61 Comments - South Side Sandy - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:12 pm: Steven Yaffe - ILGOP Spokesperson. They’re going to need to attack Madigan now and there’s no one better for the job. - OneMan - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:13 pm: Well, I think it would be interesting if one of them picked someone who would resign day 1 and save the state money… Doubt it would happen, however. - Grand Avenue - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:15 pm: Chuy - Blago's Hare - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:19 pm: Kennedy should pick Daiber. That may have been Daiber’s goal all along. - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:19 pm: ==They’re going to need to attack Madigan now and there’s no one better for the job.== I’d go with Rich Goldberg - OurMagician - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:23 pm: Someone south of 80, Democrats and people who are not enamored with Rauner live there too. Popping up on TV isn’t and shouldn’t be enough. (Yes I know Tio picked Patricia Avery but if a tree falls in a forest…). Rep Phelps wouldn’t be a bad idea for one of the numerous Cook Countians. - Give Me A Break - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:23 pm: If I’m Kennedy or Biss, I’m on the phone to Jerry Costello or Brandon Phelps this afternoon. While the downstate Dems. may not swing the primary, Rod showed if you lock them up, you can win getting what you can out of Cook given the vote is going to be split up. Costello or Phelps speak fluent “downstater” and have record of supporting state workers and state facilities and that can swing the general election in many areas. - South Side Sandy - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:23 pm: Rich Goldberg may be talented, but there is certainly no one that has a comparable depth of anti-Madigan strategy than Steven Yaffe. Although one may want to “punch him in the mouth”, he would make a great Lieutenant. - blue dog dem - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:26 pm: Costello should pick Kennedy. Why. My kids use the term ‘bromance’. Don’t know exactly what it means but I think it has something to do with guns. - Arsenal - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:35 pm: Not sure it’s the best electorally, but Biss and Kelly Cassidy seem like they’d be pretty sympatico, and I don’t think she’d harm the ticket. Ultimately, that’s all you can ask. - Arsenal - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:36 pm: It remains hard for me to see Kennedy picking someone who’s not locked in on gun control. - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:38 pm: I’d like Pawar to drop out and jump on the Biss ticket to consolidate the ‘progressive’ vote behind one candidate (and no, I don’t buy Kennedy’s anti-machine rhetoric either). - Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:39 pm: They’d never go for it, but any of the retiring R state legislators sure would be fun to see run on a ticket against Rauner. Biss could pick Pawar. More realistic: someone could pick Chuy. Koehler not a bad idea for downstate cred. - Moe Berg - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:40 pm: I predict Drury will select himself to be his running mate. No one else could approach his level of irreproachability and also meet the crucial criterion for anyone who is a heartbeat away from governor: former federal prosecutor. - Get a Job!! - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:40 pm: Phelps being a pro-gun democrat would really hurt Kennedy in a primary. Kennedy probably needs woman. He also needs someone younger because he’s not a bit charismatic. Getting Rep Cassidy or Sen Hutchison would be a good move. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:41 pm: Kennedy and either Biss or Pawar would be a good ticket, but it’ll never happen because these guys wil never agree on whose name should come first on the hypothetical ticket. Pawar might find a kindred spirit in Dave Keohler. But beyond that, I’m all out of ideas. The problem is, as Evelyn Sanguinetti demonstrates each and every day, nobody with talent wants the job and anyone with ambition who might have a bright future doesn’t want to be in political limbo for four years. The best bet for an ambitious, talented LG candidate is that they boost their name ID and favorable a by running, but their ticket loses so they can actually build on the experience. Lol. The first rule of picking a running mate is: do no harm. - Scott Cross for President - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:43 pm: Biss or Kennedy may ask either: Amara Enyia (ED of the Austin Chamber, policy director for the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association and incoming president of Blue 1647) or Tasha Green Cruzat (Pres, Voices for Illinois Children; fmr COS to Preckwinkle ) - Mr B. - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:43 pm: ==I’d like Pawar to drop out== So would I, and go back to his job as the Alderman. - Arsenal - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:46 pm: ==The best bet for an ambitious, talented LG candidate is that they boost their name ID and favorable a by running, but their ticket loses so they can actually build on the experience.