* I’ve already given my take to subscribers, so here’s Mark Maxwell…
Schimpf voted to override Rauner’s veto of the Collective Bargaining Freedom Act in 2017.
* NBC 5…
Republican former state Sen. Paul Schimpf announced his candidacy for Illinois governor on Monday, throwing his hat in the ring for the GOP nomination to potentially challenge Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2022.
Schimpf most recently served as state senator for the 58th District in southern Illinois, which includes Murphysboro, Waterloo, Red Bud and Du Quoin, among other communities. He was elected to that office in 2016 and served one term before declining to run for reelection in 2020.
Schimpf, 50, is a retired Marine and an attorney who advised in the prosecution of Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2005 and previously ran unsuccessfully for Illinois attorney general in 2014.
* Du Quoin Call…
“I promise I will work hard, tell the truth, and keep my promises,” he said Monday morning, in a virtual news conference with reporters to officially kick off his campaign.
“This is decision I came to over the past year, as I watched the state deteriorate. We’ve watched our friends, neighbors and relatives leave the state … I’m not going to stand by idly while our state government squanders its opportunities.” […]
“Illinois needs a governor who understands the day-to-day challenges that we all face,” Schimpf said, “a governor who will live by the same rules that the rest of us follow, and, most importantly, a governor who will stand up to the entrenched special interest groups who have severely damaged our state.”
Schimpf, who attended the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1993, was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps until he retired in 2013. He attended the Southern Illinois University School of Law. In 2005, he was deployed to Iraq to be the chief American adviser to prosecutors in the Saddam Hussein trial.
* Tribune…
“For far too long, we have had Illinois governors who were either career politicians or wealthy corporate executives who couldn’t understand or empathize with the struggles that the people of Illinois face,” he said in making his announcement for the GOP nomination via Zoom.
“We need a governor who understands those day-to-day challenges that we all face, a governor who will live by the same rules that the rest of us follow, a governor who will stand up to the entrenched special interest groups that have done so much damage. Most importantly, we need a governor we can trust to do the right thing and make tough decisions,” he said. […]
“I know that Gov. Pritzker has a lot of resources,” Schimpf said. “I don’t expect to be able to match him dollar for dollar, but I do expect to be able to get my message out with a lot of hard work.”
Campaign finance records show Schimpf began the year with $62,529 and has raised another $87,000 since Jan. 1.
* Sun-Times…
He also addressed Illinois’ tax burden, quoting Ronald Reagan and stating Illinois needs a governor who “understands those day-to-day challenges that we all face” and who will “stand up to the entrenched special interest groups that have done so much damage to our state.”
While Schimpf tied himself to popular Republican icon Reagan, Illinois Democrats quickly sought to tie Schimpf to Trump and Rauner, a one-term governor who presided over a two-year budget impasse that saw the state’s backlog of unpaid bills balloon to over $16 billion. […]
“Schimpf was a consistent vote for Bruce Rauner’s catastrophic agenda, even going along with his attempts to continue the historic budget crisis that resulted in Illinois going 736 days without a budget,” [Mary Morrissey, executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois] said. “He supported Donald Trump’s re-election, even after the former President failed at his central task of keeping Americans safe by lying about the dangers of the coronavirus and instead promoting conspiracy theories.”
Schimpf’s biography touted his vote against the compromise budget that raised the state’s flat income tax and ended the two-year budget impasse in 2017.
* SJ-R…
Kristina Zahorik, president of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association, in a statement, said Schimpf built a facade of being pro-labor and moderate.
“When given the opportunity to prove that during his short time in the Illinois Senate, he opposed key labor issues like supporting increasing the minimum wage,” Zahorik said. “He also consistently voted to extend the (Gov. Bruce) Rauner budget crisis that crippled our state.
“We rejected Bruce Rauner and we’ll reject Paul Schimpf.”
* Illinois Review…
Yet one more Downstate Republican reportedly will announce his 2022 gubernatorial bid- state Senator Darren Bailey of Xenia, IL.
Bailey, who legally challenged Governor JB Pritzker’s executive orders concerning COVID, is circulating an evite to a live gathering in Effingham Illinois next Monday night where he will be providing details.
