* Lynn Sweet…

Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts, who led GOP fundraising efforts to re-elect former President Donald Trump, is stepping down as the Republican National Committee finance chair after serving in the role for almost four years. […]

Todd Ricketts has been mentioned as a possible 2022 contender for an Illinois statewide office. He is bowing out of his RNC role before his term is up in 2023. This may free him to consider whether he has or wants a political future in Illinois.

His close association with Trump — and an enormous fundraising base, between his wealthy family and his national contacts — would help him in an Illinois GOP primary. But being linked to Trump so directly would make it difficult to win a general election in heavily Democratic Illinois.

Hmm.

* Potential congressional candidate is named to Crain’s 40 Under 40 list…

Delia Ramirez, state representative for Illinois’ 4th District, was in Springfield just a few months when she passed her first major piece of legislation, to strengthen the state’s homeless prevention program in 2019.

Ramirez “hit the ground running,” says House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. Despite being short on seniority, she landed on Welch’s leadership team earlier this year. But not long before, she’d taken 12 years to get an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University.

That was because she was also working full time at what is now known as the Center for Changing Lives in her home base of Logan Square/Humboldt Park. That’s the organization where Ramirez’s parents first received supportive housing when they arrived from Guatemala (her mother had crossed the border pregnant with Delia at the time). She began volunteering at the organization—which offered food, shelter and casework—and rose from working in what was essentially the mailroom at age 17 to becoming the executive director at 21.

While we’re at it, Rep. Kam Buckner, Jen Walling (check out the Chris Miller reference) and Sharone Mitchell were also named.

* Ally Mutnick…

Retirements by Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) — and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez’s decision to run in a neighboring safe seat rather than a swing district that more closely resembles his current South Texas seat — have deprived Democrats of well-funded incumbents for tough races. Wisconsin Republican Derrick Van Orden has banked $1.2 million, and Republican Esther Joy King in Illinois has over $655,000. Meanwhile, no Democratic candidates posted significant fundraising by the end of the third quarter.

* Peter Hancock…

A three-judge federal court panel on Friday set the week of Dec. 6 as the time it will hear three consolidated cases challenging the new legislative district maps that were drawn by Democrats and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this year. […]

[U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow Jr., who presides over the panel] indicated that the case is being put on an expedited schedule in order to accommodate the 2022 election cycle. Under the current schedule, candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions on Jan. 13 and those petitions must be submitted to the State Board of Elections the week of March 7-14. In order to do that, though, candidates need to know what district they will be running in.

During Friday’s status conference, all of the plaintiffs agreed to submit their proposed remedies to the court by Wednesday, Nov. 10. That gives the defendants until Monday, Nov. 22, to file their response.

Sean Berkowitz, an attorney representing Harmon and Welch, said he does not intend to submit a new plan but instead will defend the maps passed by the General Assembly. An attorney for the State Board of Elections said she did not plan to submit any filings and would just “passively monitor” the proceedings.

* Jim Dey…

In politics, timing is everything. That’s why state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst, says it’s not yet time to make up her mind about her political future. […]

“I’m probably getting three or four calls a day asking, ‘What are you going to do? What are you going to do?’” Mazzochi said.

Mazzochi has multiple choices. She can run in at least one state House district, the Illinois Senate or for chairwoman of the DuPage County Board. She can even run for Congress.

She said supporters suggested she run in the new 6th Congressional District represented by Democrat Sean Casten.

* Press release…

Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Rep. Marie Newman to represent Illinois’ 6th Congressional District. Laphonza Butler, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement:

“Since her election to Congress in 2020, Congresswoman Marie Newman has fought tirelessly on behalf of her constituents. A champion for families, Rep. Newman is an advocate for paid parental leave, small business economic support, and high quality health care for all. She is also a champion for reproductive rights, voting rights, gun violence prevention , and LGBTQ+ rights. There is no doubt that Congresswoman Newman will continue her steadfast public service when she is elected to represent Illinois’ 6th District. EMILY’s List is proud to stand with Rep. Newman in this pivotal moment.”

* Tribune on the endorsement…

Of greater significance is the group’s decision to insert itself into the lone Democratic matchup as a result of the new district boundaries.

Newman, a first-term Democrat from LaGrange, was mapped into a new strongly Latino district with U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. But she opted to challenge the two-term Casten from Downers Grove in the adjacent 6th District, with new boundaries that range from the southwest suburbs of Tinley Park and Orland Park to the western suburbs of Elmhurst, Lombard, Villa Park and Lisle.

Members of Congress do not have to live in the district they represent.

EMILY’s List backed Newman in her successful 2020 primary victory over abortion-rights opponent, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski of Western Springs, as well as in her 2018 primary loss to Lipinski.

* Danny Davis’ primary opponent…

On Monday, Indivisible endorsed Kina Collins for Congress in her primary against Rep. Danny Davis in Illinois’ 7th Congressional District. A leading national progressive organization formed in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election, Indivisible previously backed the successful primary bid of Rep. Marie Newman (IL-03) against Dan Lipinski in 2020.

“Kina has spent her career organizing in the streets and in the halls of her state legislature to deliver the change her community needs, and Indivisible is thrilled to endorse her campaign for Congress,” said Indivisible National Political Director Lucy Solomon. “Now more than ever, we need leaders who are accountable to the people, not corporate interests. Kina Collins is that leader, and we’re excited to see her campaign building a grassroots movement for the change we need.”

…Adding… Press release…

Today marks one year out from the 2022 General Election. While campaigning for secretary of state, David Moore continues to make youth engagement one of the major planks of his platform. He believes the secretary of state’s office is in a unique position to emphasize the role of civic responsibility at an early age.

The secretary of state’s office is the first introduction many young people have to state government and their civic responsibility. First, as bike riders and learning about bicycle safety and obeying the Bicycle Rules of the Road; Second, by providing young adults with a state identification card and/or driver’s license; and Third, by asking every Illinois resident who comes through the secretary of state’s office if they want to register to vote.

To encourage more young people to take part in the political process, Moore proposes sending every 18-year-old who comes through the secretary of state’s office a birthday postcard that also reaffirms they are automatically registered to vote.

“This small gesture is a way of letting teenagers know they are entering adulthood, which carries with it more civic responsibility,” explains Moore. “A study by the analysis website FiveThirtyEight shows that in states where new registrants are reminded of their voting status turnout increases.”

He also proposes sending a congratulations card to the state’s new citizens.

In 2017, Illinois became the 10th state along with Washington, D.C., to approve automatic voter registration.

In the 2020 presidential election, more than 6 million people voted statewide. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, turnout statewide was the highest since 1992. Of the 8.3 million voters eligible to vote, 6.1 million cast ballots. Moore believes by engaging young people early they will become lifelong voters.

* More…

* The Big Lie road show continues, with a new stop in Chicago’s suburbs: Ives’ approach is hardly novel. Backers of former President Donald Trump penned “The Georgia Report,” which used change of address data to claim more than 10,000 people voted fraudulently in Georgia in 2020 because they lived in other states. Those claims have been thoroughly debunked, as have similar Big Lie-inspired efforts in Arizona and Nevada.

* 2021 Legislative Results: Democrats Take A Victory Lap While Republicans Attack On Crime, Pensions And Taxes

* Adam Kinzinger could be Trump-hating Democrats’ favorite Republican

* Who wears the power sweater vest better? Democrats or Republicans?