* Mary Ann Ahern and Shelby Bremer with the scoop…
Just days before Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is slated to be on the ballot for a second term, a new campaign ad surfaced Friday showing her announcing a run for Chicago mayor, but her team insisted the ad was only made in preparation for a potential run.
“I’m Susana Mendoza and I’m running for mayor of Chicago,” Mendoza says in the seconds-long clip obtained by NBC 5, adding, “and I ask you to join me on this journey together.”
The ad, which Mendoza claimed was stolen from her campaign, surfaced four days before she is slated to be on the ballot in the midterm elections, running against Republican Darlene Senger for a second term as Illinois comptroller.
Mendoza’s campaign said the ad was simply made in preparation for a possible run, as she is still considering her options.
Worst. Kept. Secret. Ever.
Either this was stolen or leaked from within. Either way, somebody needs to upgrade their security before making a formal announcement for mayor.
…Adding… WBEZ also has the video…
…Adding… If you click here and go to the 18-second mark of a Mendoza comptroller campaign ad, you’ll see that she’s wearing that same gray sweater and appears to be in the same room as in the above ad. It seems possible that she cut these at the same time.
…Adding… From a November 23, 2010 candidate filing story written by Abdon Pallasch…
Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th) hedged her bets, filing for both re-election to her aldermanic seat and for city clerk. She’ll have to drop one or the other by Monday, she said. She and her husband will talk about it over Thanksgiving dinner, she said.
State Rep. Susana Mendoza poked fun at Jackson’s double-filing as she filed her own candidacy for clerk.
“I filed for one office I’m really passionate about and that’s city clerk,” she said.
…Adding… ILGOP…
“Susana Mendoza is a liar. She said she would respect voters by focusing on the Comptroller’s race, but it’s clear that she only cares about her own ambition and climbing up the ladder. Mendoza has been misleading the people of Illinois, asking for their vote with no intention of serving her term. She should immediately drop off the ballot for Comptroller” - Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Travis Sterling
…Adding… Sun-Times…
Eric Adelstein, Mendoza’s political consultant, stepped up to take the blame for the mayoral video.
“We were filming her comptroller ads and I suggested that, while she hasn’t made up her mind on the mayor’s race, she should record some lines so we had them and could move quickly if she decides ultimately to run. It’s a tight time-frame,” Adelstein said, noting the Nov. 28 mayoral filing deadline.
“She hasn’t made up her mind. One-hundred percent. l hope she runs … because the city could really use her energy, her drive and her vision. … But, maybe I jumped the gun by urging her to go out. … People should be focused on Tuesday.”
…Adding… Tribune…
Asked if he had a mole in his firm, Adelstein said he didn’t know.
“There are a lot of people involved in these campaigns. Hopefully we get to the bottom of how that leaked out. It shouldn’t have,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s any surprise she’s been thinking about running, and said she’d make that decision after Tuesday, and a prudent candidate gets ready for any eventuality given how close the next one would be coming up … I know she has not made up her mind, but I had suggested she get prepared and get ready.”
- Arsenal - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:12 pm:
That all kind of looks like unused takes and B-roll to me. I’d center the investigation of the “culprit” on the editing studio.
- People Over Parties - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:13 pm:
Sheesh.
- Ed Equity - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
Arsenal is right. Looks phony.
- Angry Republican - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
I’m want her to be mayor just to spite her. Mayor of Chicago will be a career ending move.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
It’s the worst kept secret… and it leaks out 4 days till…
Your circle of tight advisors, they ain’t helping.
If this is a purposeful leak, (and why would ya?) the ppkitical acumen to purposely leak this… not great.
What good came of this?
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:17 pm:
That doesn’t look like the “airable” version. Seems like some hinjinks are afoot. Perhaps Arsenal is right.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:18 pm:
The GOP should have been gunning for this office since the day Rahm announced he wasn’t running for a third term… they would have had a real shot at winning it. Now… probably too late in the game and the IL GOP will have no say in the policy process for two years. Well played guys.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:19 pm:
Yeah, it’s not a finished ad, but it’s her voice and her image. They didn’t deny that.
You’d think they’d know enough to remember that everyone who’s on your team for a statewide general election in November might not be on the team for a mayoral primary crammed with other Democrats in February.
- Nagidam - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:20 pm:
There is no political gain to release this video. Most of the big players for mayor have announced so she isn’t trying to box anyone out. She said publicly she would stay if Rauner wins. So now she goes back on her word. There is an enemy within the Mendoza Camp. That enemy is either incompetence or more sinister.
- Roman - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:20 pm:
== Mayor of Chicago will be a career ending move. ==
Is that a bad thing? A heck of a lot of Chicagoans aspire for no higher office.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:22 pm:
===Mayor of Chicago will be a career ending move.===
Rahm called it one of the Top 5 elected positions in Anerica.
Probably still is… but such a heavy lift now.
