63 Comments - Einstein - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:23 am: Glad Dan Proft isn’t my financial adviser. - Saluki - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:23 am: In yesterday’s Illinois primary for Governor. Total Republican Party Votes Cast: 681,313 Total Democratic Party Votes Cast: 1,240,444 It’s over before it even starts. Governor Pritzker, welcome to the party. - Hiawatha - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:25 am: I hope Chris Kennedy remains active in politics and considers running for another elective office. He became more skillful as his campaign progressed. I think he has a lot to offer. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:27 am: I think the biggest thing I take away from yesterday is that nobody can take anything for granted - If you do you will be putting yourself in a position to lose - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:28 am: === Your thoughts on yesterday? === Giolito threw a spectacular 6 1/3 innings. Barring major Trib dump on JB, Rauner is not electable. “I’m not going away, stop asking” Pat Quinn is going away. Ahh… last night was the first election night I have enjoyed in years. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:28 am: If the DGA had produced all of Ives spots, she would have won. The one they did produce would have been a great intro for Ives (with slight modifications), hitting all her issues in a positive way — unlike the juvenile and ugly spot Proft produced. - Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:29 am: Leader Jim Durkin certainly came out on top yesterday and should be added to the “Winners” column. He thumped Dan Proft’s candidate, protected most of his caucus from Proft and uhulein - TKMH - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:31 am: Relieved that we can say goodbye to Joe Berrios and Dan Burke. Excited for the day when Dan Lipinski will be shown the door after the 2020 primary. Really excited for the day the final wheels of the machine (Madigan, Dorothy Brown and Ed Burke) come off. Happy that JB won by such a convincing margin. 46% and it was called 90 minutes after polls closed. The ground game came through, and that’ll come in useful in November. Optimistic about November in general for our state. When Obama had a lock on the Senate seat in 2004, he campaigned for down-ticket candidates. Here’s hoping JB will put the resources necessary into ousting Bost, Hultgren and Roskam. To Pat Quinn–please take your pension and sit down. You’ve had your turn. - @misterjayem - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:32 am: “The DuPage County Election Commission” The DuPage County Election Commission has one job and they are spectacularly bad at it. – MrJM - Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:32 am: JB enters the general race as the favorite. 7.5 months is a very long time though. Both men have fence-mending to do, having had significant percentages of their primary voters go against them, but JB has the easier road there, too. Berrios defeat may finally put an end to the cottage industry of tax appeals in Cook County, eventually, and that is big. Quinn’s tried and true strategy of jumping into crowded primaries and winning on his name didn’t work this time. Will he go for Mayor next or is he finally done? Preckwinkle won but says this is the last go-around. 40% against her with lackluster competition should send a message to be careful what she taxes. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:33 am: If I could give one piece of advice to the Pritzker Crew… Get ahold of Ra Joy, and don’t look back. I give props to Kennedy, Biss, Wallace… they are great people, bring so many things to a campaign, they all did themselves proud and the people working to get them elected proud. No doubt. But Joy is different. He adds to the discussion and now as a former statewide candidate, his story and passion for Illinois and the change he wants, he’d be a really great pickup. I hope you consider talking to Joy. I’ll send the $3.15 for the cup of coffee, as much as this advice is worth. - Real - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:34 am: The Rauner and his Lt Gov speech was so lame compared to JB and Stratton. At least JB supporters were excited and fired up. Rauners supporters seemed weird. Then Rauners LT Gov kept speaking in spanish as if she was trying to get the attention of the Latino community. - Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:34 am: Rest assured TKMH, Big Lipper won’t make the same mistakes twice. They’ll be plenty of company on the 2020 primary ballot and Big Lipper won’t wait until February to engage. (February 2019 perhaps…) - Almost the Weekend - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:37 am: Rauner for the first time in his political career might have finally realized he was wrong. No not about Madigan, about getting rid of Mike Z. - GA Watcher - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:40 am: DuPage Board of Elections now reporting votes are in from all precincts. Results show Rep. Ives took county by 2,808. Over 10,000 more total ballots cast for Democratic Governor candidates countywide than for Governor Rauner and Rep. Ives combined. In AG Race, 77,535 total votes for Dems, 63,996 for GOP candidates. - Chicagonk - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:40 am: @OW - Agree on Ra Joy. He’s really impressive. