As Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., mulls his 2022 options — another House run or governor bid — he made a noteworthy Chicago stop on Monday: at a meeting with members of the Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement officials organized by a House GOP task force.
Davis, 51, from downstate Taylorville — a former Hill staffer first elected to Congress in 2012 — is well known in the Capitol but has a slim profile in the Chicago area.
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 president John Catanzara — a very strong supporter of former President Donald Trump — just quit his Chicago Police Department job to avoid discipline charges and is flirting with a 2023 run against Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
The GOP-friendly FOP hosted on Monday a session with Davis and Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., the chair of the American Security Task Force, created by House Republicans and with only GOP members.
He didn’t even tell anyone he held that meeting until well after it ended.
* But it sure got Sen. Darren Bailey’s attention. From the Republican gubernatorial candidate’s daily Facebook live video…
And even today, we see a US Congressman up in Chicago for the first time ever taking an interest in Chicago all of a sudden. Why? Because they don’t think they can win their US congressional districts, so why not make a run for governor? Friends that’s the mentality of the Republican Party and it must stop. We need to remove bad leaders. I will assure you that as your governor, I will help make the weak leaders better.
Not trying to pick on Bailey here, but this theory that Rodney Davis is too afraid of a possible Mary Miller primary bid to run for reelection is definitely on the goofy side. Miller would have to run in a whole lot of turf currently represented by Davis. And, as for Miller’s current turf, Davis made a whole lot of lifelong contacts when he was running John Shimkus’ district operation. Unlike his successor Miller, Shimkus actually ran a good constituent services program.
Yesterday, the House voted to censure Representative Paul Gosar (AZ-04) after he posted a photoshopped anime video of him killing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and attacking President Biden.
The only two Republicans that voted for censure were Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) and Liz Cheney (WY), meaning Rodney Davis voted in favor of his Republican colleagues using vitriolic rhetoric against other members of the house, and the President of the United States.
That’s interesting, because here he is in 2017 saying that Democrats were using hateful, vitriolic rhetoric when saying that people would die if the Republicans healthcare plan passed.
I believe wholeheartedly that our movement, which includes you, we have the Republican gubernatorial nominee locked in. Everything we do now is building towards the general to get Pritzker out of office, and I believe it’s going to happen.
* Speaking of Pritzker, this is a big stretch, even though I hear it regularly…
Then he was on hand at the White House this week for President Joe Biden’s signing ceremony of his signature $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Perhaps Pritzker also was there to measure the drapes, check the paintings and consider the décor?
Maybe he did the same while visiting in July to lobby the Biden administration for more infrastructure money for the Land of Lincoln. The governor believes Illinois has a number of projects shovel-ready for some of the $17 billion the state is expected to receive for the 2022 construction season because of his vast Rebuild Illinois program.
While Democrat Pritzker is seeking reelection next year to a second four-year term in Springfield, there’s an adage in politics that even while running for reelection, one is always seeking the next office. Could a presidential run be in J.B.’s future? […]
We know he once looked to Washington, D.C., before he ran for governor. Pritzker expressed interest in the U.S. Senate seat of Barack Obama when he was elected president in 2008.
Um, no. He asked for an appointment to state treasurer in case Alexi Giannoulias was called to DC by Obama. There were those who thought he would get a Cabinet appointment if Hillary Clinton had won in 2016, but she lost and he ran for governor.
You get invited to the White House by a president, you go. Simple as that (well, okay, there was a recent exception). Also, I know plenty of politicians who are content to run for reelection without constantly plotting their next upward moves.
After the map that came out, Bost seems to think Miller is eyeing that seat, as Bost trotted out a long list of those endorsing his re-election in a map days and hours old…
I wrote this after the new map and Rich had a post about what would Davis and Miller do?
===Miller could choose to run more Trumpier than Bost, or more Trumpier than Davis.
Of course, Miller won’t be living in Davis’ district, and that could be an annoyance while also trying to call Davis disloyal to Trump.
Miller could take on Bost, but Bost has literal decades of evolution to his Trump bona fides, not much running to any center for “Bost Toss”===
Once that map was seen, it’s not Davis with the worry, it became Miller with the concern.
Davis has choices, Miller has decisions.
None was fully known until the map popped. Now we know.
I’m sure that Pritzker, like every other semi-successful statewide politician, looks at the WH and says, “Why not me?” once in a while. But timing is not going to be his friend. He’s not realistically going to challenge Biden or Harris in a primary, so that keeps him from running in ‘24- and probably ‘28, too. So he has to basically has to keep his current job- and stay somewhat nationally relevant- until 2032. That’s a pretty tall order.
personally I would love to see a Davis v Miller race.. See who could get the trumpiest crazy.. I do think we have a clue who that would be..One last thing., I would love to have whatever D Bailey is ingesting these days, I could use an escape from reality
Bailey has done nothing while in office other than planning to run for a higher office. He wins the Rep seat, does nothing and then decides that he will run for Senate (while doing a LOT of traveling outside of his district to “restore Illinois”). He then wins the Senate, again does nothing and decides that he will run for Governor.