- NIU Grad - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:23 pm:
To contrast: Nobody knows who her opponent is and this keeps chatter alive whent he focus is currently on the state. I’m not saying it’s purposeful, but it might end up helping once the focus turns back to city next week.
- JS Mill - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:31 pm:
Goodness sakes, she may run for mayor of Chicago? Even though she is running for comptroller?
Heavens knows no one has evert tried that before. Only a democrat would try such a low down scheme./s
Mendoza may run for mayor of Chicago. So what?
- Anonchalant - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
This looks like a rough cut, which means it was probably still with her media consultant, Eric Adelstein. A reporter doesn’t just “find” this. And Mary Ann Ahern definitely isn’t hacking anyone’s computer systems.
Whatever happened, it’s stepping on her own story and is a really bad start a campaign. Campaign malpractice or purposeful sabotage…
- NIU Grad - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:37 pm:
Another thought: Earlier today, all of the constitutional officer candidates (minus Stratton) held a press conference to define their message ahead of Tuesday. Not extremely effective, but it is in contrast to the Republican side (has anyone seen all of their statewide “ticket” in the same picture?). I wonder if the other attendees are annoyed right now that this is distracting from DPI’s November messaging…
- Just Observing - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
Why even shoot the footage now? She couldn’t wait a few days after Nov. 6 to film this?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:39 pm:
Mendoza is gonna beat…
…
… whoever it is she’s running against for Comptroller.
It’s a scoop, of a secret that’s never been kept, that will be forgotten.
It *is* a sign that maybe that Crew doesn’t have a good handle on things, but probably nothing more.
- Maximus - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:41 pm:
So if she wins the election for Comptroller and Rauner loses the election for governor then we will need to pay for a special election to replace the outgoing Mendoza since she wont be serving out her term? How about I vote for Munger and save the state the trouble of a special election?
- Arsenal - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:42 pm:
==Arsenal is right. Looks phony.==
Well, I didn’t say *that*…
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:43 pm:
–So if she wins the election for Comptroller and Rauner loses the election for governor then we will need to pay for a special election to replace the outgoing Mendoza since she wont be serving out her term?–
She would have to win the Mayor’s race to not be Comptroller. And Munger is not her opponent.
- Blue Dog Dem - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:49 pm:
Is she a fibber like the president?
- People Over Parties - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
===I filed for one office I’m really passionate about and that’s city clerk===
Nice.
- Maximus - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:51 pm:
Ron -
You are right, I was typing too fast. Senger, not Munger.
- Juice - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:57 pm:
Maximus, the Governor would appoint the replacement, and then the vacancy would be filled at the next regularly scheduled general election (November 2020). There would not be a separate special election.
- The Most Anonymous - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
Embarrassing start from a team that should have their act together.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:03 pm:
==then we will need to pay for a special election===
Not really, it would be in conjunction with the Presidential in 2020
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
===I filed for one office I’m really passionate about and that’s city clerk===
Well, in fairness, no one would believe that statement no matter who said it.
- Responsa - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
Somebody in the Dem party really does not want Susana to run for mayor. I wonder if she knows who that might be.
- Sonny - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:11 pm:
Wonder if it’s the “progressive democrats” attacking her on social media? Hmm.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:19 pm:
–Somebody in the Dem party really does not want Susana to run for mayor.–
Or knows she is and wants to kneecap her before she even gets started.
- Amalia - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:22 pm:
I’ve heard that Toni Preckwinkle fears one candidate, and that candidate is Susana Mendoza.
- Judas - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:32 pm:
Dan Mihalopoulos is without question the sleaziest investigative reporter in modern history. He would betray his own mother to get a story. Be careful folks he is as slippery as they come.
- Wild 100s - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:33 pm:
Interesting that there is some sort of finished version of this ad–but the snippet on Twitter is a cut up version of that finished spot.
You can’t say for sure how this played out. The spot could have been left in a folder next to other spots and had a link passed along to the folder, someone from Mendoza’s staff could have sent it to a group chat with a less than honest friend…the list goes on.
Chicago media firms and edit houses aren’t THAT concerned about security. There are plenty of potential holes in the system.
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:44 pm:
Soccer “legend” Susana Mendoza scored an own goal!
- Soccermom - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 4:55 pm:
I don’t think this leak came from Mendoza’s folks.
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 10:18 pm:
I sense the motion of a Senger runaway train on this news.
Obviously, Harold’s and Rich II’s legacies were destroyed by running for mayor in the spring after they’d won election for other offices in the previous fall.
Gigs come open unexpectedly, and you have to make decisions.
When my kid was being recruited for football, we were Jerry Kill’s guests at the NIU banquet when he and his coaches literally walked out of the Duke Ellington Ballroom after Kill got the call for the Minnesota job. None of them said a word to anyone.
The next week, we were down in Cincinatti, having dinner with Butch Jones and some other recruits. He was giving us the rah-rah speech when he got a phone call.
Butch left the table, never came back, stuck us with the bill and took the job at Tennessee.
Ain’t beanbag, baby. For the heartbroken, I weep and advise “grow up.”