[Bumped up from Friday to Monday and comments opened.]

* A friend of mine is participating in one of those “ecumenical” petition drives in the suburbs where volunteers circulate for any candidate who submits petitions. He sent me this tonight…

I have received no press release from the Drury campaign announcing his running mate and nothing is posted on his Twitter page. I’ve sent the campaign an e-mail asking for more info and will let you know what they say.

* According to Alex Hirsch’s LinkedIn page, he was Rep. Drury’s 2016 campaign manager. Hirsch was paid $10,000 by Drury’s campaign last year. He also ran a consulting company “with a focus on the cannabis industry” and was an Eagle Scout.

I’ll open comments on Monday.

*** UPDATE 1 ***  From the Drury campaign…

Rich:

We intended to make the announcement last week, but felt it was inappropriate to get in the way of the self-destruction of other campaigns. We, instead, focused on getting petition signatures - one of the only gubernatorial campaigns organized enough to do so. We will provide more in the coming days.

–Jesse Brooks

*** UPDATE 2 *** Official announcement…

IN SELECTING RUNNING-MATE, DRURY ESCHEWS INSIDERS

HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS – Scott Drury, Democratic candidate for governor, has named Alex Hirsch as his pick for lieutenant governor. An Illinois native, millennial and supporter of Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary, Hirsch has been a long-time, trusted advisor to Drury, both formally and informally. Hirsch shares Drury’s vision of an Illinois that puts the public’s interest ahead of self-interest and whose government is defined by trust, not corruption. Hirsch knows that unless the Democratic Party in Illinois stops taking advantage of its base and using its most loyal supporters as pawns for political gain, it is in serious jeopardy of losing younger voters and moving towards extinction. Hirsch is committed to reducing Illinois’ debt; balancing its budget without the major increase being proposed by the other Democratic candidates; and ensuring that Illinois’ public schools are properly funded, its public universities are more affordable and its natural resources are protected.

According to Drury’s campaign, it was important to find a trustworthy running-mate with political courage – someone not scared to do what’s right and who is not tied to the Democratic Machine.

“Alex is a welcome addition to our campaign,” said Drury. “Beyond his thoughtfulness and intelligence, Alex is an independent thinker with common sense, traits sorely missing in Illinois politics. Moreover, Alex is prepared to wage the epic battle needed to return Illinois government to its rightful owners – the people of our great state.”

“I am excited to join the only campaign with a proven commitment to ending the failed status quo in Illinois,” said Hirsch. “For too long, our state has been associated with doom and gloom. We are going to rebuild Illinois into a state people are proud of and people can trust.”

       