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:42 am: === Excited for the day when Dan Lipinski will be shown the door after the 2020 primary. === Maybe. I think it was Wordslinger that said this district might be the one that is eliminated after the next remap. I didn’t think so at the time, but he might be on to something. - We"ll See - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:44 am: - Einstein - @ 11:23 am “Glad Dan Proft isn’t my financial adviser.” I don’t know, Dan’s taking grifting to a whole new level. - don the legend - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:44 am: The Dems would do well to create lots of opportunities to contrast Juliana Stratton and Evelyn Sanguinetti. I know the spotlight is on JB and Rauner but wow what an advantage for the democrats. - Anon - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:45 am: I’m one of those “fringe” right wingers, but JB comes off as such a likeable guy, and Juliana is a star. What a contrast between JB’s victory speech and Rauner’s “victory” speech. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:45 am: –Total Republican Party Votes Cast: 681,313– Down from 820K in the four-way 2014 race. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:48 am: What do people think about the possibility of third party challengers on either side? I know McCann was mentioned as a possibility for the right, maybe Ramirez-Rosa on the left? - MG85 - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:49 am: In terms of “stock,” I’d say this: On the Rise JB Pritzker- He proved that money well spent on investing in infrastructure and strong visionary messaging works. Jeanne Ives- Before the primary, she was seen as a tin-hat quack of the conservative wing of the Republican party in a liberal state. After losing by only 3 points to Rauner, she may very well be the future of the ILGOP. Organized Labor - AFL-CIO and AFSCME endorsed candidates won and won big last night. JB, Lipinski, and Raoul all beat expectations last night. JB had the money but Lipinski and Raoul didn’t along with difficult opponents. State workers and middle class voters put pension busters and economic issues ahead of partisan politics. Media- With 2 billionaires running for governor, look for big bucks to be spend on advertising from now until election day. Don’t spend it all in one place. Falling hard Bruce Rauner - Not only is his skin of his teeth win embarrassing, the complete lack of enthusiasm by conservatives for his brand showed last night. Not only has he lost weight and his hair, he has lost any will to keep him power. ILGOP - Turnout for the GOP was awful last night. Conservatives felt like they had nothing to vote for and did not feel inclined to even attempt to let their governor know they want him to stick around. Misconduct- the #metoo movement helped take out Ira Silverstein last night. Hopefully, this sends a warning to all those in power that long gone are the days of impropriety while in office. I wouldn’t say #metoo stock rose anymore than it currently is because Madigan and Cullerton still remain in power after their failed leadership over respective scandals, but Silverstein was a start. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:49 am: Congrats to Leader Durkin. Rooting and pulling for you, was glad to see you disposed of your Proft candidate with great and swift results. How this legislative session goes will see where I leave you or continue my support for you and your caucus. Be the leader that helps Rauner govern for the sake of Illinois. Be partisan to the policies but don’t help in the holding hostage of Illinois where we all can see no 60 or 30 in Rauner’s demands. Bring me back to the fold of governing Republicans that you can lead. You’ve seen Raunerism first hand. Strive for the 60 and 30 to help and get Rauner to see those paths too Oswego Willy - Todd Stroger For President - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:52 am: Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune needs to get out of the prediction business. He predicted Biss to win. Sad! Also sad was Biss committing several unforced errors…C-RR and failing to get his BDS views. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 11:52 am: The demise of the Cook County Democratic Party as we know it is upon us. - Henry Francis - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:01 pm: Where was Lady Di last night? I didn’t see her. And Bruce didn’t thank her (he really didn’t thank anyone in particular). Anyone think she will be playing as prominent role in this election as she did in the first? - Real - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:01 pm: Stratton’s speech reminded me of Michelle Obama type of speech. I hope JB has her more in the front. - Anon - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:02 pm: I suggest that House and Senate Republicans partner with their democratic colleagues, pass a budget, even a 6 month budget, and get out of town. Rauner has put you out there enough. Dont let him drag you down with a silly budget battle between now and November. You can do him in once and for all. Rauner is weak. Finish him and like to fight another day. - Will County Tony - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:03 pm: Newman almost beat Lipinski - that Personal PAC anti-Lipinski spend almost paid off. - Real - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:03 pm: Why would Bruce thank anyone? Remember he is soulless and robotic. All he cares about is division and destruction. He will succeed in