* Back to Maxwell…
He also had a bit of trouble answering a question yesterday about how he would’ve handled the state’s COVID-19 response differently than Pritzker, saying he’d have wanted more legislative oversight (yeah, all governors want that) and then saying he didn’t have enough time to fully answer the question, which I think was only the third question.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:22 am:
First question to any of those announcing. Without saying “waste and fraud” please list all budget lines you will reduce in your first budget.
- Sloppy Joseph - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:24 am:
-Kristina Zahorik-
A dem county chair isn’t supporting a Republican for governor- who knew?
- Highland IL - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:27 am:
I’ve found Schimpf’s arguments with Pritzker’s Covid response to border on being a covid denier. At the very least he was constantly moving the goal posts on how he felt about the Governor’s mitigation plan.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:27 am:
I thought Schimpf was going to be a judge.
We’ll see how Schimpf decides to roll himself out, all the while a very reliable Raunerite, and not at all outspoken against Trump.
I appreciate his labor support and understanding that in Republican parlance to building coalitions… then “Rauner”, so…
It’s tough, like real tough, for me to see any candidate that can’t show me they can find $300k a day, every day, for 400+ days… otherwise… what are we talking about.
My hope for Bailey is others as ridiculous as he is run, they split votes and he quietly goes away. That would be ideal for Illinois.
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:31 am:
On-paper, he can be a formidable foe who can pull in moderate voters with his “anti-Pritzker” messaging to distract from his conservative agenda. In actuality, he has never really proven that he has the political chops to make an impact outside of his easy race against Sheila Simon. I remember a whole bunch of GOP folks saying in 2014 that he would give Lisa Madigan a run for her money…how did that go?
The issue at the end of the day will be Trump, Trump, and Trump. If he can’t keep up with the absolute venom that will be flying in the GOP primary contest, I’d be hesitant to say there’s a path to victory.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:31 am:
Surely Bailey can’t be running for Governor of Illinois? I thought he wanted out of Illinois?
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:31 am:
I think a downstate conservative is going to have a ton of trouble in an IL General Election.
Fortunately for ILGOP, it looks like a lot of downstate conservatives are gonna jump in and split that vote.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:38 am:
“I think a downstate conservative is going to have a ton of trouble in an IL General Election.”
Bill Brady 2010. Facing an unpopular incumbent with not much money, and could not get the job done. If the GOP is going to have a shot, they need Todd Ricketts or someone like that at the top of the ticket.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:38 am:
Schimpf is in a box on COVID. His party was a COVID denier and mitigation objectors. While Pritzker has had stumbles and should take appropriate lumps, he had shown strong leadership in dealing with the pandemic.
Of course, we have Bailey seeking to take advantage of the press coverage he had in his leading role in the COVID death and denial cult.
- Anon E Moose - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:39 am:
Pritzker legalized it and has done major work in criminal justice reform. Whether he had anything to do with it - Mike Madigan is gone. Those are major changes. I know people are rightfully upset about the pandemic (and the rules associated with it), but what exactly does Schimpf have to offer here?
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:40 am:
Republicans in disarray.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:41 am:
“Catastrophic failure”? Everyone around here knows what a catastrophic failure as governor looks like and Schimpf was an unquestioning supporter of his for four years. As to the need for more legislative control over Covid, rumor has it the GOP helped kill remote legislating so other than endless carping and mask denialism, please tell us again how the legislature stepped up. Please tell us how exactly you were part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Good luck.
- Tom - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:42 am:
Something I and OW can agree on: –My hope for Bailey is others as ridiculous as he is run, they split votes and he quietly goes away. That would be ideal for Illinois.”–
I would like more conservatives in the primary so maybe just maybe a moderate could walk out and give JB a run. Not that I think they will beat JB. Caprara is just too good. Better than Mike Z.
- Lt Guv - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:42 am:
Isn’t Bailey running in the wrong state?
- Bourbon Street - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:43 am:
Schimpf is bragging that he voted against the compromise budget that ended the impasse in 2017? Nothing says “I care about the people of Illinois” quite like continuing a fight that destroyed social services, universities, etc.
