76 Comments - Free Market - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 8:50 am: Ken Griffin ain’t on the ballot. Grade F - PublicServant - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 8:56 am: I rate it true. - vern - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 8:57 am: A. Ads like this are the most ethical and the most effective way to intervene in the other side’s primary. There aren’t any wink-and-nod messaging gimmicks or or outside PACs. It’s a genuine hit that Pritzker is likely to use in the general, but not one that falls along partisan lines. He put his own name on it and played it straight. The Chicago elements rankle me, but I’m not the target audience. Republicans made their own bed by ragging endlessly on Chicago to their base and then letting a Chicago resident fund their entire party. - Wonky Kong - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 8:59 am: A. Quick, to the point, and even if you don’t know the background on who is funding Irvin, it still leaves you with a negative impression of him. - JS Mill - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:01 am: I rate it an A+. Factual, concise, hard hitting. The Pritzker shop has not always been on its game, especially given its resources as we saw during the fair tax debacle. This is top level stuff, maybe they learned a lesson. - Norseman - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:01 am: A. Short and to the point. - Lake Villa Township - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:02 am: A because of language like “strong armed” that is used, that paints a vivid picture. - CubsFan16 - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:03 am: The ad gets a B for the “Chicago Billionaire” line…will play very nicely downstate. Good move by JB - if he knocks Irvin out of the race, he has a clear path to POTUS in 2024. - Wonky Kong - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:08 am: = Ads like this are the most ethical and the most effective way to intervene in the other side’s primary. There aren’t any wink-and-nod messaging gimmicks or or outside PACs.= I could not agree more. The whole idea of pretending to attack someone to help them is a major disrespect to voters, and trying to help the very person who is the furthest from your own beliefs, only serves to further divide people by giving the craziest a platform. That said, this is an honest way to go after him, and even if he wins the primary, you’ve started a line of attack for the general. - Fan - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:08 am: These Dem ads should tell any thoughtful GOP primary voter (I know, that’s a stretch in today’s GOP) that they need to vote for Irvin. If JB and the Dems want Bailey to win so badly and are so afraid of an Irvin general election match up, then it would be a huge mistake for any GOP voter to vote for Bailey. - Alice Childress - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:11 am: Grade A. I like the deliberate delivery, not all kinds of things coming at you fast. Narrator’s voice is perfect speed. - Downstate - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:12 am: If Irvin is such an awful person, wouldn’t JB want to face him in the general? - North Park - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:15 am: ==If Irvin is such an awful person, wouldn’t JB want to face him in the general?== Never too early to define your potential opponent. - Real - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:17 am: These Dem ads should tell any thoughtful GOP primary voter (I know, that’s a stretch in today’s GOP) that they need to vote for Irvin. - No it just means that Ken Griffin believes that GOP voters are easily fooled by buzz words. - Jocko - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:17 am: I give it a B. It’s a bit of a whisper campaign, but as the saying goes “Politics ain’t beanbag” - Donnie Elgin - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:19 am: C- Great production value but a message in need of an audience. Most voters won’t know/care who Griffin is, and the ones that do are probably already in two camps with little room for undecided. Lastly, the ambiguous unproven claim of influencing a local city council is weak. The huge microwave tower with the tiny NYT citation is just weird, yes I know of the allegations around Scientel and Griffin. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:21 am: ===Most voters won’t know/care who Griffin is=== Today, I would totally agree. October, I’m not so sure. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:23 am: ==Quick, to the point, and even if you don’t know the background on who is funding Irvin, it still leaves you with a negative impression of him. == I think this is right. I’ve expressed wariness about focusing on Griffin, but this ad is really about Irvin. I think it’ll be effective. (I think the previous “Irvin is corrupt” ad must’ve been effective, too, or at least the Pritzker team thinks it was. That’s why they’re going back to that point already). - Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:24 am: It’s a solid B+/A-. He should have added a Rauner reference, saying he first spent however much he spent to elect Rauner, “now he has already spent $45 million to elect Richard Irvin.” Make the connection between the two. Because your average person doesn’t know who Ken Griffin is or who he has given boat loads of money to. But that maybe detracts from what the point of the ad is; corruption. