Campaign notebook
Thursday, Mar 17, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* For a guy who doesn’t want to answer questions about former President Trump, this opens the door to even more questions. But, hey, it’s a campaign. Click the pic for the video…
“Bailey and the Never Trumper.”
…Adding… DGA…
“Richard Irvin is desperate to pass his Trump problem off to someone else because he’s afraid to tell voters where he stands,” said DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy. “After months of dodging questions on who he voted for, Irvin wants to deflect to his opponents — but Illinoisans will see right through his hypocrisy. It’s a simple yes or no: did you vote for Donald Trump?”
* Danny Davis primary opponent Kina Collins…
In the 2020 election, Black women turned out and helped the Democratic party win the Presidency and a majority in the Senate. We are the bulwark of the Democratic party’s voting base, but when Black women like me choose to run, Democratic leadership immediately questions our “electability.”
If the Democratic party wants to rely on Black women to win elections, they have to fight to give us a seat at the table. Representation matters. Period.
Black women have to work twice as hard to raise the same amount of money and convince people of their electability, but we are putting in the work and shifting the narrative. Can you help us keep our momentum going by donating $15?
Donate »
In an Axios article published last Sunday, they asked me about the electability of Black women, and my answer was simple: Democratic leadership say they love Black women — until it’s time to elect us.
If elected, I will be the youngest Black woman ever elected to Congress. I am part of a generation of voters and leaders at the core of the Democratic party and we deserve to be represented in Congress.
She’s not wrong about her party.
* Valencia campaign…
After Alexi Giannoulias yesterday refused to disclose his clients and any investments directed on their behalf while he worked for seven years at BNY Mellon, a major Wall Street bank that has close ties to the gun industry and fossil fuel companies, among others, Secretary of State candidate Anna Valencia released the following statement:
“My opponent is quick to talk the talk when it comes to transparency, but he is refusing to walk the walk. It took less than two weeks for him to break his commitment to Illinoisans that he would always prioritize transparency. But voters deserve to know that instead of fighting the Trump and Rauner administrations over the last decade, he worked as wealth director for a Wall Street bank with clear ties to the gun industry, coal companies and even North Korea. Who else was he involved with?
“He cannot hide behind secret corporate agreements while pledging transparency, especially given his checkered track record that includes losing hundreds of millions of dollars in college savings for Illinois families and serving as senior loan officer at his family’s bank that gave loans to convicted mobsters. Illinois voters deserve to know who exactly my opponent was working for during his time as a Wall Street banker and how he was directing his clients’ wealth. We are waiting.”
Background
Crain’s Chicago Business reported last night that Secretary of State candidate Alexi Giannoulias is refusing to disclose his clients and any investments he led while serving as wealth director for BNY Mellon. The Valencia campaign sent Giannoulias a letter one week ago, on March 10, requesting that he follow through on his pledge to transparency with Illinois voters. Read the letter here.
Now, go to Greg’s update at the bottom of his story…
“Giannoulias’ spokesman is saying a little more. From a statement: “To clarify Valencia’s misguided attempt to distort the facts, Alexi never was an ‘investment banker.’ While he was at BNY Mellon, he never invested any money or directed any investments. During his tenure there, Alexi served as a wealth director whose role was to develop new business and introduce new clients to the firm.”
So he was a rainmaker.
* Republican SoS candidate responds to the whole thing…
As the Democrat candidates for Secretary of State squabble about whose unethical connections are more disqualifying, they are proving the point that independent leadership is needed in the Secretary of State’s office to ensure Illinoisans receive their services efficiently and effectively in all 102 counties.
John Milhiser released the following statement:
“While the candidates on the Democrat side of the aisle point fingers at one another, they are making it clear to Illinoisans that we need leaders, not career politicians, in statewide office. With the indictments of so many Illinois politicians, we need to root out corruption in state government now more than ever. I’ve investigated and prosecuted public corruption, and I have overseen a large executive office covering 46 counties in Illinois. I know what needs to be done to help restore faith in state government, and that’s something my Democrat opponents are not capable of achieving.”
* Irvin campaign…
Out of control crime rates in JB Pritzker’s Illinois are all the more striking when compared to the proven success Richard Irvin has had reducing crime rates as Mayor of Aurora, as recently released stats illustrate.
The facts prove that there have been significant decreases in crime rates in Aurora in 2021 with heightened efforts to increase accountability, transparency, and engagement:
• 45.5% decrease in murders
• 40.4% decrease in burglary
• 31.8% decrease in shootings
• 24.4% decrease in robbery
• 10.6% decrease in theft
• 9.9% decrease in motor vehicle theft
“Richard Irvin’s record in Aurora of lowering crime rates, balancing budgets, and standing up to the Madigan Machine stands in stark contrast to that of J.B. Pritzker, who has allowed crime to spiral out of control, pushed for higher taxes and spending, and enabled Mike Madigan’s criminal enterprise,” said Irvin for Illinois Spokesperson Eleni Demertzis.
In addition to a reduction in crime, the city has gained nationwide acclaim and earned a number of accolades, including being named one of the Top 25 Happiest Cities in America for 2022.
…Adding… If you click on the Irvin link, you’ll see that violent crime rose by 8.2 percent year over year, mainly due to an almost doubling of Criminal Sexual Assault offenses.
* Politico…
Monica Gordon has won the endorsement of Secretary of State Jesse White in her bid for Cook County commissioner in the 5th District. Gordon heads government affairs and community relations at Chicago State University.
Gordon previously headed the Black Caucus Foundation and ran unsuccessfully for the legislature. She’s also running for Bloom Township Democratic Committeeperson.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 12:26 pm:
== including being named one of the Top 25 Happiest Cities in America ==
If you are quoting wallethub or niche, I immediately know you can be ignored.