By the way, are we sure that Bailey wants to run for Governor of Illinois? What happened to the 51st State, Western Kentucky? It’ll need a governor once the Eastern Bloc is successful in its efforts to break away from Illinois. /s
- S. Side - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:46 am:
Bailey is a bit like Mr. Magoo. Appears to be blind, but keeps landing on his feet.
And while Schimpf appears to have some great credentials, he is not very adept at landing on his feet.
Good theater, though.
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:46 am:
===I think a downstate conservative is going to have a ton of trouble in an IL General Election.===
Downstate doesn’t want a conservative. They want a lunatic.
- FACT checker - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:52 am:
Griffin funded candidate + moderate republican =
bye bye JB
It’s that simple, nothing to do with any political operatives
- Emily - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:55 am:
Have either of these candidates made a definitive statement that the Presidential election WAS NOT STOLEN from Donald Trump?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 10:57 am:
=== It’s that simple===
Things are never *that* simple.
Thing is… Trump, will he loom large, and first infect them in a primary and then infest the nominee in Illinois?
If Rauner showed anything… you can’t decide to alienate conservatives (traditional) and Trumpkins… then count on moderates to “come home” for a Republican running just “right” of Pritzker.
Rauner lost by 16 points.
Threading that needle… not easy.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:00 am:
“It’s that simple, nothing to do with”
Mr. Schimpf, was Joe Biden elected in a fair and legal election?”
It’s simple, just not the way you think.
- NotRich - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:04 am:
I do not see anyone in this lineup that can A. win B. get Ken G’s attention..
- Beetle Bailey - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:11 am:
Not enough time to answer the COVID Question? His answer is simple….Deny it is taking place. Look no further than his District to see numerous nursing home/senior living deaths which surely could not be linked to all of the bars eateries wide open with no masks and distancing. Schimpf - Bailey, the COVID Denial Dream Team
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:11 am:
“I promise I will work hard, tell the truth, and keep my promises,” says virtually every candidate whether they actually mean it or not. He just needs to add the the classic ‘fight for…’ to complete the run.
- Roman - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:11 am:
== A dem county chair isn’t supporting a Republican for governor- who knew? ==
I too find these knee-jerk, cliche-ridden statement from the state parties to be completely tiresome. Unfortunately, lazy reporters gobble them up to provide “balance” in their stories. Instead of regurgitating talking points written by flacks, it would be nice if reporters took time to call some of Schimpf’s Dem colleagues in the senate to get their take. Maybe one of the would say something interesting or unpredictable.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:15 am:
A big part of this is going to be how the public in a year is looking at things post-COVID (hopefully), do they see the more restrictive than our neighbors approach as a winner or not? If the feeling is after the fact it was overkill, that becomes a challenge and an opportunity. The COVID response is going to be one of the easiest things ever to ‘Monday Morning Quarterback’ and is going to get picked apart.
Also if money was the answer we would have a graduated income tax today and a very different budget address coming.
It isn’t an easy path for a GOP candidate to take it all the way, but that path exists (more than it did pre-COVID for sure). It is going to depend a lot on who comes out of the primary.
- Jefferson T Duncan - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:16 am:
Ah, the last gasp of a politician already fading into obscurity. His federal judgeship dissipated; Terri Bryant sits in his old Senate seat; and now he is throwing a Hail Mary. My popcorn is at the ready.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:23 am:
This [censored] isn’t brave enough to support a statewide mask mandate.
This isn’t the kind of leadership the State of Illinois needs in the 21st century.
He also stood against reform efforts to address Illinois’ systemic racism in policing. This isn’t the kind of leadership that is representative of what the State of Illinois is in the 21st century.
Mr. Schimpf also advocated against public safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in October only to [shocked pikachu face] during committee hearings on it spreading in a state operated facility. Illinois in the 21st century needs leadership with a better grasp on cause and effect, especially when it comes to basic high school biology.
Mr. Schimpf never really explained what was wrong with the COVID-19 data, and since we’re now on our way to thirty thousand dead Illinoisans, perhaps he should be required to elaborate what he believed was wrong with the data.
Mr. Schimpf band-wagoned right wing protests that involved organizations that have proved to be seditious and anti-democratic that demanded an end to efforts to protect the lives of families, friends, and neighbors. Illinois needs a leader that understands the difference between opportunism and principle, and a leader that is willing to acknowledge that they have found themselves in the company of anti-democratic and seditious organizations as they denounce them and explain why they didn’t mean to do that.
