* Politico…
Republican governor candidate Richard Irvin’s campaign is out with another mailer that’s full of irony. In the latest item landing in mail boxes, the Aurora mayor slams fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan for backing open borders and amnesty for illegal immigrants.
It’s apparently based on an article Sullivan wrote some 15 years ago. The funny thing, though, is that Irvin has supported Aurora as a sanctuary city and has praised DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It’s the policy that allows some immigrants to stay in the United States even if they don’t have citizenship.
In a little bit of oppo, Irvin in 2019 said Aurora backs Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in “prohibiting the use of our resources to aid or support ICE in its enforcement activities.” In the same statement, Irvin vowed that Aurora Police will continue their practice of declining to ask for a person’s immigration status.
The Irvin campaign is a well-funded exercise in pure projection.
Irvin’s full 2019 statement…
The City of Aurora joins with Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in prohibiting the use of our resources to aid or support ICE in its enforcement activities.
While Aurora does not have any jurisdiction over federal actions, including the pending raids, I fully support our immigrant and refugee families who live in Aurora and object to any such raids that will separate families and traumatize entire segments of our community.
As Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman and I have both previously stated, our Aurora police officers do not, have not and will not ask for or use immigration status in routine police activities. These policies have been in place for many years and, rest assured, they will not be compromised during my administration. Furthermore, the City of Aurora will not enter into a ‘287g Agreement’ with ICE and deputize our officers to engage in immigration enforcement work.
Aurora remains focused on unifying and not dividing our community. We are One Aurora and support all residents in our city.
I encourage all of our immigrant residents - and their families, friends and allies - to review their rights by visiting the National Immigrant Justice Center’s website at www.immigrantjustice.org.”
…Adding… From Eleni Demertzis at the Irvin campaign…
Aurora is not a sanctuary city, and Aurora police regularly work with federal law enforcement to fight violent criminals. Mayor Irvin opposes Illinois having sanctuary cities, and believes that immigration is a federal responsibility where federal resources should be used to enforce immigration laws, not state or local resources.
* I will be in Florida soon, but it ain’t for the alleged “freedom” unless you count freedom from cold and grey and long pants…
* Here’s a quick primer on how political coverage too often works: A candidate, in this case Democratic 19th House District candidate Tina Wallace, sends an exclusive preview of a press release to a reporter which makes a claim of fundraising prowess. The reporter dutifully hypes the impressive fundraising claim, but doesn’t bother taking 30 seconds to check the candidate’s report online to see that, instead of “raising” $100,000 as claimed, Wallace actually raised only $18,450 from named contributors, $500 from not-itemized others and loaned herself the rest. The money will spend the same, though.
* DPI…
With Republicans already on defense over their agenda of tax hikes, which could raise taxes on 33% of Illinoisans, and raised premiums, now they will also have to explain their recent votes against measures to lower costs for Illinois families.
Over the past two weeks, Illinois Republicans in Congress have voted against bills to make insulin more affordable, which as many as 993,000 Illinoisans rely on, and help more than 11,000 Illinois restaurants and businesses who didn’t receive the first round of Restaurant Revitalization Fund relief cover costs. Plus, state Republicans belittled critical tax relief efforts for Illinois families while voting against a balanced state budget.
Illinois Democrats, meanwhile, are hard at work in Springfield and in Washington, D.C. to lower costs and provide tax relief. In Congress, Illinois Democrats overwhelmingly voted in favor of bills to cap the monthly cost of insulin at $35 and get much needed relief to local businesses. At the state level, Democrats just passed more than $1.8 billion in tax relief as part of the FY2023 balanced budget, including direct relief checks to working families along with relief at the gas pump, at the grocery store, and on property taxes.
The difference couldn’t be clearer: while Illinois Democrats at the state and federal level want to help lower costs and provide relief for Illinoisans, Republicans have no plan to lower costs — leaving working families to foot the bill.
* From the League of Women Voters of Illinois…
You can apply for permanent vote by mail status as early as 45 days before election day. Voters with permanent vote by mail status will be automatically sent a vote by mail ballot for every election. You can ask to be removed from this list at any time.
May 19: First day for the election authority to send vote by mail ballots to applicants.
June 13: Early voting begins. Voters may place their vote by mail ballots in a drop box, if drop boxes are available in their county. Voters may also deliver their vote by mail ballots in person to their local election authority during early voting. Check with your election authority for locations.
June 23: Last day for an election authority to receive vote by mail ballot applications via mail.
June 27: Last day for a registered voter to apply in person at an election authority for a vote by mail ballot.
June 28: General primary election day! Mailed-in ballots must be postmarked by this date. Voters may also drop off vote by mail ballots with their election authority or in a drop box. Check with your election authority for locations.
NOTE: If you change your mind, you may surrender your vote by mail ballot at your polling place and vote in person instead. If you lose your vote by mail ballot, or it doesn’t arrive in the mail, you can vote with a provisional ballot at your polling place. Provisional ballots are counted 14 days after the polls close, once the election authority confirms that you haven’t cast a vote by mail ballot.