Even if he loses the primary or general elections, he will continue to do nothing in his seat while probably going on the grifter speech circuit as the “conservative who tried to save real Illinois from the liberals but had the election stolen from him”.
Sometimes I wish I had no soul so I could cravenly grasp at money and power like some do.
===…there’s an adage in politics that even while running for reelection, one is always seeking the next office.===
Jack O’Malley might disagree on that strategy.
The next election is the most important election, being distracted from that is disastrous.
Pritzker seems to be publicly focused on being the governor and running for governor in the real time, at present, and “focused”. What is said and thought outside the public, being a former governor who couldn’t win re-election in a state like Illinois is not how anyone moves up.
I do not see Davis running for governor, even after the remap. He’d have to take stands and make important decisions. It’s just not in his political make-up. Easier to stay a Rep and be able to hide behind party-line votes.
“Also, I know plenty of politicians who are content to run for reelection without constantly plotting their next upward moves.”
I really hope that if he wins reelection that he stays for the full four years…we haven’t had a full 8 year governor since Jim Edgar, and we deserve some stability in that position.
- Hamlet on the Potomac - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:17 pm:
Davis for governor? Mr. 89% with Trump? The one who has basically changed his middle name to “Insurrection” with his antics supporting the attacks on democratic governance? Anti-infrastructure, anti-clean energy, anti-reproductive health care, anti-voting rights, on and on and on. A surefire loser.
===You get invited to the White House by a president, you go. Simple as that===
Like, let’s say, a certain Illinoisan does become President, if that President were to invite me to, say, visit the White House, even to be allowed to putt on the putting green on the grounds… I would show up.
You get invited to the White House, you go, putter optional.
Now… me getting *that* invitation, all things equal to this, I’d be more likely to get an invitation to play Augusta National… or play golf with Tom Cross… ever. I don’t get any invites now, let alone *that* invite or any of those invites in the near or far future.
“ I believe wholeheartedly that our movement, which includes you, we have the Republican gubernatorial nominee locked in. Everything we do now is building towards the general to get Pritzker out of office . . .”
Now that Bailey wholeheartedly believes he has the Republican nomination, I can’t wait to see his pivot for the general election and how he tries to win the hearts and minds of folks who voted for JB last time. If you take Bailey at his word, that is all he is going to be doing from now on.
=== … one could see how JB would be a logical running mate for Kamala Harris.===
An African/Asian American female presidential candidate with a vice-presidential running mate of Jewish ancestry? That’ll rouse the Archie Bunker Brigade from their barco-loungers …
I almost felt a pang for Rodney hearing how he voted against the infrastructure bill even though he had endorsed an infrastructure bill and described how badly it was needed but, goldangit, it’s tied up with a bill that he opposes even though it’s not tied up with a bill he opposes but those guys on the other side talked like it was and…
Skilled technicians can make balloon animals with fewer twists than that.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 1:49 pm:
After the map that came out, Bost seems to think Miller is eyeing that seat, as Bost trotted out a long list of those endorsing his re-election in a map days and hours old…
I wrote this after the new map and Rich had a post about what would Davis and Miller do?
===Miller could choose to run more Trumpier than Bost, or more Trumpier than Davis.
Of course, Miller won’t be living in Davis’ district, and that could be an annoyance while also trying to call Davis disloyal to Trump.
Miller could take on Bost, but Bost has literal decades of evolution to his Trump bona fides, not much running to any center for “Bost Toss”===
Once that map was seen, it’s not Davis with the worry, it became Miller with the concern.
Davis has choices, Miller has decisions.
None was fully known until the map popped. Now we know.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 1:54 pm:
I’m sure that Pritzker, like every other semi-successful statewide politician, looks at the WH and says, “Why not me?” once in a while. But timing is not going to be his friend. He’s not realistically going to challenge Biden or Harris in a primary, so that keeps him from running in ‘24- and probably ‘28, too. So he has to basically has to keep his current job- and stay somewhat nationally relevant- until 2032. That’s a pretty tall order.
- NotRich - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 1:59 pm:
personally I would love to see a Davis v Miller race.. See who could get the trumpiest crazy.. I do think we have a clue who that would be..One last thing., I would love to have whatever D Bailey is ingesting these days, I could use an escape from reality
- Downstate Teacher - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 1:59 pm:
Bailey has done nothing while in office other than planning to run for a higher office. He wins the Rep seat, does nothing and then decides that he will run for Senate (while doing a LOT of traveling outside of his district to “restore Illinois”). He then wins the Senate, again does nothing and decides that he will run for Governor.
Even if he loses the primary or general elections, he will continue to do nothing in his seat while probably going on the grifter speech circuit as the “conservative who tried to save real Illinois from the liberals but had the election stolen from him”.
