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Pritzker campaign relaunches Blue Wave Illinois for 2022 race
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller * Back in 2018, JB Pritzker’s campaign launched what it called Blue Wave Illinois. The multi-million-dollar effort was designed to support down-ballot candidates and political organizations. Pritzker’s folks had hoped to have control of the state party by now, but that didn’t happen and the party is still unable to raise or spend “soft” state campaign dollars, so they’re getting the band back together. Quentin Fulks…
Fulks said this is a “seven-figure investment in digital and paid media.” The “in real life” ads will include billboards. The website is here. * Some examples that Fulks sent over… 
And, to think, a few days ago some Chicago reporters were actually questioning whether he was running again, with one blaming his alleged indecision on his spouse. Sheesh.
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- anon - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
Mandate additional labor costs on employers and then claim health care costs were lowered? Most people get their healthcare thru their employer–sure, whatever.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:26 pm:
===Fulks said this is a “seven-figure investment in digital and paid media.” The “in real life” ads will include billboards.===
Quentin, as respectfully as I can muster for the political consultant I think bears the most responsibility for why we don’t have a progressive income tax in the State of Illinois, and as a person on your side of the aisle, you also need to spend money on direct mail.
Direct mail remains one of the best ways to engage registered voters with targeted and focused messages, and unlike Facebook, the USPS isn’t going to charge you more than they charge Republicans.
I hope you understand that there are hundreds of thousands of voters in this state that will support a Democratic candidate at the polls who will never, ever, ever hear an ad on Pandora or Spotify.
I can’t believe someone is giving you more money after what happened in 2020 but I cannot afford another failure, so that’s free advice from a person who needs you to succeed more than you apparently need to. Every day you’re on the payroll of a campaign or organization is a day where you’re taking the spot of someone who could have done a better job that lacks your background, contacts, and ties to prominent political figures.
Do your job well enough so that those people aren’t forced to believe that’s the only reason why you have your job. No one may force you to own your professional failures, but there are millions of people in Illinois that own the consequences.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:30 pm:
=== Quentin, as respectfully as I can muster for the political consultant I think bears the most responsibility for why we don’t have a progressive income tax in the State of Illinois, and as a person on your side of the aisle, you also need to spend money on direct mail.===
Fulks got out hustled, our messaged, and in the end made every advantage that the Fair Tax had… a disadvantage.
Having a candidate this time and probably a quarter of a billion in overall spending for a campaign… that concerns so many… “deficient” things that seem to be out classed last time.
- Bob Meter - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:30 pm:
Anon - I’m okay with that. Employers should be paying for employees health care costs anyway.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:33 pm:
Text on the images needs to be a little bolder…or I need to look into reading glasses.
- DuPage Dem - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:35 pm:
Oh lord, Candy…did Fulks say Blue Wave WASN’T doing direct mail? Or is maybe this just the opening salvo of a year plus long effort? Also sorry but the idea that Fulks is the primary reason the fair tax went down is absurd.- give me a break. I have a feeling the pandemic and Griffin’s millions miggght have had more to do with it. And if we are going to throw out political campaign people after one loss then no one would work.
I’m glad to see the spend by the gov. Hope to see those efforts in DuPage next year.
- Pawar Lost - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:35 pm:
Why is Pritzker hiring Fulks again?
- Sonny - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:37 pm:
Load up the no one, not a single person and absolutely not a soul meme.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:39 pm:
=== but the idea that Fulks is the primary reason the fair tax went down is absurd.- give me a break.===
When you get out hustled, out messaged, and squander all advantages by not doing anything but let your opponent not worry about a saturated message… yeah… it’s not absurd, it’s actually gross malpractice.
But, good on him getting the work.., I suppose.
- anon - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:40 pm:
Bob, Respectfully, employers share those healthcare costs with their employees. It all comes out of the same pocket. You can’t raise labor costs without increasing healthcare costs on employees.
- The Real Downstate - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:44 pm:
Fulks specializes in illegible signage.
- Blue Dog - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:51 pm:
Democrats voted to go soft on criminals.
Republicans voted against it.
Democrats delayed the simple FOID process.
Republicans rallied against it.
Democrats raised liscence fees.
Republicans voted against it.
Democrats raised the gas tax.
Republicans voted against.
- DuPage Dem - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:51 pm:
If we are throwing out campaign people who have lost campaigns in Illinois from ever working again - let’s get the list going because it is long. Very very long.
- Etown - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
Direct mail still might be effective for the 65 and over crowd but except for political junkies my sense is most folks see political direct mail as just another piece of junk mail especially when it arrives on same day as other political pieces
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:55 pm:
=== If we are throwing out campaign people who have lost campaigns in Illinois from ever working again===
Are we going to look at the Fair Tax Flop as adults or are we going to absolve one operative from one campaign that arguably could be deemed gross malpractice given the advantages?
