Campaign notebook
Thursday, Feb 3, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I tipped subscribers to these candidates the other day…
The Democratic field for the Illinois 19th House District race is becoming crowded, with two challengers announcing their candidacy against state Representative Lindsey LaPointe.
Chicago 911 dispatcher and former Los Angeles police officer Keith Thornton Jr., who lives in the Portage Park area, and real estate broker Tina Wallace, who lives in the Old Irving Park area, are challenging incumbent LaPointe, who was appointed to the position in 2019 after Robert Martwick left to become state senator in the 10th District.
LaPointe, who lives in the Jefferson Park area, was then elected in 2020, defeating two challengers in the primary.
The district’s boundaries have been redrawn, losing a portion of Gladstone Park to the north and picking up areas south of West Irving Park Road. The change may have increased the district’s liberal base, according to some political observers.
You may remember Keith Thornton…
Keith Thornton Jr. was the calm voice in the chaos of a tragedy one month ago Tuesday night, when two Chicago Police officers were shot in the line of duty.
Thornton, a 911 dispatcher with the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, was applauded for his decisive action over the radio that night. He told CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey in his first TV interview that it was the officer he couldn’t save who changed his goals for the future.
It almost goes without saying that Rep. LaPointe is in for a very interesting primary if Thornton picks up enough local political backing.
* Press release…
In case you missed it, Esther Joy King, Republican candidate for Illinois’ 17th Congressional District, has outraised all seven Democrats combined, including Nancy Pelosi and Cheri Bustos’ handpicked candidate, running in the 17th District. King raised nearly $640,000 in the fourth quarter ending December 31 and reported more than $1,000,000 cash on hand. She was the top fundraiser among Republican women congressional challengers in the country this quarter and in the top 10 for Republican challengers overall.
“The numbers do not lie, we absolutely have the momentum going into November,” said King. “People are struggling to support far-left liberal candidates because their party is failing us on nearly every front. Everywhere I go, people talk to me about how they’re struggling just to do the basics in life, like fill their gas tank, manage the unpredictability of their kids’ school, find everyday grocery items, or hire workers, and Democrat policies are only making things worse. I’ll continue to work hard to take back this seat because the people of this district are worth the fight.”
Esther Joy King is also the top fundraising challenger in the state of Illinois. National political forecasters believe the 17th Congressional District will be one of the most competitive races in 2022, and key to Republicans winning back the House. The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball have both rated IL-17 as a “Toss Up” seat.
* Press release…
Today, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) announced an early endorsement for the newly drawn 3rd Congressional District.
The IFT Executive Board unanimously voted to endorse State Rep. Delia Ramirez for Congress. Rep. Ramirez is currently Assistant Majority Leader in the Illinois General Assembly and serving her second term. During her tenure, Rep. Ramirez was the chief sponsor of the Chicago elected school board bill. She has been a champion for education, housing, and healthcare.
“Delia exemplifies everything that we need in Congress – a coalition builder rooted in her community and values. As a product of Chicago Public Schools, she understands the needs and challenges of our teachers, students, and staff,” said IFT President Dan Montgomery. “Since the start of her career, she has been a staunch ally for our members, leading on education issues. I have no doubt that she will continue to advocate for students and educators in Congress,” added Montgomery.
The endorsement reflects the results of the IFT’s robust candidate review process, which includes candidate surveys, regional discussions, and thorough consideration by the 40 elected members of the union’s Executive Board, which represents our diverse local unions statewide.
“Delia is an unapologetic fighter who understands the needs of the 3rd Congressional District and knows first-hand the intersectionality between education, housing, and healthcare,” said Jhoanna Maldonado, an IFT vice president and Chicago Teachers Union organizer. “As a teacher in the district, I worked side by side with Delia and I know she will continue to be a strong advocate for Sustainable Community Schools and represent our community holistically.”
The IFT represents 103,000 members across Illinois with nearly 5,000 members living in the newly drawn 3rd Congressional District. The union looks forward to supporting Rep. Delia Ramirez on the ground and at the ballot box in the days leading up to the primary election on June 28.
* Politico…
Jaylin McClinton has been endorsed by state Rep. Lamont Robinson, the first openly LGBTQ+ Black state legislator in Illinois. McClinton is running for Cook County commissioner in the 5th District.
* More…
* States seek to protect election workers amid growing threats
- Leslie K - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 3:40 pm:
I think LaPointe has problems here, despite the remap that might give her a bit of an edge. Martwick faced a number of “law enforcement” challengers over the years, but his record representing his district was solid and he consistently prevailed. LaPointe hasn’t made much effort to maintain that moderate base (as far as I can tell, as a constituent). There are a lot of moderate/independent dems in the area that will bristle at candidates perceived as “Preckwinkle” (other than Rob, of course).
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 3:41 pm:
Martwick has also been consistently supported by the FOP.
- Leslie K - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 3:47 pm:
===Martwick has also been consistently supported by the FOP.===
Well, he has consistently supported FOP (a huge part of his constituency), but FOP hasn’t really been as kind to him. They keep running officers against him, despite his voting record.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 3:47 pm:
==Martwick has also been consistently supported by the FOP. ==
That he very publicly picks fights over first responder pensions no doubt helps.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 6:25 pm:
Ms King is certainly putting up an impressive amount of fundraising, so I think it’s pretty important to remind folks how she callously justifies policies that would strip women of their rights and make them all second class citizens.
===I’m unapologetically pro-life. I am also pro-women’s rights, especially the rights of female babies who are still in the womb.===
- Barb O - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 7:13 pm:
Lindsey LaPointe has been a breath of fresh air in Illinois politics. She is a full-time legislator whose work in Springfield has provided support to average folks during the pandemic, sponsoring legislation for improved access to mental health programs, rental assistance, and health care, and by sponsoring vaccination clinics. She strongly supported ethics reform and replacing Madigan. While not downstate, she is one of the rare politicians who connects directly with her constituents, going out to the community, be it door to door meetings or neighborhood gatherings, or meetings with local businesses. LaPointe’s base? Every neighbor living in the 19th District. Every one. Their needs are her concerns. She deserves another term
- Barb O - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 7:13 pm:
Lindsey LaPointe has been a breath of fresh air in Illinois politics. She is a full-time legislator whose work in Springfield has provided support to average folks during the pandemic, sponsoring legislation for improved access to mental health programs, rental assistance, and health care, and by sponsoring vaccination clinics. She strongly supported ethics reform and replacing Madigan. While not downstate, she is one of the rare politicians who connects directly with her constituents, going out to the community, be it door to door meetings or neighborhood gatherings, or meetings with local businesses. LaPointe’s base? Every neighbor living in the 19th District. Every one. Their needs are her concerns. She deserves another term
- charles in charge - Thursday, Feb 3, 22 @ 8:37 pm:
==Lindsey LaPointe has been a breath of fresh air in Illinois politics.==
Agreed, Rep. LaPointe is thoughtful, independent, hard-working, and accessible to her constituents. Hope she sticks around.
- On The Ground - Friday, Feb 4, 22 @ 8:22 am:
When outsiders talk about cop politics on NW side, they always underestimate how many households have somebody serving in the Department, and what an astronomical percentage of them live in this District. The cop vote is not a monolith. The loudest voices don’t necessarily reflect the mainstream rank and file. But they all want somebody who will protect their retirement.