* NYT…
Consumer prices rose 8.5 percent in the year through March, reaching the fastest inflation rate since 1981. Stubbornly rapid price increases have been exacerbated by a surge in gas costs tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Fuel prices jumped sharply higher last month, with the U.S. average for a gallon of regular gas peaking at $4.33 on March 11.
Gas is not the entire story. Stripping out volatile fuel and food, so-called core prices climbed at a brisk 6.5 percent in the year through March, up from 6.4 percent in the year through February. Even so, the core index offered a rare glimmer of good inflation news: It slowed down a bit on a monthly basis, rising 0.3 percent from February, compared with 0.5 percent the prior month.
March’s data may represent a high-water mark for inflation, some economists have said. Overall price increases could begin abating in the coming months in part because gasoline prices have come down somewhat — a gallon cost $4.10 on Tuesday, according to AAA. Researchers have been expecting consumers to stop buying so many goods, like cars and appliances, potentially taking pressure off overburdened supply chains and allowing prices for those products to moderate.
* More…
* Richard Irvin Only Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Who Broke From Trump: So was Mayor Irvin being intentionally naive when he worked with Underwood to undermine the Trump tax cuts? Remembering after Underwood was first elected and flipped the IL-14, Irvin, in late December of 2018, gave Underwood the key to the city. As for the results of Irvin’s efforts working with Underwood to undermine the Trump tax cuts, the U.S. House Democratic leadership rejected Underwood’s bill, and opted to go for a two-year repeal of SALT deduction caps. The Democrats’ plan went nowhere with the Senate. So in light of this record, and the Irvin gubernatorial campaign accusing rival Darren Bailey as “leaving Trump” and a “Never Trumper”, the evidence overwhelming Mayor Irvin’s campaign was projecting.
* As Cook County property tax bills again face long delays, officials point fingers over who’s to blame
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:38 pm:
The gov is in Joliet today filming some campaign commercials.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:50 pm:
===The Irvin campaign is a well-funded exercise in pure projection.===
With Rauner, Z had an empty vessel that Z could dress up in a costume and pull a string to drop Gs while dropping Gs to all who were working to create some phony.
With Irvin, Z gets to use projection at such a high level of funding, the only Gs this time are those going to TV stations to show this projection, the postal service to mail this projection, and the pockets of those hired by Griffin, I mean Z, I mean Irvin… to create the projection.
“Meanwhile”, Bailey is having virtual tent revivals on Facebook…
This time it’s Sullivan’s turn to rehabilitate Irvin.
The monies these camps are spending… kicking myself.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:02 pm:
Are we sure there aren’t two Richard Irvins?
- MG85 - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:07 pm:
When Sullivan says he wants Illinois to be more like Texas and less like New York…Does that mean he wants Illinois to share a border with Mexico and not Canada?
Or does that mean he wants less weatherization of our power grid to ensure a catastrophe that caused Ted Cruz to flee?
When he says he wants to be more like Florida and less like California, does that mean he wants no regulation of the porn industry?
“I’m not saying any of this is true or [Sullivan’s stated intent], I’m just asking questions.”
-Tucker Carlson…probably.
- phocion - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:13 pm:
==rapid price increases have been exacerbated by a surge in gas costs tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.==
The NYT parrots the official state talking points, but it doesn’t make it true. Gas prices starting spiking soon after Biden took office based on his administration’s hostility to the oil industry. But, hey, blame Russia.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:17 pm:
“not New York and California”
Didn’t Sullivan have a business connection to California? He is now a spelunker too, trashing a place that was beneficial to him? He found the right political party.
- natty lite - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:20 pm:
If that well-funded exercise in pure projection allows Mr. Irvin to win the primary, then he can hang the “Mission Accomplished” banner and go back to his normal moderate roots (what he seems to actually believe) for the general election. It’s a tough line to walk when blog commenters spend all day pointing out your inconsistencies, but doesn’t seem any different than the typical primary/general dynamic that always exists. He’s running uphill — I don’t begrudge him looking for some shortcuts.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:26 pm:
===…and go back to his normal moderate roots===
In the days of Trump? Highly unlikely it’ll be an easy road.
The thing is…I like Mayor Irvin. A lot. I like him.
This candidate Irvin is so different than Mayor Irvin, Trumpkins will feel betrayed and miffed, and if it’s anything like Rauner, these base folks won’t come back to Irvin once Irvin embraces more of Mayor Irvin.
Throw in abortion, July could be a month of great turmoil if that pivot alienates too many base folks that might’ve voted for Bailey, Sullivan, or Rabine.
Keep in mind too, if Irvin wins with ~35-39% of the vote, solidifying a base while pivoting to the middle as a nominee… whew.
That’s actually where the hard work will begin.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:29 pm:
===The Irvin campaign is a well-funded exercise in pure projection.===
Jesse Sullivan is less well-funded but not far behind in the projection game.
