* Emptying out my in-box. Listed from newest to oldest. This afternoon…

IL Attorney General Candidate Sen. Kwame Raoul received the formal endorsement of Congresswoman Robin Kelly today.

“I need a partner in the Office of the Attorney General who understands the plight of our communities and has a record of getting things done for us. Since filling President Obama’s seat in the state senate, Kwame has fought tirelessly to pass laws to keep us safe and reform our criminal justice system. Kwame’s work has led to laws which modernize our juvenile justice system, place tougher accountability measures on police, strengthen the state’s gun laws and prioritize prosecuting violent criminals instead of locking up low-level non-violent offenders,” said Congresswoman Kelly who represents the 2nd Congressional District.

During her time in the legislature, Congresswoman Kelly served with both Kwame and his predecessor Barack Obama.

“I’ve seen Kwame’s dedication to the critical issues in this race first-hand during my time in Springfield. We worked together in the legislature to protect victims of sexual assault and domestic violence,” added Kelly.

As a legislator, Kwame has also fought to pass the Illinois Voting Rights Act along with a constitutional amendment to protect voting rights, the law to expand the ACA to more Illinoisans and worked with Attorney General Madigan to prevent sexual assault on our college campuses. He’s vowed to continue those fights and more as the next Illinois Attorney General.

· As a father, he’ll join other attorney generals from across the country in the fight against Donald Trump and his Secretary of Education’s attempts to eliminate Obama-era Title IX guidelines on campus sexual assault investigations.

· As a cancer survivor, he’ll fight against the Trump White House’s defunding of cost-sharing subsidies which help lower the cost of health care for millions of Illinoisans.

· And as the author of the Illinois Voting Rights Act and a constitutional amendment protecting voting rights, he’s working to end the state’s use of Donald Trump’s Crosscheck program.

“Congresswoman Kelly has been a voice for the voiceless throughout her career in public service. She has been a champion of efforts to expand economic opportunity, community wellness, and public safety across the state - championing numerous initiatives to generate job growth, reduce health disparities, and end gun violence. I’m proud to call her a friend and thankful for her endorsement today,” said Raoul.

* This morning…

Today, Daniel Biss announced the endorsement of State Representative Will Davis.

“I’m excited to announce my support for Daniel Biss,” said Will Davis. “For decades, Springfield has left my constituents behind—whether we’re talking infrastructure investments or school funding, we’re always hearing that there just isn’t enough money to go around.

“This election is an opportunity to change that. We can elect a progressive legislator with real budget solutions, a community organizer dedicated to amplifying all of our voices, and a middle-class father we can trust to stand on our side. I’m proud to announce my endorsement today and to organize my community to join in as well.”

“It’s an honor to receive Will Davis’ endorsement,” said Daniel Biss. “A tireless public servant with an unwavering commitment to improving public education in Illinois, Will led the charge for school funding reform this summer and is sure to be a powerful advocate for our state’s children in years to come. Fully and fairly funding our schools is a years-long battle and a top priority of mine—that’s why I’m so proud to have Will as an ally in the legislature, on the campaign trail, and when I’m governor.”

* Also this morning…

Today, Ameya Pawar, progressive alderman and current member of the Chicago City Council, announced his endorsement of Marie Newman’s bid to represent the 3rd District of Illinois. Pawar joins a growing list of progressive people and institutions who are lending their support to Newman’s campaign.

“Marie Newman is a fighter committed to social justice. You see, while politicians like Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump bully people and communities with their divisive politics, Marie has been recognized nationally for her efforts to combat bullying in schools,” said Ameya Pawar. “She’s worked for many years to promote common sense gun reforms and as an advocate for cancer research.”

“Marie’s candidacy presents us with a choice: elect a progressive who believes we rise and fall together, or continue with more of the same entrenched and divisive politics,” said Pawar. “This is what makes her candidacy compelling and inspiring. By supporting Marie, we are supporting an agenda for all of us. An agenda which includes more funding for public education, Medicare for All, and greater support for working families across our nation. The choice couldn’t be clearer.”

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of a pragmatic progressive like Alderman Pawar,” said Marie Newman. “He and I share a vision of the future in which American working families have a fair shot at realizing the American Dream. I look forward to tapping into his policy expertise as we map out a path for revitalizing the 3rd District.”

* Yesterday morning…

Today, Democratic Candidate for State Senate, Ram Villivalam (IL-8) announced the endorsement of Fmr. Gubernatorial Candidate & Alderman Ameya Pawar.

“I am proud to endorse my friend Ram Villivalam for State Senate. As a Gubernatorial Candidate, I worked hard to shine a light on how Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump use race, class, and geography to divide people and communities against each other.” said Alderman Ameya Pawar. “The best way to fight their divisive and bigoted politics is to unite people and communities. Ram will do just that because his whole career has been focused on bringing people and communities together for social justice. Having worked to pass legislation to raise the minimum wage, guarantee paid sick leave, and better working conditions, Ram was one of the organizers fighting in the trenches to build coalitions to help me pass these progressive policies. Ram knows how to get things done and he’s the kind of effective leader we need in Springfield.”

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of Alderman Pawar,” said Ram Villivalam. “Alderman Pawar led a grassroots movement across the state of Illinois, which recruited more than 3,000 volunteers and 2,500 donors on the message of unity and that government does have a vital role in giving people a hand up and a push forward. I hope to follow in Alderman Pawar’s footsteps of using my progressive principles as the foundation of working together to pass substantive legislation.”

On November 27th, Ram filed 2,700 petition signatures, more than 2.5 times the amount needed and which was collected by more than 50 grassroots volunteers to become an official candidate for State Senate in the 8th District of Illinois. Ram raised approximately $90,000 in his first month on the campaign.

Ram also announced the endorsements of U.S Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider, U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, State Senator Laura Murphy, State Representative Theresa Mah, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Commissioner Josina Morita, the Illinois State Association of Letter Carriers, UFCW Local 881, and the Indo-American Democratic Organization.