===let’s get the list going because it is long. Very very long.===
It changes ZERO facts that being out hustled, our messaged, and squandering as the Fair Tax Flop did is on those running that campaign
Lemme know if your list is chronological or alphabetical… and take your time
- Definition of Insanity - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:56 pm:
I’ll let my “Nickname” speak for itself/comment…
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:58 pm:
===Democrats raised the gas tax.
Republicans voted against. ===
Um, that was a structured roll call.
- DuPage Dem - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:13 pm:
Respectfully, OW, would you like the list done in chronological order too as well as alphabetical bc happy to oblige? We can start with Dawn Clark and go all the way up to Pat Quinn (if we are keeping it in the Dem family.). But not going to do that bc then I’d be doing exactly what I’m decrying here. Politics and campaigns eat a lot of people up and swallow them whole. The good ones stick it out, learn from their losses but also shake them off and keep working. I wonder how many of the stars of the campaign world would have stuck around to figure it all out if there had been a comment squad demanding they leave the business. And I’ll leave it at that.
- Former Downstater - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:16 pm:
First job for Blue Wave- recruiting opponents to central committeepeople who didn’t support the Gov’s pick for DPI chair. Always making friends.
- Fav Human - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
Fulks is the primary reason the fair tax went down
If it’s your job to get it passed, you are well funded, but you don’t even TRY to address the voter’s biggest concern….
How on earth is it NOT your fault?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:18 pm:
=== We can start with Dawn Clark and go all the way up to Pat Quinn===
Are most of those folks still running campaigns?
Going back to Netsch, that was last century. Literally.
===comment squad demanding they leave the business===
I said no such thing. I did say;
===But, good on him getting the work.., I suppose.===
Kinda like a relief pitcher in baseball. Blown saves happen. Sometimes in big games, playoffs, World Series. Good on those continuing.
I have ZERO influence on the hiring or not hiring of anyone on any comment I make here. You’re giving me far too much credence that no one else does.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:23 pm:
E-town - first of all, dismissing over-65s is just plain dumb. Look at the percentage of over-65s who vote in every election vs. the percentage of 30-and-unders.
And all the research shows that direct mail works. Maybe all people do is carry it to the recycling bin, but in those 15 seconds, that candidate’s name is entering their memories.
- Youhavenoclue - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:35 pm:
It’s fun to watch the armchair quarterbacks sit from the sidelines and hurl jabs at something they have never personally done in their entire life and that is RUN A CAMPAIGN.
Fulks is NOT solo responsible for the Fair Tax. Fair Tax was a coalition and there was a GLOBAL PANDEMIC happening. Organized labor was a key coalition member as well; Fulks alone is not left wearing the jacket on this one.
Fulks has the perfect combination of experience and innovative thinking to lead Pritzker to victory in 2024. If you have had the pleasure to meet Quentin - you would know he is thoughtful, hard working and always wants to do what is right. These traits are a rare combo in our business.
- Youhavenoclue - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:36 pm:
I meant 2022!
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:37 pm:
Fulks is not the primary reason the Fair Tax lost, naïveté probably is. We were saturated with ads, over and over, telling us we’d get a tax cut, the opponents were right wing billionaires and the lies they were pushing. But we chose to be bamboozled by the state’s richest resident. We chose to continue giving more of our money to Springfield politicians, ironically. Sorry, but that’s on us.
The ads are nice, with simple and strong messaging and images that directly relate to the messages. The differences between the two parties are night and day, and it’s great to really highlight that.
- Shytown - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:41 pm:
Wow. I didn’t know that the future of the state rested on the shoulders of one person. I know everyone here loves to be an armchair quarterback, but I also can’t think of a single playbook out there when a pandemic hit right in the middle of a campaign to change Illinois’ constitution – or any other state constitution for that matter. So please, would anyone want to be in that seat trying to drive that train in the middle of Covid when people are out of work and uncertain about their future and then asked to change the state’s tax system while they are being fed a bunch of fear mongering from the right? Think big racked up some pretty good successes in the first year and while we’re at it there was another organization engaged in the fair tax push that did little move the needle. Lots of blame to go around along with circumstances that no one anticipated.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:45 pm:
Why bother with a campaign when you can just rely on a gerrymandered map to get the same result?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:46 pm:
If Fulks doesn’t need a a rehabilitation, why this need for a… rehabilitation?
I mean, the argument too can be made… even in a pandemic… where were the coalitions in working towards getting to voters by other means?
Yes, victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an orphan.
