* Heh…
Background is here.
* This robocall from what appears to be a fake group went out this week attacking Operating Engineers Local 150 for supporting Mickey Straub. But there’s some dispute about how many Republican primary voters in Leader Durkin’s district actually received it. A couple of high-level Local 150 officers got it and one of them doesn’t even live in the district…
Hi, this is Sarah. And I’m calling you because of Mickey Straub’s open hostility towards organized labor. Mickey wants to repeal the prevailing wage here in Illinois and strip money from the pockets of working class families, all in the name of a radical anti-union agenda.
He called Scott Walker’s anti-union agenda ‘inspiring.’ It’s a shame the leaders at Local 150 are selling out their own members to play politics and support Mike Madigan’s backed candidate.
Don’t be fooled by Mickey. He’s a rat and no friend of labor.
Except for the Madigan reference, this is most definitely not a standard Republican primary voter pitch. More like a brushback pitch at 150. Full audio is here.
* Meanwhile, from DumpDurkin.com…
Jim Durkin has been an Illinois Representative for 20 years.
Jim Durkin voted against concealed carry for law-abiding gun owners.
Jim Durkin voted for a de facto state gun registration requirement on law-abiding gun owners.
Jim Durkin voted to provide health care benefits to persons in this country illegally.
Jim Durkin voted for legislation that allows people to change the gender on their birth certificate to the gender with which they identify.
- PJ - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 1:39 pm:
Far be it from me to criticize hacky campaign mailers, but … if you’re going to shoehorn “Madigan” into his name doesn’t it make way more sense to do it in-between Micky and Straub instead of awkwardly at the beginning?
- A guy - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 1:41 pm:
Mickey is in WAY over his head. And that was even before this mail piece challenged his verticality even more.
- Soothsayer - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 1:44 pm:
I hear suburban voters in Alabama loved the dog whistles. Clearly they were the key to Republicans’ success…oh wait.
- IllinoisBoi - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 1:49 pm:
Madigan and the anti-union Evangelical Conservative Republicans he controls. Wha…?
- LuckyCharms - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 1:51 pm:
I get the whole muddy-the-water approach, but from an insider’s perspective this ridiculous mud-slinging makes Durkin seem like he has nothing to run on.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 1:53 pm:
Dump Durkin reminds me of the scene in God Father II when Frankie Pentangeli testifies…
“They said, Jim Durkin did this…and Jim Durkin did that…and I said…I said, Sure, why not…”
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 2:14 pm:
Austin Powers is so twenty years ago. Dorktastic and embarrassing visual.
- MOON - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 2:16 pm:
This …”Blame Madigan” is totally out of hand.
The icing on the cake will be when Mueller starts charging Madigan with “Colluding with the Russians”.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 2:17 pm:
=== if you’re going to shoehorn “Madigan” into his name doesn’t it make way more sense to do it in-between Micky and Straub instead of awkwardly at the beginning? ===
The nickname they use is “Madigan Mickey.” It’s even a website. But they have to put Straub in there for the mailer. https://madiganmickey.com/
- Emanuel Can’t - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 2:18 pm:
So Local 150 is supporting a candidate who opposes prevailing wages? Hope their membership knows this.
- walker - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 2:59 pm:
Interesting how Durkin’s group is afraid to call out the real backer of Straub — Dan Proft. They just use “Madigan” as their all purpose villain. Are they afraid Proft might jump back on their side of the fence after the Primary?
Dan Proft creates confusion, by design.
- in charge - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
= Interesting how Durkin’s group is afraid to call out the real backer of Straub — Dan Proft. They just use “Madigan” as their all purpose villain. Are they afraid Proft might jump back on their side of the fence after the Primary? =
Um, Proft isn’t on the ballot.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 3:42 pm:
Is there any real objective to the Proft/150 play here other than hijinks?
- Man with a plan - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 3:44 pm:
-Um, Proft isn’t on the ballot.-
Neither is Local 150.
- steve - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 5:13 pm:
Couldn’t find the pac info referred to in the call named the committee for working families 312 626 7455 at the state board of elections. What’s up with that?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 5:16 pm:
===What’s up with that?===
“This robocall from what appears to be a fake group”
- PROOF - Wednesday, Dec 13, 17 @ 7:44 pm:
I would love to see a direct quote from the Mayor denouncing RTW before I believe anything. Rich, can you help on this?
- Rusty Jones - Thursday, Dec 14, 17 @ 12:27 pm:
Could Durkin have buyer’s remorse after hiring ‘Z’ to do this piece?