* IEA goes with Valencia…

Democratic Secretary of State candidate Anna Valencia announced today, during National Teacher Appreciation Week, that she has earned the endorsement of the Illinois Education Association (IEA). IEA, an affiliate of the National Education Association, is the largest union in the state, with 135,000 members who work as teachers and educators in elementary, secondary and higher education.

“We are proud to recommend Anna Valencia for Secretary of State. Anna grew up in a union household and is the product of Illinois public schools. We know Anna will stand with our public educators and our students,” said IEA President Kathi Griffin. “Her track record as Chicago’s City Clerk has shown us she understands the needs of the working class. During her tenure with the city, she helped reform the ticketing process in Chicago. Anna also worked to pass the License to Work Act (SB 1786), which ends driver’s license suspension for not paying nonmoving vehicle tickets, like parking tickets, so people can still travel to work and pay their tickets. We believe Anna has the skillset to be Secretary of State and her deep understanding of the middle class will be an asset to our great state.”

The endorsement comes as Valencia continues to build momentum and a broad coalition of support from across Illinois. Earlier this week, Planned Parenthood of Illinois Action endorsed Valencia.

“I am humbled and proud to have earned the endorsement of the Illinois Education Association,” said Valencia. “I know the incredible impact that teachers have on our children’s lives because it was with the support and encouragement of my own public school teachers that I became the first in my family to graduate from college. I thank the IEA and their members for joining us in our campaign. I promise that when elected, teachers and educators will have a strong supporter and ally in the Secretary of State’s office.”

Since entering the race in June 2021, Valencia has built a strong statewide coalition of support from a robust slate of highly-respected elected officials, business leaders, political groups and labor unions—including the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI) and Illinois Nurses Association-The Nurses Union (INA). Both of Illinois’ US senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, current Secretary of State Jesse White, Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton have endorsed Valencia. She has also secured support from the national Latino Victory Fund, EMILY’s List and other influential organizations and leaders from across the state and nation.

* Casten…

Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) announced the endorsements of 12 local elected officials & community leaders for his re-election campaign. From former primary opponents to local Mayors to county-wide elected officials, these endorsements add to a list of over 60 local elected officials & prominent community activists from every township in IL-06 who are backing Rep. Casten’s re-election.

“Government works best when we are all working together,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “I’ve worked hand-in-hand with these dedicated public servants to deliver real results for families in the 6th District. I look forward to continuing to fight for our shared values - like lowering costs for families, combatting the climate crisis, and protecting a woman’s right to choose.”

The following people endorsed Rep. Casten today:

Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer
Justin Slaughter, Illinois State Representative (27th District)
Deb Conroy, Illinois State Representative (46th District)
Vernard Alsberry, Mayor of Hazel Crest & Bremen Township Democratic Committeeman
Mike Glotz, Mayor of Tinley Park
Dennis MaGee, Former Mayor of Merrionette Park & Former Worth Township Democratic Committeeman
Kenneth Nolan, Palos Hills Treasurer
Autumn Geist, Lisle Township Trustee
Jane Nolan, Palos Township Clerk
The Proviso Township Democratic Organization
Nancy Sheperdson, State Central Committeewoman for IL-06
Jennifer Zordani, Community Activist and Former Candidate for IL-06

You can find the full list of Rep. Casten’s endorsements here.

* GOP SoS primary…

From day one, Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has made the fight against distracted driving in Illinois a key part of his campaign for Secretary of State. That battle is even more crucial now, with a new study listing Illinois as one of the deadliest states in the country for distracted driving.

“Anyone who has seen another driver looking at their phone, eating, putting on makeup, or other activities instead of focusing on the two-ton piece of metal they are driving knows what I am talking about,” Brady said. “My goal as Secretary of State is to make Illinois the safest state in the nation the next time this distracted driving study comes out.”

The company MoneyGeek, in an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, ranks Illinois as the eighth deadliest state in the country for distracted driving with 1.6 deaths per billion miles driven.

Brady will have the Secretary of State’s office work with organizations such as the Tire Rack Street Survival, a tire and auto industry-sponsored program that graphically teaches teenagers the physics behind driving their own cars in real-world situations. As students learn what it takes to safely move more than a ton of motor vehicle on the street, they learn more focus and concentration and why they should take fewer risks themselves, such as distracted driving.

“I am passionate about reducing vehicle accidents related to distracted driving and developing better ways to teach our young drivers behind the wheel,” Brady said. “I have already worked closely with the Secretary of State’s Office on initiatives that will make Illinois roadways safer and to better train Illinois drivers, and I plan to use the resources of the Secretary of State’s office to greatly expand that effort.”

Brady is also active on other issues related to driver safety. He recently worked with the National Safety Council and advocates for older adults on a law that will help make driving safer for older residents.

“I recently passed legislation that was signed into law regarding E-learning defensive driver courses for mature drivers that will potentially lower their insurance premiums while providing enhanced technology options for training,” Brady said.

* Politico…

Abortion seeps into state House race: Rep. Mike Zalewski (23rd) is being taken to task for voting against a bill that repealed a state law requiring minors to notify their parents before pursuing an abortion. Democratic challenger Abdelnasser Rashid says Zlewski “put the health and lives of young women at risk,” according to a statement.

That vote kept Zalewski from being endorsed by Planned Parenthood or Personal PAC, which advocates for abortion rights. Zalewski “is not a pro-choice incumbent,” Personal PAC’s Terry Cosgrove claims in the statement from Rashid.