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:24 am: ==Most voters won’t know/care who Griffin is== They don’t need to. This ad is about Irvin. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:26 am: ==He should have added a Rauner reference, saying he first spent however much he spent to elect Rauner== I disagree. Going after Griffin too much doesn’t help since he’s not the candidate. Keep the focus on Irvin. - Real - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:27 am: He should have added a Rauner reference, saying he first spent however much he spent to elect Rauner, “now he has already spent $45 million to elect Richard Irvin.” - Good point. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:28 am: ==If Irvin is such an awful person, wouldn’t JB want to face him in the general? == Over the guy who *doesn’t* have $300M and just called the state’s population center a “hellhole”? Probably not. But I think ya’ll are too focused on the “meddling” aspect of this. This ad isn’t meant to meddle, it’s meant to define who Pritzker thinks he’s going to face. This ad signals to me that regardless of who Pritzker wants to face, he thinks he’s going to face Irvin. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:28 am: Great to see JB finally addressing political corruption in Illinois. But of course it’s corruption in the Republican party that is the major issue in this election. So Richard Irvin is the reason Ken Griffin made 6.5 billion last year? The only people who would buy that nonsense are not Republican primary voters - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:30 am: ==Today, I would totally agree. October, I’m not so sure. == And Griffin himself seems constantly willing to take Pritzker’s bait and make himself more of the issue. But regardless, a smart enough campaign doesn’t really need to make voters aware of who Griffin is. He can just be a boogeyman like Cellini or Rezko or something. - Immigrants Welcome - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:34 am: Finally - exposing Irvin corruption and starting to tell voters about what a sleazebag Ken Griffin is. Great ad. - ;) - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:34 am: D-. Still not voting for JB a second time around. - Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:35 am: “Ken Griffin ain’t on the ballot” Sure he is. He’s just spelling it Richard Irvin. - Amalia - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:35 am: yep, define the opposition….Griffin. and there’s more to come. the gun stuff should be interesting. - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:36 am: A billionaire Governor who set a record for campaign spending is running ads criticizing another billionaire support for his potential opponent. Self awareness is not a strong suit of JB’s but I guess he has trouble running ads on his actual record - Lincoln Lad - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:36 am: A+ As Griffin packs his moving boxes, let everyone know what he’s been willing to do to try and personally control elected officials. - H-W - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:37 am: Grade = A I am not a fan of hate ads, and ads that exist primarily to stir people into voting on the basis of fear or hate. That said however, I would give this ad a grade of A in the context of fear ads. It does well what it is intended to do, and does so in a way that would easily cause its intended audience to listen and take notice. Corruption is a big theme among lay Republicans, and has been for a long time. This ad pulls the trigger on corruption, and “seems legit” (from the perspective of modern, lay conservatives). - The Snowman - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:42 am: One deal in Aurora made Griffin $6.5 billion? A misleading statement to say the least! - Roman - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:42 am: ==Most voters won’t know/care who Griffin is== That’s one of the goals of the ad, to introduce “most voters” to Grif. And it’s done effectively — framing his contributions not as some kind of ideologic-driven free market philanthropy, but as a quid pro quo to make him richer. That might be a little bit of a stretch, but Team Grif can hardly complain about truth-bending ads. This get’s an A. - Real - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:42 am: I rate it as A. While exposing both individuals it also puts Ken Griffin in a box in deciding how much is he willing to keep opening up his wallet to fund Irvin if their own corruption continues to be revealed. - Socially DIstant watcher - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:45 am: Saying that Irvin strong-armed his town to help a Chicago billionaire take in more billions is pretty hard hitting. And if the complaint now before the State