uniting Illinois tho. Uniting Illinois in defeating Rauner. - Post My Loan - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:03 pm: Proft got whooped good (again), but sure he’ll blame Republican voters for being stupid. - Jose Abreu's last homer - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:04 pm: Took a Democratic ballot for the first time to vote against Berrios. Good luck to him and his family as they look for new county/state/city/municipality jobs. - Fan - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:08 pm: Some winners and losers… The only 3 who seemed to have clean sweep victories were Preckwinkle, MJM and Chuy. Obviously Proft was a big loser again yesterday. Reis is not a hard worker do he got beat. Proft was shut out against all the other incumbents. He did have some wins but those weren’t big. Durkin had a great (albeit not 100%) day. His victory plus Corrigan winning and most of his incumbents was a great sign. Local 150 was key to Kwame’s win, Lance won and ironically they helped Durkin for Corrigan. They lost a few but that Kwame effort by 150 was huge. - Dr. M - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:13 pm: Ives ran an incredibly effective campaign on a $4m budget. What she accomplished was remarkable. She stayed on message and communicated effectively throughout, in her ads and in the debate, and went from having very little name recognition to being a serious contender. I disagree with Ives’ far-right ideology, but she seems sincere to me in a way that Rauner never has. Clearly, middle-class and working-class conservatives felt this way, too. The only people still supporting Ruaner are a small crust of very wealthy Republicans who will probably soon flee to Florida. Good riddance. - Because I said so.... - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:16 pm: So much for Rauner last night saying I heard you to the voters. This morning he again had zero idea’s or plans to offer. It was all blame Madigan again. This broken record is about to crack. - 60611 - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:21 pm: If the general election were tomorrow, Pritzker would win by 15%. Rauner will need to (magically?) unearth multiple Blago tapes to close that gap. Biss probably goes back to waiting for Schakowsky to retire. I agree with the comment above that Kennedy improved a lot. He ran a campaign that, while flawed, could have won a 2002 Dem primary and maybe a 2014 Dem primary, but did not have enough gas in the tank against these foes. I predict that by 2020, Dan Lipinski will be a mainstream liberal Dem on every issue but abortion. We’ll see if that’s enough next time. And I’m not quite convinced that Bost is so vulnerable, but last night’s numbers were heartening for Dems in the 12th. - BeenAround - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:23 pm: JB’s acceptance speech was inclusive, inspirational and uplifting. Rauner’s acceptance speech was just plain drab in comparison. - Highland IL - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:32 pm: Just when I thought Kyle McCarter was one of the most useless State Senators here comes Jason. - Dance Band on the Titanic - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:36 pm: Have to wonder if the “Madigan’s favorite Republican” ads saved Rauner’s bacon. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:39 pm: ===Just when I thought Kyle McCarter was one of the most useless State Senators here comes Jason.=== No, no. I am thrilled. Think… “This young man has had a very trying political career, with the Chicago Tonight interview, the notoriety, his subsequent run for Congress and losing again. Going back to RP Lumber and his Dad’s refusal to put in a Slurpee machine, I guess that’s more than most Lumber scions can handle.” - wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:46 pm: –The demise of the Cook County Democratic Party as we know it is upon us.– Is it 1979? Byrne beat it in then, tried to put it back together on her own terms, and then Washington beat it in 1983 and 1987. Richard M. was a cult of personality, whose base was the media and big business, not patronage and precinct workers. Talk of the “Chicago Machine” is as relevant as “Al Capone, bang-bang.” - old time golfer - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:47 pm: Just really happy to see Proft come away with hardly any victories. Just maybe we can all hope that some day his money lines dry up.. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:56 pm: ==Think… “This young man has had a very trying political career, with the Chicago Tonight interview, the notoriety, his subsequent run for Congress and losing again. Going back to RP Lumber and his Dad’s refusal to put in a Slurpee machine, I guess that’s more than most Lumber scions can handle.” == “His deportation to the 12th, and that district’s subsequent refusal to elect him.” - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 12:59 pm: ===“His deportation to the 12th, and that district’s subsequent refusal to elect him.”