Remember when they named Naperville one of the best beach communities in the entire US? That’s a rock solid ‘rating’ system, and totally not based on who pays the most to these companies to advertise their town is the ‘best for XYZ in the US’.
You can even find the same category, on the same site, with different rankings during the year depending who is running their local marketing campaigns at that time.
- Kimberly - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 12:41 pm:
Anna Valencia is right that wealthy politicians do get a huge pass with regard to transparency on how they make their money. It would be nice to know what the investment funds they are investing in are then re-investing the politicians money in, for instance. This kind of transparency would have went a long way in determining to what extent Bruce Rauner was invested in Willowbrook’s Sterigenics. Transparency should start with wealthy candidates, not end with them.
- Amalia - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 12:52 pm:
“…Alexi never was ‘an investment banker’…” etc. LOL. Alexi doesn’t know about that kind of work? he was just the treasurer of the state of Illinois, so fail?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 12:55 pm:
===She’s not wrong about her party.===
No, but her party is the only one where Black Women are elected.
- Pungent - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:17 pm:
==while he worked for seven years at BNY Mellon, a major Wall Street bank==
Yoo hoo, Oswego, there is your answer to what Giannoulias “disappeared to” since his close senate race. Even non-Spanish speaker Valencia has to give private sector and modern banking standards credit where it’s due.
That’s it. I’m in the tank for Alexi now.
- New Day - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:17 pm:
Glad to see Valencia going on the offensive. It’s about damned time (and a great way to neutralize a negative).
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:24 pm:
=== Yoo hoo===
If you’re an adult, and you are using “yoo hoo” to get another adult to take you seriously, odds are what you’re gonna say isn’t much.
===there is your answer to what Giannoulias “disappeared to” since his close senate race.===
So he retreated into something for nearly a decade to resurface when it only suits his own ambition?
Alexi should be… celebrated… for this? Being a phony that is self-serving?
===Even non-Spanish speaker Valencia===
It’s a lil creepy this description. I was unaware languages one must know to any heritage is a trolling thing.
I dunno if you’re in or not in the tank for anyone, but an odd bias and creepy description are head scratchers.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:28 pm:
===close===
Alexi lost.
That’s it.
“Close”… lol…
- Desperation Much, Anna - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:28 pm:
Transparency is expected with public entities and emails, like City clerk emails. Not private firms.
Your emails about husbandtransparency, contract hook ups? Explain more, please.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:35 pm:
Why would Irvin call attention to his own Trump evasion? Because the Bailey campaign doesn’t have a responsive PR crew? If I’m going to pull an “R” ballot for the gubernatorial primary, want to see a sharp comms crew from Bailey, to fight back where it is strongest (Trumpiness). Are we patriots just going to take this?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:38 pm:
Is Irvin now a Trumper?
Who exactly does Irvin want to get those Trump votes? Schimpf?
An unusual flex with that, I’ll give that crew that.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 1:56 pm:
=independent leadership is needed in=
Well, that statement immediately excludes the Griffin Ticket. I can actually see the puppet strings on this team.
- AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 3:05 pm:
“Who isn’t subservient enough to the guy most Illinoisans loathe?”
- Primate - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 4:21 pm:
Just vote for a republican If you plan to vote in the Republican primary. Then we can just ignore the Rauner/Irvin crap. He is a democrat - simple. Oswego, I tried to answer your question of —which republican — on a previous post. I would have to say Rabine. He has experience that will help small business and seems to be taking advice from knowledgeable people. Again, Irvin is democrat. Why would any republican vote for him?
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 4:24 pm:
==Remember when they named Naperville one of the best beach communities in the entire US?==
WalletHub probably has ads for oceanfront property in Arizona. Maybe some personally endorsed by George Strait himself.
- walker - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 4:28 pm:
My initial reaction to Ervin/Bourne was skepticism that Alexi had the skills or competence to be an actual investment banker, and then Mellon confirmed my suspicion
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 4:30 pm:
- Primate -
Rabine is a Trumpkin and will likely not face a strong chance in the general election being so close to the Trump Family, which is a big negative statewide.
- Never Trump Republican - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 7:47 pm:
Having previously been active in the Republican Party for many years, I had followed Richard Irvin’s career and was excited when he got into the race for Governor and was definitely planning to support him in the primary.
I am mystified by this campaign strategy though. While I have been anti-Trump from Day 1 (and agree with everything Trussell once said and deep down probably still believes about Trump), there are many people in this state who did vote for Trump who now want to move on from him. These are the kind of voters the Irvin campaign should be appealing to in order to win a multi-candidate primary field and be competitive in a general election against a left-wing Democrat who deserves to be defeated.
He is never going to “out-Trump” someone like Bailey, nor should he, and it is ridiculous to try. I cannot imagine that all of the decent Republicans who endorsed Irvin early on are finding this a smart move.
Let Bailey and Rabine and apparently Sullivan as well try to win over people devoted to a persona rather than principle or an ideology. I will hope one of the candidates for Governor dares to show some independence from Trump.
- The Old Man - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 7:48 pm:
Dems tried the same thing with “Did you vote for Nixon” back in the 70″s. Don”t care who Irvin voted for, what ever happened to the right to a secret ballot??? Maybe in Putin”s country you have to tell BUT NOT HERE
- Chris in ChiTown - Friday, Mar 18, 22 @ 4:38 am:
I think that I have thought that Valencia is going to win. I think that she could just focus on her personal skills & experience, as well as her agenda as SoS & have allies or supportive pols bring out the negatives on Alexi Giannoulias. If she pulls off a win in the primary, she’s going to need to have to concentrate on the positive in order to win in the General Election.