== Or maybe a less tense version of Quinn/Simon? Across the country it’s not uncommon for LGs to pursue other offices, especially Senate seats. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:52 pm: Dump Evelyn. Replace her with Former Congressman Bobby Schilling. Kennedy should select Former Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson. She would give him more credibility in the South Suburbs. Biss needs a seasoned veteran like Dan Hynes. They can both count, are competent and Hynes makes Biss look exciting. - OneMan - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:53 pm: Only being 50% snarky here, Pat Quinn. - SUH - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:55 pm: Scott Drury’s pick- Ken Dunkin’s sleeping bag - ;) - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:56 pm: Biss, Kennedy, or Pawar should all consider Michael E Hastings. The guy has political acumen out this world, he can pull heavily in south cook county and just outside, he can connect and pull a segment of the African American voting base in that area and beyond (I mean, cmon, the guy won with something like 80%, and he has a 4 year term), he can draw blue collar middle class conservative Dem votes just as well as progressive Dem votes, and of equal importance, iff not more, he’s a decorated military veteran who served in Iraq and has a good record both on guns and labor. Hastings is young and energetic, he’s smart and a dynamo, and he can help fundraise with success. - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 3:58 pm: Scott Drury - Sam McCann - Soccermom - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:00 pm: Amara is terrific. But Litesa Wallace is great and a non-Cook option. - ArchPundit - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:01 pm: Biss should pick McCann because that’s the only way to troll Rauner better than Stratton. - Chicago Loop - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:03 pm: Kennedy should choose State Senator Jackie Collins. And he should do it now, before someone else taps her. Collins has a long-time record of being on the right side on progressive issues, and isn’t afraid to talk “truth” to power, including banks and financiers. - Northsider - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:08 pm: I have no ideas, but I suspect Drury’s list is limited to former assistant U.S. attorneys. - South Side Sandy - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:14 pm: == should pick McCann because that’s the only way to troll Rauner better than Stratton.== I think picking former staffer Steven Yaffe would really do the trick to humiliate and troll Rauner. - Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:15 pm: I mean, Toi Hutchinson is the obvious choice. Checks a ton of boxes, incredibly smart and accomplished and she’d be a great addition to any ticket. Plus, she wouldn’t have to give up her seat since she isn’t up in 2018. That said, I seriously doubt she’d ever do it. - TopHatMonocle - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:29 pm: Sen. Jacqueline Collins did a press event with Biss about overhauling property tax system, seemed like she could be a possible Lt Gov choice for him. I think it will be hard for Kennedy or Pawar to get serious candidates to join them and wouldn’t be surprised if they teamed up, with Pawar as Lt Gov. And Drury/Dunkin would be hilarious. - Century Club - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:29 pm: I think Biss has to go full progressive, so Rep. Carol Ammons, or maybe one of the Chicago progressive Latinos like Alderman Carlos Rosa or Juanita Irizarry. I like the Dave Koehler and Debbie Halvorson suggestions for Kennedy. Or - this might be a little out there - former Quinn CoS Michele Saddler. Not sure who would run with Drury. David Hoffman? He was a US Attorney after all. Pawar should grab Dan Seals - Ghost - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:31 pm: Kennedy should select Michelle Obama; Because Michelle Obama - Ghost - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:33 pm: Tio should select a lottery ticket as a running mate, it has better odds of winning then he does - Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:34 pm: ==And Drury/Dunkin would be hilarious.=== Please please please God, let this happen! - Keyser Soze - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:43 pm: Rock stars, any rock stars. Just look at how Kid Rock is doing in Michigan. - Mouthy - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:47 pm: First I’d go with Susana Mendoza at the top of the ticket because she has some good fight in her and IMO would win hands down. I don’t know whether I’d allow any of these clowns to take the 2nd spot either. Sorry but I just think the Democratic field is lame. - Michael Westen - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:54 pm: Kennedy should pick Chance the Rapper to add charisma to his ticket. - Century Club - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:56 pm: Keyser: Biss taps former Maywoodian and folk rocker John Prine to solidify his progressive base. Kennedy selects Champaign native and country singer Allison Krauss to boost his downstate appeal. Pawar gets Chance the Rapper and 100% of the youth vote. - Ghost - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 4:59 pm: Ms Krause was not from such a large city, go s a bit. - Hottot - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 