Zalewski defends his record, describing himself as a pro-choice Democrat who voted for the Reproductive Health Act that keeps abortion safe and legal in Illinois, as well as HB40, which allows abortions to be covered by Medicaid. It’s only the parental notification bill that gave him pause, though Zalewski says he’s glad it ultimately passed. This week, he called on Congress to codify Roe v. Wade. […]

— Ad buy: United Association of Union Plumbers & Pipefitters has bought airtime on broadcast and cable TV for Republican Rep. Rodney Davis in his race for the 15th Congressional District. The ad buy is $380,684 and starts next week. A digital component will be roughly $85,000. […]

— La’Mont Williams’ campaign for state Senate in the 16th District has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, Ald. Jeanette Taylor and Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer.

* CD1…

Latino Leaders to Endorse Karin Norington-Reaves

WHO: Karin Norington-Reaves
Former Rep. Luis Gutiérrez
Emma and Tanya Lozano

WHAT: Endorsements in her race for Congress, IL-01

WHEN: Thursday, May 5 at 2:00 PM CT

WHERE: Blue Island Public Library, 2433 York St, Blue Island, IL 60406

* CD17…

Today, Jonathan Logemann, Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 17th Congressional District, announced the endorsement of Elect Educators Everywhere, a national education-focused organization dedicated to electing more teachers and education professionals to public office. Elect Educators Everywhere has played a substantial role this cycle at the local and federal level supporting educators running for public office to make a difference in their communities.

“As a High School teacher who’s taught in public schools my entire career, I am honored to receive the endorsement of Elect Educators Everywhere,” said Jonathan Logemann. “During the course of my time as a teacher, I have witnessed the impact that educators throughout our public schools have on students, parents, and their local communities. From inspiring a lifelong love of learning to preparing our young people for the workforce to involving parents and our local community in the education of our kids, I’m proud of the work I have done as a teacher, and I am excited to continue this public service out in Congress.”

* Cook County Assessor…

The reelection campaign of Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi released its first television ad on Wednesday, ahead of the June 28 Democratic primary.
The ad, titled “Hot Dog,” lays out the inequities in the broken property tax assessment system that for too long favored clouted property tax attorneys, big corporations and the very wealthy, and left middle-class families and small businesses with an unfair burden.
“I ran for Cook County Assessor because I wanted to bring equity and transparency to our broken property tax system. I am leading with fairness and for the first time in a long time, large wealthy corporations are paying their fair share,” Assessor Kaegi says in the ad.

The ad will air on broadcast, cable and streaming networks beginning Wednesday. View the ad here.

The full script of the ad is as follows:

I’m Fritz Kaegi, and this is John. John treats all of his customers the same.

That’s not how the assessor used to work. Corrupt politicians shifted the tax burden away from wealthy downtown landlords on to middle class families, drenching you with sky high property taxes.

As a Democrat, that left a bad taste in my mouth.

So that’s why I’m reforming the system, and expanding protections for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.

If only paying taxes were this good.

Also in that race…

Kari Steel has loaned herself $100,001, enough to lift the caps in the Cook County Assessor's race.https://t.co/mkzwBRDBmF

— IL Election Data (@ILElectionData) May 4, 2022

* The two Democratic candidates competing to be the underdog against GOP Rep. Chris Bos continue racking up the endorsements. Chelsea Laliberte Barnes just scored US Sen. Richard Durbin. Nabeela Syed is the other Dem.

* CD13…

Access to safe, legal abortion in America took a devastating blow this week with POLITICO reporting on a leaked draft Supreme Court majority opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade and open the door for 26 states to immediately move to ban the right to abortion.

Republicans Jesse Reising and Regan Deering are complicit in this all-out assault on women’s freedoms. Already, both Reising and Deering are lining up to support this attack on Illinoisans’ freedoms to make their own health care decisions.

Make no mistake – access to abortion is on the line this November and hinges on control of Congress. Just hours before the draft Supreme Court opinion was leaked, the Washington Post reported that congressional Republicans are working on a “push for a strict nationwide ban on the procedure if Republicans retake power in Washington.”

DCCC Spokesperson Elena Kuhn:
“The stakes in this election could not be higher: Electing either Jesse Reising or Regan Deering would put House Republicans one step closer to achieving their decades-long dream of ripping away women’s freedom to make their own decisions about their bodies.”

* Related…

* Early voting for June 28 primary election starts May 19. Here’s what you need to know: The first day to vote early at the county clerk’s office and send in vote by mail ballots is May 19.

* Lake County Democrats vow to protect abortion rights: State Rep. Daniel Didech painted a grim picture of a post-Roe V. Wade future. “In states that outlaw abortion, it means that we will see criminal investigations of miscarriages,” he said. “It means that women with nonviable pregnancies and ectopic pregnancies will be forced to risk their lives to carry those pregnancies to term. It means the criminalization of doctors and nurses who provide critical OB-GYN services. It means that in states that go backwards on reproductive rights, rapists will have more rights than women.”

* Meet the six Democrats who hope to keep the 17th Congressional District blue in November: “We as women and people who can become pregnant in our country, are facing an existential crisis right now,” Litesa Wallace said. “And it really isn’t limited to just us.” A former Illinois state representative from Rockford, Wallace said her work in the Illinois General Assembly helped Illinois become the “safe haven” that it is for those seeking abortions.