* Lots of info in this Daily Herald piece by Jake Griffin, so go read it all…

Former state Rep. Randy Ramey, stepson of former Republican state Senate President Pate Philip, added his name to what could be a three-way race for the Republican nomination in the 45th District [against freshman Democrat Diane Pappas]. […]

Elsewhere in the suburbs, 63rd District incumbent Republican state Rep. Steven Reick of Woodstock filed for reelection Monday. Democrat Peter Janko, a small business owner from Marengo, also filed Monday to seek his party’s nomination for Reick’s seat. He is slated to face Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager in the March 17 primary.

Naperville Republican incumbent state Rep. Grant Wehrli picked up two Democratic challengers Monday for his 41st District seat. Denika McMillen, a social worker from Naperville, and Janet Yang Rohr, a Naperville Unit District 203 board member, both filed their paperwork Monday.

Democrat Joyce Mason of Gurnee also won’t face a primary challenge for her 61st District House seat. But Republican Dan Yost, an Antioch village trustee, is expected to challenge her in the Nov. 3 general election.

* Good stuff from Barton…

In Dec 2019, no Democrats filed to run for ILHouse115, ILHouse117, ILHouse118, nor ILSen58.

That region was home to power houses like Powell, Poshard, Simon, Gray, Bradley, and Phelps.

In Jan 2021, it'll be red w/o contest.

Quite a decade.

— Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor) December 3, 2019

The only Dem filing in the southernmost state Legislative races? Nathan Reitz, the incumbent in #ILHouse116. The GOP primary has a field of three.

— Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor) December 3, 2019

* Meanwhile…

Republicans will have a primary to select their candidate to succeed state Rep. Mike Unes in the Legislature, and Democrats will have a candidate in the November general election.

Sam Goddard, a Pekinite who runs his own logistics and trucking company, filed nominating petitions Monday in the race as a Republican. Moments before the filing deadline, so did Corey Campbell of Pekin, a Caterpillar Inc. employee.

Both will face [Republican] Pekin Mayor Mark Luft, who filed his petitions a week ago for the seat that takes in parts of Tazewell, Fulton and Peoria counties. Unes, R-East Peoria, announced last month that he’s retiring at the end of his term. […]

Josh Grys of Pekin filed for the seat as a Democrat on Monday afternoon, and is unopposed.The father of four boys said he plans to focus on issues including education — he’s a former teacher — as well as criminal justice reform and health care within Illinois.

* I told subscribers about Plummer last week…

Democratic Reps. Lauren Underwood and Sean Casten have no primaries this time around. Seven Republicans are angling to run against Underwood in the 14th Congressional District. And Casten will watch as Republicans Jeanne Ives of Wheaton and Jay Kinzler of Glen Ellyn duke it out in a GOP primary to face him for the 6th Congressional District seat.

Shimkus’ seat: Four Democrats and four Republicans are running for the 15th District seat now held by Congressman John Shimkus, who’s retiring. The big news here is that state Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, didn’t file. That means the race is wide open for the GOP — as it’s seen as a Republican seat. Frontrunners are Kent Gray, who worked as state director for Donald Trump in 2016, and Mary Miller, the wife of state Rep. Chris Miller. […]

Democrats are targeting some Republican-held House seats — this could be a challenge for the state GOP as its fundraising efforts are dwarfed by Dems. A top target is Tom Morrison, a Glen View Republican who just barely won his 54th District race in 2018. Two Dems will battle to face him in November. Republican Rep. Grant Wehrli also faces Dem opposition, which will be decided after the primary.

And interestingly, Republican Brad Stephens, the Rosemont mayor who was appointed to his 20th District seat to succeed Michael McAuliffe, will face November competition. Democrats are Michelle Darbro, a Chicago firefighter, and R. Cary Capparelli, whose father held the seat from 1971 to 2004. The younger Capparelli has run for other elected seats — sometimes, even, as a Republican.

…Adding… Also filing in that Shimkus district yesterday was Kimberly Wade. I’m told Rodney Davis’ people helped her gather petitions, but she filed just barely enough so she may not stay on the ballot. Davis featured Wade at the 2016 State of the Union address. She’s a children’s cancer activist.

* Subscribers know more about this Burke thing…

Also, Chicago Ald. Edward Burke drew a last-minute competitor for 14th Ward committeeperson on Monday when Alicia Elena Martinez filed paperwork to challenge the embattled longtime city official.

Just minutes before the clerk’s office was set to close, former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger arrived at the office and filed his nearly 12,000 signatures to compete for a water reclamation district position.

* Courts…

In Springfield, Appellate Justice Nathaniel Howse filed his petitions on Monday to run for the vacancy created by retired state Supreme Court Justice Charles Freeman. Howse joins seven who filed last week — including Justice P. Scott Neville Jr., who was appointed to replace Freeman and is now running for a full 10-year term.

The others who filed last week for the seat on the state’s top court are appellate court justices Jesse Reyes, Margaret Stanton McBride, Cynthia Cobbs and Sheldon Harris and lawyers Daniel Epstein and Clint Krislov. […]

Not filing her nominating petitions was Judge Cara Smith, former policy chief for Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who was appointed to the bench earlier this year. Smith apparently opted not to seek a full term in the county’s 7th Subcircuit. She had been recommended for the vacancy by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, wife of embattled 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke.

Smith’s appointment sparked controversy, with some black aldermen and pastors accusing Burke of putting politics ahead of diversity.