33 Comments - Anonymous - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:07 am: Even JB didn’t just hire his running mate… - Swingvoter - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:12 am: Well, Jb did hire the cook county Democratic Party and the Illinois AFL-CIO - Downstate - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:13 am: == but felt it was inappropriate to get in the way of the self-destruction of other campaigns == Talk about throwing some shade! - Keyrock - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:14 am: It was almost cruel to post this Friday night with comments closed. But it did work to give me enough time to restrain myself. - Lol - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:14 am: Dave O’Neal for LT GOV - Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:16 am: “I see nothing wrong with it. Bruce Rauner hired me and that turned out just fine” - Fake Slip and Sue To the Post, This is the saddest. Honestly. Drury paid the guy to run his last campaign. Then again, if the end game is truly be a vessel of attack for Rauner to go after honest Dem candidates, then who would run with Drury? I’m not a former federal prosecutor, but former federal prosecutor or not, this is the saddest thing so far I’ve seen this campaign season. Drury can say he didn’t want to get in the way of opponents self-destructing, but what candidate ever wants to announce the lone running mate they could find was a past campaign manager. A pathetic campaign, but a campaign designed only to allow Bruce Rauner to wade into the Democratic primary for Governor. That’s the whole ball game. Ask Ken Dunkin. - Macomb - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:16 am: “But felt it was inappropriate to get in the way of the self-destruction of other campaigns” This is solid gold - @MisterJayEm - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:19 am: We intended to make the announcement last week, but felt it was inappropriate to get in the way of the self-destruction of other campaigns. “We felt that our campaign’s self-destruction deserved its own news-cycle.” – MrJM - Just Observing - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:19 am: Wow… I don’t like to reactively jump on the anti-Drury bandwagon, but this is the saddest, most pathetic pick. And I don’t say that as a knock against Mr. Hirsch — a look at his LinkedIn profile points to a young man with a little background in politics and getting his feet wet in sales — nothing wrong with that — but geez… Drury couldn’t even find a local Mayor, a business exec., or heck, even a Park District Board President? - The Dummer - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:25 am: Alex Hirsch? I’d rather he just made new Gravity Falls episodes. - Ron Burgundy - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:31 am: I for one am shocked, shocked that no current elected official wanted to sign up to instantly get on the Speaker’s “list” by running with Rep. Drury. Also I think I am going to write a pilot for the Disney Channel about an Eagle Scout who gets into the marijuana business. Sort of a Breaking Kind of Bad… - Trapped in the 'burbs - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:43 am: How many votes does the Hirsch family bring in? This could double Drury’s vote total. - Moderate Condor - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 9:45 am: With any luck, he will be running in Drury’s last campaign. - The Captain - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:02 am: I get that Drury didn’t want to suffer the humiliation of getting beat in a primary for re-election to his current seat but is getting laughed out of the Governor’s race really the better option? - LakeEffect - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:07 am: Scott, Drury would have destroyed Bob Morgan. It’s comical you think otherwise. - Just Observing - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:09 am: === I get that Drury didn’t want to suffer the humiliation of getting beat in a primary for re-election to his current seat but is getting laughed out of the Governor’s race really the better option? === === Scott, Drury would have destroyed Bob Morgan. It’s comical you think otherwise. === I think it could go either way, but Drury is not nearly as disliked in his own district as he is on the Capitol Fax blog. - potczar - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:15 am: As much as I hate Scott, I believe he would have destroyed Morgan as well. The Pot Czar is a paper tiger. Pretty much anyone could beat him, but no one else wants the job. - Norseman - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:17 am: MrJM for the win. - walker - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:29 am: Think this was Hirsch’s idea, just to keep the show limping along. Came to petition time with no co-candidate in sight, might as well throw your own name in there. - The Captain - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:36 am: If Drury was such a shoo-in for re-election then why is he in the Governor’s race? He’s not a competitive gubernatorial candidate, I’m not even sure he’s a serious one. If he still had a viable political career what fool is letting him sabotage it like this? - Ron Burgundy - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:42 am: Drury Eschews Insiders, or Insiders Eschew Drury? - Precinct Captain - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:43 am: Drury couldn’t find a former federal prosecutor? - Michael Westen - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 10:56 am: Would have been nice if Drury had listed a single qualification his running mate has to be Lt Governor, or Governor. Just one. - Just Observing - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 11:04 am: === If Drury was such a shoo-in for re-election then why is he in the Governor’s race? He’s not a competitive gubernatorial candidate, I’m not even sure he’s a serious one. If he still had a viable political career what fool is letting him sabotage it like this? === 1. I don’t know if Drury would be a shoo-in for re-election as state rep, but he certainly could be re-elected. In fact, arguably, Bob Morgan would not have run against Drury had Drury not announced for Gov. 2. I agree Drury is not a competitive or serious Gov. candidate. 3. What fool is letting Drury sabotage his political career? Drury. Although, he may not really want a long political career anyways. I’m sure he figures if he isn’t Gov. (which he won’t be) he can just go to the private sector and make a lot more money. - JoeMaddon - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 11:07 am: Being that Scott Drury has already has his first Campaign Manager quit, maybe this is just a backup plan so that he has his 3rd campaign manager already on the campaign? - Doofman - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 11:26 am: Being popular among the 50,000 or so folks who show up to vote in the 58th district in November 2018 is very different from winning a competitive primary among 10,000 Democrats in March. - Northsider - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 11:35 am: ==How many votes does the Hirsch family bring in? This could double Drury’s vote total.== Heh. I see what you did there, Trapped in the ‘Burbs… - Barrington - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 11:37 am: Druy’s voter figures in his district are misleading. Most of his votes are because he is a democrat and well, the other choice is worse. There has been a huge sigh of relief in this district when we learned Drury is not running again. - Just Observing - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 11:43 am: === There has been a huge sigh of relief in this district when we learned Drury is not running again. === The overwhelming majority of Dem primary voters in that district don’t know Drury is running for Gov., don’t know he’s not running for re-election, and don’t really care that much either way. There was no collective, sigh of relief. - Chicago Cynic - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 11:57 am: “Bob Morgan would not have run against Drury had Drury not announced for Gov.” Pretty sure Morgan announced long before Drury even hinted at a Gov run. Ya know, I had been thinking there’s nothing more pathetic than Kennedy not being able to find a running mate by the time petitions hit the street…until this. It’s so awesome when someone so sanctimonious that deserves to be mocked does something like this. So awesome. - lake county democrat - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 12:42 pm: Oh please, there’s been no “huge sigh of relief” in the district that Drury isn’t running - the district, part of the 10th Congressional, *likes* independents and does not like Speaker Madigan. And that’s to the extent they are paying attention beyond “Democrat.” I don’t know why Drury is doing this either, but ask Peter Fitzgerald how much fun it is to be despised by your corrupt party because he passed up at least a decent shot at being reelected -US Senator-. - LakeEffect - Monday, Sep 11, 17 @ 2:27 pm: Chicago Cynic- Drury announced his exploratory commmittee in April- Morgan announced June 1- - Annoy - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 2:20 pm: ==if the end game is truly be a vessel of attack for Rauner to go after honest Dem candidates, then who would run with Drury?== Madigan is an honest Dem?? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.