To the post,
The multiple millions in the bank ear marked solely for the primary will allow the campaign to have a broader eye and wider scope to a November 2022 victory as Robin Kelly and her crew continue to persuade that she’s the chairman at the same time, apparently legally, she can’t actually *be* chairman.
Pritzker should, as he is doing, get the gang back together, build his own apparatus, use it to his advantages, and drag others along, this time as an incumbent.
Frankly, the DPI was dormant before, now its seemingly dysfunctional, and Pritzker can pick and choose how he’d help, like here.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 1:51 pm:
I sincerely doubt that JB is going to ignore direct mail. Were ya’ll on vacation in 2018? I could wallpaper my house with all the mail he sent.
- Sonny - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:02 pm:
“The gang” and $170 million should be fine once again even if they have racked up a string of unforced political errors and still can’t shoot straight.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:03 pm:
This is not to say the Fair Tax campaign ran well—it seemed to start late and struggle with messaging. It had months to get a head start. The sharp criticism is very valid also. We can’t be naive either, when it comes to bad campaigns.
- The Real Captain - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:09 pm:
This is the same useless junk that cost us the Fair tax vote. Get rid of Fulks and get rid of the band and start anew.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:11 pm:
The thing about quarterbacks…
They get far too much credit for the wins, and far too much blame for the losses.
Even armchair quarterbacks grasp that.
To the post, again,
With primary season now a spring and summer sport in 2022, this rollout is also a flag of sorts that while things on a calendar are moved, moving forward, this political maneuvering will start almost in traditional time. Being flush in cash will do that.
- Known unknowns - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:12 pm:
This guy gets large budgets and still messes up royally. All the broke campaigns I’ve worked for could have done great with this kind of cash.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:16 pm:
The FairTax failed in large part because Fulks refused to lean in to visceral, emotional anti-rich populist messaging to sell it.
Instead it was just lukewarm vote for this because its the fair thing to do and we really need the money after politicians screwed everything up before.
This ineffective messaging strategy makes sense when the FairTax campaign was being funded by a rich guy named JB Pritzker who probably did not want anti-rich populist sentiment to boomerang back onto him.
- anon - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:24 pm:
the Amendment would have raised taxes on many more taxpayers than just the “rich”. The problem was the amendment was rushed onto the ballot a year ahead of time and if Pritzker and Cullerton would have taken more time a deal could have been made with business. Not Fulks fault he was dealt a bad hand to play.
- well... - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:26 pm:
As a Republican, I hope Fulks does as good a job on this as he did passing JB’s Fair Tax amendment
- Frank talks - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:27 pm:
Seems the mistake was learned from. Started with ads, billboards and messaging 18 months out is a lesson learned. Had they started the Fair Tax campaign this early, pandemic or not, the outcome could’ve been different.
Defining the Gov and accomplishments this early is helpful to the whole party. Kind of what DPI should be already doing but they can’t raise the funds to do it.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:27 pm:
=== the Amendment would have raised taxes on many more taxpayers than just the “rich”.===
This is the phony propaganda that had Griffin defeat the Fair Tax.
97% we’re not going to see their taxes raised.
It’s a false narrative to say anything less.
It’s like those complaining about taxing retirement income, which wasn’t on the ballot but was a tool to defeat the amendment.
- Rabid - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:46 pm:
Take that DPI , durbin party insurgency
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 3:19 pm:
=== I know everyone here loves to be an armchair quarterback, but I also can’t think of a single playbook out there when a pandemic hit right in the middle of a campaign to change Illinois’ constitution – or any other state constitution for that matter.===
The organization that was created and funded in order to pass that amendment was given about $10 per vote cast in that election. There is no evidence that any of that money had a positive impact on the process because the support for a progressive income tax amendment was — higher — before that organization was created and started spending money.
Not only did this flagship of Governor Pritzker’s legacy get destroyed at the ballot box, it only garnered 44.9% of the vote when Joe Biden himself carried 57.54%, and Dick Durbin “only” got 54.9%.
The issue didn’t just lose, it didn’t even get a simple majority of the votes. An organization — whose existence should have been anticipated — spent a literal fraction of the amount to spread blatantly false misinformation and lies about the Fair Tax Amendment ad apparently got hundreds of thousands of Democratic voters to vote against raising taxes on very rich people, and caused a whole bunch of people to buy into some really piss poor conclusions about the impact of a progressive income tax rate.
You can decry the calling out the blatant and obvious failure of a issues campaign as “arm chair quarterbacking” if you want, but do you really think the people participating in this comment section have never played the game?
If we don’t attach consequences to abysmal failures to the political staff or consultants responsible for them we’re going to wind up with a bunch of garbage political staff that know the right people but lack competence and ability. I’d sooner give money to Darren Bailey than let Quentin Fulks decide how to spend it because at least Darren Bailey’s campaign might actually spend it in a way that helps Democrats get elected. Mr. Fulks is responsible for the only TEDx talk that has ever made me feel less intelligent for having watched it.