- jimbo26 - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:30 pm:
Early Voting starts MAY 19th in many locations. You can find the dates and locations here: https://www.elections.il.gov/VotingAndRegistrationSystems/EarlyVotingLocationsSearch.aspx?MID=TupjX5bI18I%3d&T=637853666804218090
- JoanP - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:30 pm:
= Does that mean he wants Illinois to share a border with Mexico and not Canada? =
We share a border with Canada? I must have missed that geography class.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:32 pm:
===Jesse Sullivan===
I look at the Sullivan “campaign” as performance art dedicated to promote cryptocurrency by engaging in where easy marks can be found in a political pond.
As far as performance art goes, Sullivan is sure good at recognizing those who could see crypto as enticing with him (Sullivan) as the face to it in this race.
- Club J - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:42 pm:
Wonder when was the last time Sullivan was in Florida? There’s still a lot of mask wearing in businesses. Still people wearing them in stores. Yeah the Governor hates Disney and loves to use the word “Woke” at every opportunity. Tom DeVore does too and he’s in Illinois. With a 1000 people moving to Florida a day. I’d be hard pressed to bet they are all Trumpers.
- supplied_demand - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:46 pm:
== We want Illinois to look more like the free states of Texas and Florida, not New York and California!
Kind of amazing to hear this while those states are sprinting to outlaw abortion, ban books, restrict teachers, and manage bathroom usage. Meanwhile, in Illinois I can legally use marijuana and bet on sports.
Maybe it’s time to redefine what we call “regulation”.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:47 pm:
===I look at the Sullivan “campaign” as performance art dedicated to promote cryptocurrency by engaging in where easy marks can be found in a political pond.===
Crypto is a Ponzi scheme that has coopted many celebrities including Larry David. At least LD gets paid for his shilling. It is pretty ironic that Sullivan and Irvin are trying to portray themselves as the most pro-Trump. They both, in reality, probably despise Trump.
- SAP - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 1:52 pm:
Crude oil prices are less than 2% higher today than when Russia invaded Ukraine, but fuel prices are up 14%. I’d like an explanation, but I don’t suppose you could fit that on a 4 X 8 sign.
- LakeCo - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:02 pm:
Do I want Illinois to be like the “free” state of Texas, where you have to worry about a murder charge for having an abortion? No, thank you.
- thechampaignlife - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:08 pm:
Having Irvin as the alternative to Pritzker gives me some hope that, no matter the outcome, it might not be terrible. The fact that Republicans are supporting someone with so much oppo putting him left of center is encouraging for those of us who want to continue that leftward trend.
I would much rather have a surprise Pritzker loss to an Irvin than to a Bailey, just like I would have preferred a Kasich to a Trump even if Bernie was my first choice. I get why Pritzker wants to go head-to-head with a far righter like Bailey; it is easier to win against an extremist than a moderate. However, fighting a moderate who has aligned with your party’s views more often than not is a symptom of a broken electoral system that encourages strife and discourages good people with common values from running.
Sometimes we let the ‘better’ be the enemy of the ‘good’, and sometimes that results in the ‘terrible’ succeeding.
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:37 pm:
Really thought highly of Mayor Irvin before Team Bruce started turning him into a cartoon.
One thing I have felt in this race is that Team Pritzker and the current Team Irvin both have the same low road approach to campaigning.
- Jibba - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:49 pm:
Should Illinois be more like Texas? I’m betting you may not like the answer.
- AlfondoGonz - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:49 pm:
It’d be funny if it weren’t sad how desperately Irving wants to convince primary voters he’s a nutjob like them, when he’s really not.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:49 pm:
Thinkin’ the RichieRich Super Duper A Team has a few day drinkers in their ranks. Not a knock, but they may want to tighten up who has control of the “send” button in late morning
- vern - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 2:57 pm:
My understanding of a sanctuary city is one where the local police don’t check immigration status and don’t coordinate with ICE. That’s exactly the combination of policies Irvin brags about in the link. If Irvin thinks Aurora policy is correct, and that sanctuary cities shouldn’t be allowed in Illinois, what’s his definition of a sanctuary city?
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 3:04 pm:
Champaignlife–what Republican moderates?
- Amalia - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 4:39 pm:
boy, the folks trying to get rid of Fritz Kaegi sure are working overtime.
- Fivegreenleaves - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 7:00 pm:
Is Richard Irvin’s favorite restaurant the Waffle House?
- G'Kar - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 9:09 pm:
Speaking of Sullivan, we received a mailer today that showed a picture of his family outside a building that is probably a church, with “He is Risen” in all caps and a pair of crosses. On the back he writes: “Some want to remove God from our politics; we need to bring God back in. We are engaged in a great spiritual battle - corruption, immorality, and evil abound in Illinois politics.”
“Please join me in our fight to bring Christian values back into politics in order to save this home we love. This Easter let us find hope in the resurrection of Jesus.”
As Mrs G’Kar put it to me: “well, here is someone else I will not vote for in the election.”
- MG85 - Wednesday, Apr 13, 22 @ 9:49 am:
==We share a border with Canada? I must have missed that geography class.==
We share a border with neither, but Sullivan wants to be more like Texas and less like NY. NY shares a border with Canada and Texas shares a border with Mexico. Reading is hard. Logic is harder. So geography wouldn’t help you.