* Here you go…
* Tribune…
There was little doubt that Duckworth, 52, the state’s junior senator, would seek a second term. Shortly after securing his own reelection in November, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, the state’s senior senator and No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, began issuing fundraising emails and social media notices on her behalf.
So far, no major Republican candidate has surfaced to take on Duckworth next year. […]
She was the first woman with a disability elected to Congress and in 2018 became the first senator to give birth while in office.
Duckworth is planning a more formal announcement on March 30 in a virtual fundraiser headlined by all of the state, city and county’s major Democratic officeholders.
A link to that announcement/fundraiser is here.
* Sun-Times…
Duckworth’s main political account had a Dec. 31 cash on hand balance of $2,673,948.87.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 8:57 am:
When you’ve been through what she has, and accomplished what she has, you don’t need glitz or glamour.
Spectacle and buffoonery is abundant elsewhere.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:02 am:
Duckworth will be a tough out.
Looking at “known” possible opponents, the more Trumpian, the better for Duckworth, the more moderate, the less likely Trumpkins will want to support a “R _ N _”, even against Duckworth.
It’ll be interesting how the Trumpkin primary plays out.
- Nadigam - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:03 am:
Could a former Rep. McSweeney announcement be forthcoming?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:11 am:
=== Rep. McSweeney===
McSweeney has tweeted support for Kelly Loeffer, as an example, that might not be the best angle of alignment for a statewide run.
McSweeney has seemingly made “Illinois” taxes a thing for him, maybe a run for governor(?) the way McSweeney seems to be going after Pritzker.
All that said, it’s tough to look at McSweeney as a real threat to either.
- anon2 - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:11 am:
I too was wondering about Dave McSweeney. If he’s still interested. Obviously, Tammy would not be easy to defeat in a blue state.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:18 am:
=== blue state.===
Illinois is NOT a “blue state”
What Raunerites and Trumpkins have done is make it impossible for those who align on such a hard line to win primaries… impossible to move towards the center to appeal to voters statewide.
At one point, not long ago, you had 3 of 6 statewide offices with Republicans, and a Republican US Senator.
Rauner found out he had no constituency, ran with a zero chance ticket… and Kirk moved so far to an extreme and his own language during debate(s) with Duckworth made Kirk untenable.
This victimhood of “Illinois is a blue state” ridiculousness is wholly ignoring the primary process here that has shifted so far to extremes and the extreme willing to abandon moderate winners of a primary.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:25 am:
=Obviously, Tammy would not be easy to defeat in a blue state.=
Illinois hasn’t given up on the GOP, the GOP has given up on Illinois. Well with maybe the exception of Adam Kinzinger. Until the party comes full circle and reconciles it’s mistakes that’s probably not going to change.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:26 am:
When I read “by all of the state, city and county’s major Democratic officeholders” I thought that it was an overstatement until I opened up that announcement…
Yep, that’s pretty much everyone.
- anon2 - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:34 am:
I agree that Trumpian Republicans have less chance to win than, say, Rauner or Kirk moderates. On the other hand, if Illinois isn’t blue, then why was 1988 the last time a GOP presidential candidate carried the Land of Lincoln? Why is the congressional delegation a lopsided 13D-5R? Why do Democrats have supermajorities in the General Assembly? Granted that gerrymandering is a factor, though not as decisive as in WI, PA, and NC. No one doubts that Democrats would still win a majority under a nonpartisan map next year.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 9:43 am:
=== then why was 1988 the last time a GOP presidential candidate carried the Land of Lincoln?===
You’re asking all the wrong questions, starting here.
The question you are ignoring?
Since 1988, how many times has the popular vote winner NOT carried Illinois?
Illinois is a bell weather system to the national vote, winning the electoral college need not mean the popular vote as matching.
=== Why do Democrats have supermajorities in the General Assembly?===
Ask Durkin why 50 seats were not contested this last cycle?
You’re excusing lazy in recruiting for the simple gerrymandering
Like… Schneider, Casten, Foster, Underwood and Krishnamoorthi
Look who got a pass, look who the GOP/Raunerites/Trumpkins had on the ballot.
Read this.
This is the pithy, and it’s exceptional;
===Illinois hasn’t given up on the GOP, the GOP has given up on Illinois. … Until the party comes full circle and reconciles it’s mistakes that’s probably not going to change.===
Realize what you believe and think isn’t the actual reality.
- anon2 - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 10:16 am:
== Since 1988, how many times has the popular vote winner NOT carried Illinois? ==
In 2004, the national popular vote winner lost Illinois by 10.3% to John Kerry.
- Anonamoose - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 10:24 am:
I believe Sen. Duckworth will be senator for as many terms as she wants to be one.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 10:30 am:
=== In 2004===
Yep.
Exactly… One.
- Techie - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 12:29 pm:
Any serious primary challengers on the horizon for Duckworth? I haven’t heard of any, but would be a bit surprised if she ran unopposed.
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 1:08 pm:
I suppose Oberweise is interested
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Mar 10, 21 @ 1:36 pm:
“On the other hand, if Illinois isn’t blue, then why was 1988 the last time a GOP presidential candidate carried the Land of Lincoln”
Because IL is a centrist state according to the 1970s perspective. After Reagan won, the GOP started moving where the center was nationally, but IL pols by and large did not go there until the 90s. In 96, Salvi ran for senate and won his primary but then lost to Durbin. After that the right was always big enough in IL to win primaries, but not usually big enough to win generals.
Add to that the fact that the GOP has been slowly ceding ground. First it gave up in the city and just did not run people for offices there. Then it gave up in the cook county suburbs (except for maybe a few up northwest). And its powerhouse was in DuPage, and it is slowly becoming non-competetive there.