I don’t have anything against 2nd chances, but I haven’t seen any evidence that anyone has really learned anything from the 2020 defeat — but it sure is fun to blame Mike Madigan rather than spend any time looking in the mirror.
But maybe they did a private postmortem and learned a lot from that, but for my money if you break from conventional practice in order to try some newer and sexier strategy that lets you throw money at new companies with promises of vague analytics and you lose, you should be done. Direct mail or even targeted direct mail isn’t exciting to talk about and most of political campaign work isn’t supposed to be.
- Former Downstater - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 3:50 pm:
== But maybe they did a private postmortem and learned a lot from that,==
Have you met the senior staff? /s
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 5:43 pm:
The Fair Tax Flop was a colossal failure.
It was the cornerstone of the governor’s plan.
Had it won, Fulks would be celebrated.
“In the Arena” comes to mind. If the defense is “you armchair quarterbacks know nothing and never… “, think about if you’re commenting and no one knows who you are, and… you have no idea whom you’re accusing of anything.
People and other campaigns won during the pandemic too. Just saying.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 6:14 pm:
I’m not sure enough people recognize that the failure of the Fair Tax amendment means that due to the Edgar Pension Ramp and our structural gap between spending and revenues and repeated failures of our state agencies to successfully carry out federal mandates and court orders that without a progressive tax structure it is only a matter of time before Illinois will be forced to raise the individual income tax rate and that the political price of doing that will only be paid by Democratic elected officials.
People in Illinois are used to voting for people who lie to them about the fiscal realities of our state and they’re used to voting for people who promise balanced budgets by cutting wasteful spending and not raising taxes and that that bald face lie has been told by leaders of both parties for decades. A conversation with fiscal issues with a Gen X or Baby Boomer voter is full of inconvenient former political rhetoric and we’re at the point where the state is losing billions of dollars of revenue each year by not taxing federally taxed retirement and a majority of that benefit is enjoyed by households receiving a higher income in retirement than the median household income in the state.
And even if those tax policy changes don’t happen, the right wing of the party has no concern about making false claims that it will.
The Democratic Party has super majorities in both chambers of the legislature and holds the Governor’s mansion, but still can’t solve our budget problems without raising taxes on the poorest people in our state.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 6:35 pm:
=== taxing federally taxed retirement===
There’s no stomach for this passing. Nope.
- 4 percent - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 7:08 pm:
JB Pritzker LIED to votes who want honest government and fair maps
JB Pritzker allowed veterans to die at the Veterans Home (he beat up Rauner so all is fair)
JB Pritzker failed to provide UI benefits timely
JB Pritzker let murderers out of jail early
JB Pritzker closed businesses and ended sports
I like the GOP messaging better… now they need a rich uncle
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 7:13 pm:
===I like the GOP messaging better… now they need a rich uncle===
You forgot a non-Trumpkin candidate.
Figure… someone like Bailey, a good $50-60 million introducing him to Cook and the Collars will offset a great deal.
Also, the pandemic, Pritzker is above water in handling. Sports and such, those folks were already not going to vote for Pritzker (see: Jacobson, Amy)
- Blue Dog - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 7:45 pm:
Just maybe the Tax lost because the voters wanted the state to trim back expenses. Ya’ll think a failure is because of marketing. I think it lost because the voters aren’t as dumb as some of you think.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 7:51 pm:
=== I think it lost because the voters aren’t as dumb as some of you think.===
Voting against your best interests because someone sells you a bill of good is rarely smart.
Meh, the $600+ million from businesses is pretty tasty after they chose to side against the Fair Tax.
I fed you.
- low level - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 8:08 pm:
“ Not only did this flagship of Governor Pritzker’s legacy get destroyed at the ballot box, it only garnered 44.9% of the vote when Joe Biden himself carried 57.54%, and Dick Durbin “only” got 54.9%.”
Candy is exactly right. It’s absolutely humorous to read that COVID is the reason the fair tax lost. Oh, that and those who are critical of how QF ran the campaign are amateurs who never have worked or run a campaign before.
Hilarious.
- Blue Dog - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 9:02 pm:
Voting against your best interests. I knew I was dumb. Maybe we shouldn’t have elections or referendums and just let a few really intelligent folks do all the decision making.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 9:23 pm:
=== Voting against your best interests. I knew I was dumb.===
You’ve admitted it a few times.
===Maybe we shouldn’t have elections or referendums and just let a few really intelligent folks do all the decision making.===
As an adult I’ll ignore the silly part you think makes you clever.
As someone who believes in democracy for all, your vote is your own, as how you see fit to use it. Elections have consequences.