madigan. Politics on either side need not go there. President Obama didn’t even hold sway on old Maze. Is WVON gonna keep giving him airtime? Who’s his audience?
- @Adam_Heenan - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 1:29 pm:
Winners:
1) Everyone attached to Election Day Voter Regsitration, but particularly ChicagoVotes & Fmr Gov Quinn
2) #ByeAnita organizations BYP_100, Assata’s Daughters, & We Charge Genocide
3) Theresda Mah’s ground game
Loser: Rauner
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 1:44 pm:
Biggest winner in McHenry County - Mike Walkup, former candidate for State Senate as a Democrat beat Old Establishment candidate and current County Board Chairman for the first at-large election of the office.
Biggest loser - County Board Anna May Miller, wife of Bob Miller, Algonquin Township Road Commissioner. The campaign against her was that she is compensated about $98,000 for being his Road District secretary. Two of the couple’s Road District- employed sons-in-laws were tagged for being in the family ring of nepotism.
- DHSJim - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 2:09 pm:
The biggest loser will be AFSCME. The gov will accelerate labor board to reach ” impasse”. Strike or take last and best.
No doubt Rauner’s losses won’t make him come to his senses and have a Kasich moment and negotiate with the union. But it has become a little more likely that a Republican State Rep might vote yes for HB 0580. Or if a strike happens Rauner will lose on that too. Having a bargaining unit # of 36,000 definitely gives afscme some leverage, especially in light of yesterday.
- Original Rambler - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 2:34 pm:
Two of the biggest winners may turn out to be Radogno and Durkin. These results may make them relevant again.
- Captain Illini - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 3:25 pm:
Winners - voting public and the temerity to stand your ground in the face of withering media blitz; organized labor; the Speaker’s old school politics.
Losers - anyone associated with the Governor; big money politics and absentee bullies.
This is the dawn of the Governor’s lame duckness…
- JakeCP - Wednesday, Mar 16, 16 @ 10:30 pm:
Biggest Winners - Dorothy Brown, Kim Foxx
Biggest Losers - Dunkin, Rauner, Alvarez, Brookins, Meister
I add Brookins because he really failed to capitalize on his race against Rush. Yesterday’s primary was a big win for the machine. You have to have name recognition to win these local races. Dorothy Brown got lucky, because everyone was focused on Alvarez. If the GOP had an actual formidable reformer candidate for Circuit Court Clerk, then they might’ve been able to give her a run for her money.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 17, 16 @ 8:02 am:
===You hope you can explain the difference, but the GOP let themselves be bought by a man whose character comes straight out of a Dickens novel. The GOP has sat silently as their governor has shut down our state using laughable excuses which shouldn’t pass muster in a third grade classroom. The GOP has given us a governor who claims more victimization and less power than a township clerk.===
I disagree.
Why?
The number of “Yellow” votes and “NV” show more of a hostage situation then complicity.
If they ALL were conplicit, there’d be no “Yellow” or “NV”s
With respect.