* Bernie…
Republicans in Springfield last week got a preview of the field of possible candidates to take on U.S. Sen. DICK DURBIN, D-Illinois, in 2020. Some of the rhetoric was not subtle.
“I need you to help me kick slick Dick to the curb,” said former Lake County Sheriff MARK CURRAN, 56, of Libertyville. […]
“Lake County is not purple, it’s blue, folks,” Curran said. “You know, the wrong people moved in, what have you. We need to change that and we will.”
Curran said later that he was saying that “it was a Republican county and then Democrats moved in,” and the “wrong people” comment had nothing to do with race. “The ethnic groups haven’t changed,” he said. “We’re the same percentages.”
Lake County has the same ethnic and racial percentages? Really?
The 1990 Census counted 38,570 Latinos in Lake County, or about 7.5 percent of the county’s total population. By 2000, the number had risen to 92,716, or 14.4 percent of the total. That number grew by more than 50 percent in the next ten years, to 139,987, or 19.9 percent of the total in 2010 (Curran was first elected in 2006). And the latest count as of 2017 has the population at 148,894, or 21.1 percent of the total.
* Daily Herald…
On Thursday night Curran posted a video of the speech to his Facebook page and wrote that when he mentioned the “wrong people” he was referring to Cook County “transplants.”
“Obviously what I was referring to was a lot of Chicago transplants moved to Lake County and now Lake County has the highest property taxes in the state of Illinois,” Curran told the Daily Herald on Friday. “The people who moved in wanted big government and big government spending.”
Chicago transplants caused Lake County’s high property taxes? Um, the county board was controlled by Republicans until last year.
* And there’s this…
Since 2010, Lake County’s population has mostly floated around 703,000, with a slight dip in 2011 and 2012 to figures closer to 701,000.
The slight population loss for 2016 in Lake County can be mainly attributed to domestic migration. The 7,773 births in Lake County outpaced the 4,589 deaths, and the county gained almost 1,700 people due to international migration. But that was offset by nearly 5,200 people moving out of Lake County between July 2015 and 2016.
* All that being said, here is Curran’s own analysis of why he lost last November…
Curran said he normally has had big support from the Latino community, but he said he does not think Latinos voted for him Tuesday because of President Trump.
“They’re so upset about referring to people in terms that are, as though they’re less than human beings,” he said.
The sheriff said of immigrants, “these are human beings, created in the likeness and image of God.”
Sheriff Curran does not like what he sees for 2020 and he does not believe President Trump would repeat his victories in places like Michigan and Wisconsin. Curran would like to see the President replaced at the top of the ticket in two years.
‘We, as Republicans should probably look to take him out in some way, shape, or form because ultimately, he’s horrible for our brand,” he said.
“There’s no light. There’s no illumination that’s coming from the president that’s going to draw others into him, certainly not as our nation becomes browner. So, if he’s the future of our party, put a fork in it,” Curran said.
Sheriff Curran said Republicans who disparage immigrants, but also call themselves “pro-life” should talk to their pastors about whether immigration is a pro-life issue.
“As Christians or Jews or Muslims that believe we’re to live in this world together, the way [President Trump] speaks of other people, specifically immigrants, but beyond immigrants, is very bad for our brand,” the sheriff said.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 10:38 am:
Curran is willing to embrace the worst of Trump to get through a primary and run “with” Trump where he can, and seem alooof to Trump everywhere else.
Cowards rarely stand where they knew it was right, when power can be held, or a nomination could be secured.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 10:39 am:
Ah, the Trump “what side of the bed did I wake up on” strategy. Be duplicitous, and everyone will hear what they want to hear at some point during your rambling. The best strategy for people who don’t have a strategy. It works. I wish this post was snark.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 10:41 am:
Ok, so if Curran says Democrats are the wrong people, how does he plan to run statewide? Wouldn’t he need a lot of votes from these “wrong people” to win?
- Rabid - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 10:42 am:
Is that the plan, not go to the convention again
- Northsider - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 10:50 am:
For some reason, I don’t think Sen. Durbin is losing any sleep over #MalodorousMark.
- TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 10:53 am:
Thanks to the unprofessional show law enforcement put on during the cannabis legalization process, I’m even less interested in seeing anyone with law enforcement background holding a legislative office.
I’m not terribly interested in the word-salad that comes out of his mouth. I’ve already seen the actions he supports and don’t want that behavior anywhere near an elected legislative position.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 10:59 am:
==Ok, so if Curran says Democrats are the wrong people, how does he plan to run statewide?==
Curran has been accused, here and elsewhere, of not being overly bright. Maybe he thinks people who only vote democratic all live in Lake county now?
- Former Quigley Supporter - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 11:02 am:
Mark Curran would help is U.S. Senate cause if he actually filed his candidacy paperwork with the FEC which would enable him to raise money. He has not done that, yet.
- A Jack - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 11:04 am:
Curran should just move and run for sheriff of Effingham. He might be able to win down there with his “wrong people” remarks. But he doesn’t have a chance against Durbin.
- Retired Educator - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 11:33 am:
The light is on, but it is dim, and no one is home. He has zero chance. Move on, nothing to see or hear.
- anon2 - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 11:34 am:
Curran got it right last year. Trump does hurt the GOP brand. Now that Curran wants to get the GOP nomination, however, he can’t win a primary as an anti-Trump, pro-immigrant moderate. Ergo the about face.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 12:27 pm:
Mark Curran is Archie Bunker in a suit.
- G'Kar - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 12:31 pm:
Will Illinois Rising comment on Curran’s flip flop on the term “wrong people?” / s
- the Patriot - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 12:45 pm:
The theory for down state republicans has been to widen the margin so much downstate, the losses in Chicago can be overcome.
The real numbers game is what is the attainable number in cook and with that number what % do you need to average down state.
Some very blue counties have gone red in mass in the last 2 elections on the trump wave. I never thought 60-65% was viable, but 2018 proved otherwise.
If the numbers don’t add up, can we just save the money, put Durbin in a dunk tank for charity in DuQuoin so we can all yell at him and call him names and get it over with.
- Bertrum Cates - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 1:09 pm:
Blaming the electorate should be a sustainable path forward for a defeated countywide making a statewide bid. Especially when he is on the record for being an outspoken opponent of the same sex marriage bill and blaming Hizzonah and Springfield for not giving him deportation authority. This is all Tier One behavior.
- Former Quigley Supporter - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 2:36 pm:
According to an FEC Twitter-bot, Curran filed his FEC paperwork, his candidacy statement, earlier this afternoon.
The Curran for Senate Committee can now accept campaign contributions.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Tuesday, Aug 20, 19 @ 1:52 pm:
Mark Curran first got elected as a democrat. He continues to evolve but sadly he doesn’t seem to have been enlightened. If Trump finds some big victory that changes his re-election trajectory Mark Curran will find a way to embrace him. Is Allen Keyes available?