=== Well played. Yes. The comedy writes itself and Jason can’t hurt anyone or himself in the Illinois Senate. I’m thrilled he won. - Joe Berrios Emerging Leader Fellow - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:01 pm: Toni P the big winner. Fritchey gone. Boykin gone. Her new people in. Kwame in. JB in. Berrios lost but was beyond help. Lucky for him it was Kaegi v. Berrios and not United States v. Berrios. - Original Rambler - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:18 pm: Random thoughts: Kennedy for county board president in 2022? Labor did well. Is a revival of the pop tax on the horizon? I kinda understand why cullerton backed Silverstein, but not a good long term idea. First rule of Chicago politics, Don’t back no losers. Gotta believe Ald. Silverstein at risk more today than she was 2 days ago. JB & Stratton have a nice rapport missing in Bruce and Evelyn. Sooooo happy Quinn lost. Why boomer age politicians feel the need to hang around so long is beyond me. Make way for the next generation. - Farm boy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:18 pm: I wonder if Pat Quinn called to congratulate Kwame Raoul. My bet is no. He has a history of being a pretty sore loser. - Amalia - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:22 pm: so glad to see Berrios go and Ives too, good god. and Dan Burke is a nice guy, but way past time that the Burke boys got some checking. 2019? Fritchey should know that to get messy with the family of the guy who brought him into things can only mean bad consequences eventually. Hoping that Ra Joy is on everyone’s radar as the smart, lovely person that he is and that someone will raise him up somehow. Hire him. Run him. I will miss Chris Kennedy. His candor and edge and long form thinking is rare. He was spot on about Berrios and Madigan. But telling the truth just means some of those work harder for your opponent. - Arsenal - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:38 pm: ==Get ahold of Ra Joy, and don’t look back.== Yes. He impressed everywhere he went, even when those places were hostile to CK himself (often because he sent Ra Joy to events attended by JB and Biss). - Swift - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:41 pm: My day after question is whether Ives got within 3 points because of her socially conservative stance or lost by 3 points because of her socially conservative stance? Or perhaps she got within 3 points because she is not Rauner? - Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:52 pm: –I wonder if Pat Quinn called to congratulate Kwame Raoul. My bet is no. He has a history of being a pretty sore loser.– Raoul said he did. So apparently he’s just a sore loser in generals. - SOIL M - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 1:52 pm: Random thought…those 4ft plastic signs make great target backs. Yesterdays losers wont be needing them anymore. Get em while they are hot. - anon2 - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 2:10 pm: Profit picked a winner in the 56th House District in the Schaumburg area. Jillian Bernas beat the candidate HRO recruited and funded by 18 points. HRO mail called Bernas a Madigan tool, even though she was their candidate two years ago versus Rep. Mussman. Should be fun to see how HRO spins this one: either they admit they lied, or they say voters should elect a Madigan tool. - Post My Loan - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:01 pm: anon2 - I think HRO will be pleased with their performance last night, especially when they were head up against Liberty. - RNUG - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:23 pm: Surprised at how well Ives did. Those voters aren’t coming back. Rauner should save his money and retire to Montana now. Only had one time last night I could not connect to Cap Fax, so Rich’s boosting the power worked. Nobody, D or R, picked up their signs last night from the boulevard at local polling place. I ended up tossing them in the dumpster about 11 am today. Almost saved a Rauner one just to put a big red circle with a slash on it … - HeraC - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:11 pm: Wondering what the folks at Amazon made of yesterday’s results. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:23 pm: RICH you guys down there like to say ” who will wear the jacket for this??” well is Pritzer going to carry the water for all the bad decisions in Chicago and Spf All the debt the Dems under Mike created since Blogo & Quinn. as Snead says “just asking” The Dems should be embarassed. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:51 pm: Anon 5:23, open computer time at McFarland? - Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:00 pm: This is going to be a long election year. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:56 pm: –Surprised at how well Ives did.– So close. A couple more days, a little more money, better spots. Totally a catch crashing the wall. She smoked that ball. – Those voters aren’t coming back.– But then Breen stepped up, or bent over, whatever analogy you’re into. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:38 pm: Sandberg and Zuckerman can lean in any time now, and explain how they are exempt from any semblance of ethics or patriotism. Because mo money. Long line, starting at 1600. - Lynn S. - Thursday, Mar 22, 18 @ 1:29 am: For all those thinking Ives could win a statewide race in the future, let me remind you of Pat Quinn vs. Tio Hardiman in 2014. I am one of thousands of voters who voted for Tio. Not because I agreed with him or wanted to excuse his domestic violence problems. I voed for Tio because I wanted Pat Quinn to understand how upset I was with him. My read of the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary is that it was a very similar thought process, with some folks voting for Ives because they liked her racism. Take this and $5 and get a coffee. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.