Still waiting on that one.
Mr. Schimpf voted against the expansion of the vote by mail program which allowed millions of Illinoisans to safely participate in their fundamental rights. Illinois doesn’t need a leader that seeks to win by making it harder to vote.
I don’t understand what Mr. Schimpf thinks he brings to the table. I don’t understand why he would think there is any demand or need for his “leadership” as he has spent the last year getting behind whatever was made popular by whoever shouted the most ignorant things the loudest.
If he’s not prepared to address how he would handle the COVID-19 pandemic differently in specifics, I imagine he is not prepared to address whether or not he thinks there is anything in Illinois policing practices that needs reform, or prepared to actually lay out why he believes women don’t have rights.
He can hire whoever he wants, and he can have whatever money spent on him he likes, and if he wins the election all he is going to do is hamstring Illinois’ ability to make progress at the dawn of the 21st century will poorly thought out policy positions and a denial of the realities we face.
I hope Mr. Schimpf is prepared to talk about climate change beyond pretending like it’s not really a thing, or that it can be fixed with clean coal technology, or by giving more money to ComEd’s parent company.
- Al - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:28 am:
Dear Give Me a Break,
How about handing over our processing of medical payments to Blue Cross or State Farm?
Just that would save $50,000,000 a year. Can 1,000 overpaid ghost payrolling overtime falsefiers. Dissolve HFS and transfer the remaining 200 staff to DHS.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:30 am:
A Trump and Rauner supporting republican from deep southern Illinois and another who wants to form a 51st state as a theocracy.
Yeah, it is “that simple”, they will split the cuckoo vote in the primary, whomever becomes the candidate will receive 98% of the vote in the counties south of Champaign and still lose by 25 points in the general.
JB may not even have to campaign.
- Montrose - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:37 am:
To One Man’s point - If we are post-COVID and the economy is on an upward trend, it will be really hard for folks to run on “remember how bad COVID was?”
Also, I know none of them wanted the graduated income tax, but boy that would have been a handy talking on the campaign trail if it had passed (and made their job a lot easier if they actually were elected governor).
- Emily - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:42 am:
=moderate republican=
It seems to me that Trump has shattered the rules of the game for “moderates”. They seem to be in the minority of Republicans now and certainly less vocal and passionate than the Trumpsters who seem to be in complete control of the Republican Party.
“Look it’s really difficult,” Kinzinger said. “I mean, all of a sudden imagine everybody that supported you, or so it seems that way, your friends, your family, has turned against you. They think you’re selling out.”
He added, “I’ve gotten a letter, a certified letter, twice from the same people, disowning me and claiming I’m possessed by the devil.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/kinzinger-devil-possession-trump-impeachment-vote-1121587/
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:43 am:
===Just that would save $50,000,000 a year===
Because privatization has always worked as advertised.
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:50 am:
I am just not sure Pritzker has much of a solid base as we get closer to an election. If you use the vote totals in the failed progressive tax vote, then Pritzker is somewhere around 40%.
I was in that 40% or so that voted for a systemic change in our tax code in spite of being concerned about giving another 3.7 or so Billion bucks to The Pritzker/Madigan team to spend.
I appreciate the need for folks to criticize Candidate Schimpf, but he has a good education as well as a solid record of community and military service. He is willing to express his concerns about the future of the State and run against a billionaire. While it may not be as important in an election as spending $300,000 a day might be, his experience and service will still be important to a lot of voters.
With all the money Pritzker can use to keep his first real job, I agree it might be tough, but one thing we all know about Marines is that they can win in spite of being in tough spots.
At this point, I would not rule this fellow out.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:50 am:
=== It seems to me that Trump has shattered the rules of the game for “moderates”. They seem to be in the minority of Republicans now and certainly less vocal and passionate than the Trumpsters who seem to be in complete control of the Republican Party.===
I dunno how someone tries to explain they are a “moderate” while possibly needing pro-life conservative voters who see moderates, especially in the times to Trump as flat out “R _ N _” alleged Republicans.