Sometimes I wish I had no soul so I could cravenly grasp at money and power like some do.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:07 pm:
===…there’s an adage in politics that even while running for reelection, one is always seeking the next office.===
Jack O’Malley might disagree on that strategy.
The next election is the most important election, being distracted from that is disastrous.
Pritzker seems to be publicly focused on being the governor and running for governor in the real time, at present, and “focused”. What is said and thought outside the public, being a former governor who couldn’t win re-election in a state like Illinois is not how anyone moves up.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:08 pm:
I do not see Davis running for governor, even after the remap. He’d have to take stands and make important decisions. It’s just not in his political make-up. Easier to stay a Rep and be able to hide behind party-line votes.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:08 pm:
“Also, I know plenty of politicians who are content to run for reelection without constantly plotting their next upward moves.”
I really hope that if he wins reelection that he stays for the full four years…we haven’t had a full 8 year governor since Jim Edgar, and we deserve some stability in that position.
- Hamlet on the Potomac - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:17 pm:
Miller is toast.
- Shield - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:23 pm:
Davis for governor? Mr. 89% with Trump? The one who has basically changed his middle name to “Insurrection” with his antics supporting the attacks on democratic governance? Anti-infrastructure, anti-clean energy, anti-reproductive health care, anti-voting rights, on and on and on. A surefire loser.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/house/
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:34 pm:
===You get invited to the White House by a president, you go. Simple as that===
Like, let’s say, a certain Illinoisan does become President, if that President were to invite me to, say, visit the White House, even to be allowed to putt on the putting green on the grounds… I would show up.
You get invited to the White House, you go, putter optional.
Now… me getting *that* invitation, all things equal to this, I’d be more likely to get an invitation to play Augusta National… or play golf with Tom Cross… ever. I don’t get any invites now, let alone *that* invite or any of those invites in the near or far future.
Bit I won’t turn down that invitation.
- Telly - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:36 pm:
If Biden doesn’t run again, one could see how JB would be a logical running mate for Kamala Harris.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:45 pm:
“ I believe wholeheartedly that our movement, which includes you, we have the Republican gubernatorial nominee locked in. Everything we do now is building towards the general to get Pritzker out of office . . .”
Now that Bailey wholeheartedly believes he has the Republican nomination, I can’t wait to see his pivot for the general election and how he tries to win the hearts and minds of folks who voted for JB last time. If you take Bailey at his word, that is all he is going to be doing from now on.
- Candle - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:55 pm:
Oh boy. Rodney triggered Bailey.
- Fav Human - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:56 pm:
JB also ran in the 5th CD primary that Blago won.
constantly plotting their next upward move
One pundit said that every politician in the USA from dog catcher on up hums “hail to the chief” as they brush their teeth in the morning.
The timing for 2024 doesn’t look good for him, ‘28 may be a different matter, though.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:57 pm:
===One pundit said===
That pundit is a lunatic
- Here we go again - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 3:04 pm:
Who else on the Democrat side gets into the wide open 17th CD?
- Pundent - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 3:14 pm:
=Also, I know plenty of politicians who are content to run for reelection without constantly plotting their next upward moves.=
Maybe he’s legitimately worried about losing to Darren Bailey and this is his contingency plan. /s
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 3:20 pm:
==Who else on the Democrat side gets into the wide open 17th CD?==
Any chance David Gill might move a mile away and give the new 17th a shot?
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 3:25 pm:
==constantly plotting their next upward moves==
Secretary White hasn’t done that in 22 years.
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 4:09 pm:
=== … one could see how JB would be a logical running mate for Kamala Harris.===
An African/Asian American female presidential candidate with a vice-presidential running mate of Jewish ancestry? That’ll rouse the Archie Bunker Brigade from their barco-loungers …
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 4:19 pm:
===one could see how JB would be a logical running mate for Kamala Harris===
And he brings what to the table? Harris sparked Black voters. What would Pritzker do? It’s not like prez nominees are desperate for money.
- Ryan - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 5:24 pm:
“Bailey has done nothing while in office…” except collect an awful lot of farm subsidies.
- MisterWhipple - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 5:28 pm:
I almost felt a pang for Rodney hearing how he voted against the infrastructure bill even though he had endorsed an infrastructure bill and described how badly it was needed but, goldangit, it’s tied up with a bill that he opposes even though it’s not tied up with a bill he opposes but those guys on the other side talked like it was and…
Skilled technicians can make balloon animals with fewer twists than that.
Pass me the Advil. Or an anvil.
- Blue Dog - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 6:45 pm:
JB ’s dive to the extreme far left is planned. IMO.
- Keyrock - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 11:11 pm:
- Fav Human - Thursday, Nov 18, 21 @ 2:56 pm:
JB also ran in the 5th CD primary that Blago won.
No, JB ran in the primary in the 9th CD, and lost to Jan.