Ooh this just happened to me too, thought it was a misinformed wrong number that perhaps I could persuade otherwise… This is a disgusting tactic. pic.twitter.com/An7XGvNEsh
A mailer sent out by the Cook County GOP aggravated already growing divisions in the party over “official” endorsements. A sample ballot Republican voters received reflected endorsements made personally by Cook County GOP Chairman Sean Morrison in February and an endorsement session held later.
Several township committeemen are concerned that the sample ballots sent out by the Cook County GOP contain a note that declares the sample ballot as the only “official” sample ballot for the county, and that any others were to be ignored. Wheeling Township Committeeman Ruth O’Connell said that left down ballot candidates with no endorsements. Wheeling also endorsed Jeanne Ives to be the IL GOP gubernatorial nominee over Bruce Rauner - the “official” Cook County GOP pick.
“That mailer undermines my authority as Wheeling Township GOP Committeeman,” O’Connell told Illinois Review.
Chairman Morrison said his ballot focused only on the top six offices, and left local race picks to local committeemen.
There are five counties in the Metro East: Clinton, Jersey, Madison, St. Clair and Monroe, with a total of 630,000 residents, according to the 2010 US Census. It’s an important part of the state. Plus, according to the News-Democrat and my own checking, this trip was planned in advance. It wasn’t some hastily arranged foray to avoid questions from the Chicago media about a Tribune story that appears to have some factual issues.
Rod Blagojevich won with Downstate votes. Pritzker is trying to do the same thing. The trip most certainly has the benefit of being out of the state’s largest media market during a particularly difficult time, but he was just in the second-largest market and now he’s back in Chicago today with two items on his schedule.
* The Illinois Network of Charter Schools’ PAC is getting downright nasty in the super-crowded Democratic primary to replace retiring House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie. Click the pic for a larger view…
* But the constant whining about money in Biss’ press releases is getting a bit stale…
JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy reach new levels of absurdity with latest cash dumps
JB Pritzker has now spent $70 million in his attempt to buy the Democratic primary. Yet despite spending more than Donald Trump in his 2016 primary, and now more than Bruce Rauner in his 2014 general election, Pritzker has failed to move out of the 30’s in polls taken over the last 10 months. Chris Kennedy has also dumped another $500,000 into his campaign this week, bringing his total to over $2 million.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Technically, not a true shenanigan, but close enough…
Get your facts straight before you tweet. Sign is from CLPAC Both Chuy and Sandoval asked for and earned the PAC's endorsement. An aAd similar to the sign has been online for weeks. The sign reads CLPAC Proudly Endorses. The only lie is what @MaryAnnAhernNBC is spreading https://t.co/yNd0MqkOdE
* Bernal: Madigan behind Yednock campaign: The La Salle County Board member, who is running for state representative, said party leaders asked whether she supports Chicago’s Michael Madigan, the longtime House speaker and chairman of the state Democratic Party. She said she couldn’t make that promise. “I had never met him and don’t know him, but I certainly would not promise to agree on everything he wanted. They asked me the question three times, and I gave them the same answer,” said Bernal, a registered nurse. “They said they would look for someone to face me in the primary. I feel they wanted me to support the speaker on everything.”
* Slowik: High turnout of fired-up voters expected for Tuesday’s primary election: I’ll be watching to see how many write-in votes Mateusz “Mat” Tomkowiak picks up in his challenge to Madigan’s seat on the state central committee representing the 3rd District. I expect Madigan to prevail, but Tomkowiak’s numbers could be another sign of how many voters are dissatisfied with the direction of the party.
* Madigan backs Dem central committee incumbent in 13th: Friends of Michael J. Madigan has given help in the form of fliers and robocalls valued at more than $40,000 to incumbent Jayne Mazzotti of Taylorville. She was a Democratic National Convention delegate for former President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Her challenger in Tuesday’s primary, when Democratic voters will elect one man and one woman from each congressional district to be on the state central committee, is Pamella Gronemeyer, a pathologist from Glen Carbon who was a Bernie Sanders supporter and served on the platform committee of the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
* Flaps, flubs and funds — Dem gov primary flush with all of it: For businessman Chris Kennedy — who raised more than $6 million for his campaign — there were immediate expectations. When will the Kennedy family sweep in? Why haven’t they given more money? Why isn’t he on TV? Is he really running this time?
* Governor candidates make final push for votes ahead of primary: Chris Kennedy shook hands at the 95th Street Red Line station, and is bringing in reinforcements this weekend. “So, I’ve relatives coming in from all across the United States to Chicago and they’ll fan out across the state of Illinois. A lot of them have been here through summer and fall, so they’re reacquainting the friendships they’ve made earlier in the campaign,” Kennedy said.
* Jim Nowlan: Let’s get rid of all the political consultants: Recently, on the same day, I received five over-size, glossy political postcards from Gov. Bruce Rauner. The cards told the most outrageous, bald-faced lies about an opponent that I have ever read. As I digested the messages, I became sick to my stomach.
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 10:18 am:
Jim Nolan is correct.
Bruce Rauner is fat out lying.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 10:31 am:
Great compilation here, Rich!