If you’re already pro-choice, why vote for an alleged Trumpkin candidate?
Threading this needle appears tough.
I’m more interested these days in Kinzinger and even what Erika Harold are “saying”.
At least they are willing to make clear where they stand, and that’s with the country, not a cult.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 11:56 am:
=== While it may not be as important in an election as spending $300,000 a day might be===
Yeah… that’s EVERY day, for 400+ CONSECUTIVE days.
If you can’t compete on the paid media… it’s going to matter.
How do I know?
===If you use the vote totals in the failed progressive tax vote, then Pritzker is somewhere around 40%.===
How was spending between the two?
Comparative?
Also, Schimpf, a true Raunerite, proud of his hurting Illinois, that’s not the same as a Fair Tax argument to honesty of governing.
Schimpf voted to decimate social services, hurt higher education. Schimpf has yet to speak out against Trump?
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:03 pm:
I agree spending $300,000 a day is something that can have a serious impact in an election, but I also think that you need to have something to say or promote to folks that are open to the idea of 4 more years of Pritzker.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:06 pm:
==Surely Bailey can’t be running for Governor of Illinois? I thought he wanted out of Illinois?==
All Senate seats are up in 2022. Senator Bailey (Q-Eastern Bloc) would have to give up his position-for-life if he ran. Then again, he’d lose and that might make it easier for him to leave Illinois.
==If the feeling is after the fact it was overkill==
I don’t necessarily disagree with the political calculation here, but if in hindsight the mitigations look like overkill, the reality will be that we did it correctly
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:07 pm:
===but I also think that you need to have something to say or promote===
Legalize cannibis - criminal reform attached
Gambling expansion
Pro-Choice
Not Trump
Openers.
Hearing how Schimpf is “too extreme” every day and no response financially to that, and framing him with Trump…
… tough road.
- Emily - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:10 pm:
NPR has an eye opening story on our Brave New World.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/11/966498544/a-scary-survey-finding-4-in-10-republicans-say-political-violence-may-be-necessa?utm_campaign=storyshare
“The survey found that nearly three in 10 Americans, including 39% of Republicans, agreed that “if elected leaders will not protect America, the people must do it themselves, even if it requires violent actions.”
That result was “a really dramatic finding,” says Daniel Cox, director of the AEI Survey Center on American Life. “I think any time you have a significant number of the public saying use of force can be justified in our political system, that’s pretty scary.”
The survey found stark divisions between Republicans and Democrats on the 2020 presidential election, with two out of three Republicans saying President Biden was not legitimately elected, while 98% of Democrats and 73% of independents acknowledged Biden’s victory.”
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:14 pm:
My point was to not rule this candidate out. I frankly don’t know enough about him to say whether or not he would be a good governor for our State, but I do know enough about Pritzker to hope he can turn things around. He seems to be having a tough time with the “governing” thing.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:15 pm:
=== My point was to not rule this candidate out.===
If they can’t compete financially to win, what are we really talking about?
With respect.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
Al: Only a state employee can certify applications or redeterminations, that was part of the compromise when Hamos and Bellock worked through this issue.
And do you really want a private company whose goal is to turn a profit making the final call on if someone needs benefits? These are public funds being used not private sector funds.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
“He seems to be having a tough time with the “governing” thing.”
He governs better during a pandemic than the four previous governors who didn’t have to deal with a pandemic. This crop of Republicans has a very difficult task in explaining how they would have done better handling the virus.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:27 pm:
Won’t get my vote. He has a “R” after his name.
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 12:48 pm:
Agree Pritzker is not Trump and also freedom of choice is a fundamental right for us in Illinois. Two pluses for Governor Pritzker.
Still a believer that hard work, good ideas and qualified candidates are a formula that can win elections.
Also fundamentally think it still takes “Trust and Empathy” to govern and I am beginning to think Pritzker is falling short in having people trust him or in his having empathy for people who need help from the government.
His comment that “stuff happens” was not a confidence booster.
Too early to make projections as Pritzker has time to put some points on the board. If he can figure out how to govern the state then we all will benefit.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
Al,
So much nonsense in so many words. You seem to have zero idea what the state does and what HFS does.