5:06 pm: If she would do it, Kennedy should pick Cheri Bustos. She’s a downstate who won in a pro-Trump district. She can secure downstate for Kennedy, then he could take as much of Chicagoland as he can. - Mama - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 5:08 pm: I feel they should all pick a female running-mate whom resides south of I-80. Please don’t take all of the Democrat- women out of the legislature. We need their support in the legislature. - Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 5:21 pm: A lot of you are suggesting legislators who are up this year. So why would a Kelly Cassidy or Toi Hutchinson give up their seats to pursue a long shot like Biss or Pawar? Only reason is if they were planning on retiring anyway and I don’t see that happening with either of those talented women. - We'll See - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 5:21 pm: Biss should select Appellate Court Judge Mary K. O’Brien. She served in the House, smart, south of 80, great on the stump –lots of boxes checked. - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 5:29 pm: I’m going to second One man’s nomination of Pat Quinn. Things just aren’t the same without him, and he has a solid record of no accomplishment as LG to run on. - Veil of Ignorance - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 5:35 pm: Biss: need to shore up every progressive voter to win. Top picks: Pawar, Ald. Carlos Rosa, Rep. Cassidy (I agree wouldn’t do it), Rep. Lisa Hernandez (same), or Chuy Garcia. Kennedy: harder place to be, but do something surprising and different - but not crazy - and see if Pritzker makes big stumble. Brainstorm suggestions: Melissa Bean, Lori Lightfoot, Kate Maehr, Ald. Sadlowski Garza Pawar: assuming he stays in, then I think he’s got to go hard left and pick somebody from outside the box. Not sure who that is…Chance the Rapper or David Orr? - Leatherneck - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 5:57 pm: How about “Scott and Scott”–Drury-Cohen, that is. (Yes, Scott Lee Cohen). Mainly for the entertainment value. - jw - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 6:30 pm: kennedy should pick the unemployed glen poshard - Dome Gnome - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 6:38 pm: As mentioned previously, I’d love to see Biss & Ammons together on a purely progressive ticket. - Kyle Hillman - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 6:59 pm: I didn’t have Stratton in the pool (even though I love that pick) becuase she just got there after winning a very expensive race. However, I still contend the pool of candidates should remain a legislator female of color - ideally not in Chicago. Which means Sen. Hutchinson, Rep. Gordon-Booth, Rep. Wallace or Rep. Ammons (the latter would make sense if you want more Bernie folks) I like Collins and Martinez for this slot but they are both Chicago. - illini - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 7:19 pm: @jw - I am not certain at all the Glen Poshard is unemployed - retired, maybe - but would definitely be an asset to the Kennedy ticket at least downstate. I was with him a few weeks ago and, although he is more than 10 years older than me, he has the enviable ability to give a rousing, and from the heart speech about his principles and the Democrat Party. This could be a great match. - Periwinkle - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 7:31 pm: Biss & Ammons. Pawar needs to drop out and campaign for Biss, but unfortunately (because I really do like the guy) wouldn’t bring much to the ticket. - frisbee - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 8:23 pm: I agree with the comments on picking a female LG for the ticket but other considerations would be Linda Chapa LaVia, Ann Callis or Doris Turner. I am not sure that any of them would do it or could help raise substantial money but nobody will compete with the Pritzker war chest. Each one adds something but none probably want the job or will be enough to overcome Pritzker/Stratton in my opinion. - Kyle Hillman - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 8:53 pm: I meant to say Chapa LaVia too. - Fax Machine - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 9:37 pm: Chapa LaLoser - she couldn’t even make it to the runoff in the Aurora Mayor’s race. - blue dog dem - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 9:51 pm: Am I the last of conservative Dems. Have I outlivedmy usefullness. Not. - Mittuns - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 10:18 pm: Gary Forby for Lt. Gov. - Herman - Thursday, Aug 10, 17 @ 11:17 pm: Biss should pick Lilly Munster - Realist - Friday, Aug 11, 17 @ 7:10 am: I tried my hardest to muster the interest to answer this question. I failed. - NorthsideNoMore - Friday, Aug 11, 17 @ 7:52 am: Rep Phelps, JB will need a downstate D on the ballot to ballance out the ticket. They are suspicious of too much Chicago influence south of I -80. - Downstate - Friday, Aug 11, 17 @ 8:42 am: If I were Kennedy, I’d seriously look at John Sullivan. He’s a downstate Dem who is largely respected in a Republican district (and was able to unseat Laura Kent Donahue) and he’s a huge friend of agriculture. He held quite a bit of sway in the Senate, and I’m willing to bet he could pull some Union money. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.