As to the idea that JB hasn’t been governing, you must have missed his first legislative session. I would also remind you that he still has more than 60% support for his leadership during the pandemic. And even though we had a bit of a rough patch for a little while, we are now among the national leaders in vaccinations - top five among the top ten states in %age vaccinated, total vaccines administered and daily vaccinations. As the sixth largest state, anything above that means we’re doing a good job. While the snow and polar vortex aren’t going to help, we clearly turned around some of the challenges we were having.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 1:35 pm:
I’m just going to need to go take a few deep breaths and come to terms with the fact that the GOP Primary is going to be between several candidates I wouldn’t trust to coach high school football that run around Rural Illinois trying to “Out Chicago” each other.
It’s a bad day to go outside and scream.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 1:48 pm:
“Griffin funded candidate + moderate republican =
bye bye JB
It’s that simple, nothing to do with any political operatives”
Where is that moderate Republican you speak of?
Schimpf only looks like one compared to Bailey and Rabine.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 1:49 pm:
===nothing to do with any political operatives===
Keep whistling past that graveyard, bub.
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 1:52 pm:
===Not Trump===
Most important qualification for any candidate.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 1:52 pm:
“Just that would save $50,000,000 a year”
Show your work.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 3:24 pm:
=== Still a believer that hard work, good ideas and qualified candidates are a formula that can win elections.===
If you wholly ignore money, the only place you win that election is Fantasyland.
- Dotnonymous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 3:27 pm:
Money is to politics as water is to the river.
- SSL - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
Like any incumbent, JB will have a record. He had a strong first year. Not so strong second year, but Covid will give him some cover. I don’t think he loses, but any more Veteran home issues or vaccine rollout problems and it could get more interesting.
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 3:59 pm:
Ow,
Heard what you are saying. I agree you need a decent fundraising operation, but the power of ideas or lack of trust in a candidate can do a lot to make up for special Interest or inherited money.
If you are a friend of a veteran who passed away or a member of that veteran’s family no amount of commercials showing someone leading a parade, saying “stuff happens” or talking at a press conference is going to get your vote. That may not be fair, but it is what it is.
I think it wasn’t the money that beat the progressive tax idea as much as it was the lack of trust in Pritzker and Madigan.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 4:02 pm:
=== Still a believer that hard work, good ideas and qualified candidates are a formula that can win elections.===
Judy Baar Topinka got less than 40% of the vote against Blago in 2006. Hard work, good ideas and qualified candidates are fun ideas. Money and luck are better.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 4:04 pm:
=== I think it wasn’t the money that beat the progressive tax idea as much as it was the lack of trust in Pritzker and Madigan.===
How did that lack of trust, if you think that, was framed?
Money.
In the end, they spent about the same.
The fair tax flop was about wasting time, wasting the monetary advantage, then losing by getting out hustled… with spending equaling the spending for the proposal.
Heck, Schimpf is a downstate Trump guy, while he is good to labor, which I like, he was hurting social services and higher ed for Rauner too.
That, at a clip of $300K a day, every day… Trump, Rauner… can’t say that won’t resonate either.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 4:10 pm:
Schimpf gets a $50 million commitment… It’d be different.
It’s going to be crowded come primary time.
How Trumpian will any front runner wanna be… tough to pivot off supporting an inciter of an insurrection to being a moderate, down the middle kinda Republican.
It’s not an endangered species, that candidate doesn’t exist
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 4:55 pm:
===Can 1,000 overpaid ghost payrolling overtime falsifiers.===
You know 1000 ghost payrollers?
- Al - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 5:28 pm:
Dear Chicago Cynic, in December 2019 I went to a three hour IMPACT computer installation meeting at HFS where I work 14 years. I spoke to correct a misstatement and was rudely cut-off. So after the meeting I sent out an email with attachment to explain how it worked. Six years and an Army of retirees and contractor forty people involved and they had no idea how our system works. Just a sad beer party. I encourage the legislature cease funding the IMPACT Project.
- Rich Hill - Tuesday, Feb 16, 21 @ 6:29 pm:
Which of these guys is Art Jones? I can’t tell them apart.
- covid vaccine - Wednesday, Feb 24, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
This page certainly has all of the information and facts I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.