Board of Elections, that Irvin has failed to disclose Griffin as a sponsoring entity, is upheld, this ad will pack even more of a punch. - Steve - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:45 am: It’s an A. If you take money from someone : you are fair game. When you take that kind of money from the richest guy in the state, you have to expect these sorts of adds. - Baloneymous - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:53 am: It’s an A. It goes directly after Irvin, and it’s letting people know about Ken Griffin. and Illinois voters need to know more about Griffin. He’s pulling strings in the Republican party and elections, and spending tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars. he backed Rauner and what a disaster that turned out to be. people should know he’s at it again. I mean would Irvin even be a legitimate candidate right now if it wasn’t for $45 million? - Anthony - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:56 am: — ==Most voters won’t know/care who Griffin is== They don’t need to. This ad is about Irvin.— And this doesn’t move the needle, at all, against Irvin - Grandson of Man - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:56 am: Irvin is getting pounded on TV now, with many ads against him. The goal may be to “soften him up” for the General, if he can’t be beat in the Primary. Have not seen this ad on TV yet, rated A for what others said about being hard hitting and to the point, but saw the new “Irvin hates Trump” ad. - Baloneymous - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:57 am: Griffin is going after Lightfoot about crime in Chicago, he’s made statements against JB and how he’s handling the state. Crain’s is doing op-eds on his “crime” solutions. Griffin is giving tens of millions to get his guy elected Governor and a whole slate of statewide elected officials. People should know who he is. If George Soros was donating to JB’s reelection do I even need to mention what the reaction would be from the other side? - PublicServant - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:58 am: === Ken Griffin ain’t on the ballot. === No, he’s just buying it. - Immigrants Welcome - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:59 am: == And this doesn’t move the needle, at all, against Irvin == Based on what????? Anything other than wishful thinking? - Hmmm - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:59 am: LOl Lucky… ==A billionaire Governor who set a record for campaign spending is running ads criticizing another billionaire support for his potential opponent. Self awareness is not a strong suit of JB’s but I guess he has trouble running ads on his actual record== Unlike Griffin, JB is actually running for Governor. He’s answered for his record, his wealth and has actually put forward plans and taken action. It’s a little different than funding a candidate and not answering questions about what you want for all that money you’re spending and not telling us what policies you want to see enacted. - MisterJayEm - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 9:59 am: “The huge microwave tower with the tiny NYT citation is just weird” In the anti-mask, 5G, Bill-Gates-is-putting-microchips-in-the-vaccines GOP primary? That huge microwave tower’s cameo was as deliberate as it comes. – MrJM - Bruce( no not him) - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:00 am: ===Most voters won’t know/care who Griffin is=== Most voters don’t know who is running, period. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:01 am: ==So Richard Irvin is the reason Ken Griffin made 6.5 billion last year?== So you always miss the point and ask rhetorical questions that are entirely off topic? ==The only people who would buy that nonsense are not Republican primary voters == Well that’s the majority of the state and the General Election electorate, so I guess your guys are in a pickle. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:03 am: MisterJayEm may be on to something here. - MyTake - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:05 am: == Ken Griffin ain’t on the ballot. Grade F == The candidate he purchased is. == Most voters won’t know/care who Griffin is == It’s prefaced w/”Chicago billionaire.” That’s probably all you need. I’d give it a B. Good ad, but does come across as a little misleading… because it is. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:13 am: == And this doesn’t move the needle, at all, against Irvin== That’s a different argument, and as far it goes, all I can say is that an ad alleging that a candidate did favors for a guy who then gave him $45M certainly has the potential to be effective. But there’s a hundred things that will happen between now and the vote, so we may never really know if the ad moved votes. - hisgirlfriday - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:13 am: I like it. But then again I would be in favor of Dem ads that made Ken Griffin a bogeyman on par with Madigan and lampooned his Versailles wedding and spotlighted more criticisms of Citadel so I am not the median voter. - Demoralized - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:13 am: LP He’s been running ads touting his record. I can point you to several. You must like Irvin a lot. You both share the ability to ignore facts. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:16 am: ==I guess he has trouble running ads on his actual record== When he ran an ad on how he passed the Capitol Bill and that helped create jobs you told us voters didn’t care about that. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:20 am: ==I can point you to several.== You don’t need to. You can find LP in the CapFax comment section for every ad telling us that it’s no good bc people don’t like Joe Biden or something. - Back to the Future - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:33 am: Appreciate everyone”s opinions, but I find the Ad unsettling. The premise that the Mayor of Aurora is being supported by an investment person who made 6 Billions dollars because of a cell tower the mayor supported is a bit silly. The Ad says more about Pritzer’s character issues than the targets of his campaign approach. - PublicServant - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:38 am: === The premise that the Mayor of Aurora is being supported by an investment person who made 6 Billions dollars because of a cell tower the mayor supported is a bit silly. === Well you’d be right if the ad said that, but it doesn’t. - Real - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:42 am: I believe one will need to research more into it themselves rather than to rely on an ad to spoonfeed you every detail in 30 seconds. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:43 am: ==I believe one will need to research more into it themselves rather than to rely on an ad to spoonfeed you every detail in 30 seconds. == But, of course, most viewers won’t. - Club J - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:50 am: I grade it A+ It points out the Mayor of Aurora is bought and paid for by Ken Griffin and if he wins the election you can expect the same just on a much bigger scale. Ken Griffin is like the puppet master. At least Governor Pritzker is paying his own way. So he doesn’t have to answer to anyone but himself in the end. - Rabid - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:51 am: A explanation why Irvin dominates your TV and mailbox - Dwayne - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:53 am: @CubsFan16 I bet you are part of the Irvin squad. He has no intention of running for President and simply wants to prove the facts. - Colin O'Scopy - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:54 am: Ken Griffin has hung out the “Florida or Bust” sign. Either way this election turns out, Mr. Griffin will be leaving Illinois in the rear view mirror, heading to warmer climes, by year’s end. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 10:59 am: ===Griffin is going after Lightfoot about crime=== No he’s not. He hasn’t once laid a glove on Lightfoot for the crime in her own city. - Lurker - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 11:10 am: “How to make a million dollars? First, start with a million dollars….” -Steve Martin I guess now we just need to update the joke by replacing million with billion. - JS Mill - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 11:44 am: =Self awareness= I bet you are the only one on the blog that misses the irony here. ===I guess he has trouble running ads on his actual record=== On time budgets, improved bond rating- you know, stuff Rauner couldn’t/wouldn’t do. - Steve Rogers - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 12:04 pm: =Ken Griffin ain’t on the ballot.= Neither is Mike Madigan, but I see him on practically every republican ad. - Responsa - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 12:08 pm: The billionaire vs billionaire spat is unseemly and insults voters who justifiably have other things on their minds. I am actually surprised Gov. Pritzker approved this ad spot. Rating D. - Pundent - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 12:15 pm: =The billionaire vs billionaire spat is unseemly and insults voters who justifiably have other things on their minds.= Yeah better to dress up our opponents in silly costumes and argue over who’s more loyal to the former president. I think the voters generally won’t take offense to this, but I don’t pretend to know how all voters feel. - Norseman - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 12:24 pm: === Today, I would totally agree. October, I’m not so sure. === Yes, it will have minimal impact on primary voters but it does further define Irvin for the General. That’s one of the benefits of having oodles of money. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 12:27 pm: === justifiably have other things on their minds=== LOL Man that was weak. - Henry Francis - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 12:53 pm: I find it pretty funny that the commentators here who are critical of this ad are so because it purportedly peddles conspiracies and pushes unserious issues. Aren’t unserious ideas and conspiracy theories the oxygen that gop voters breath these days? I also find it funny that these same commentators criticize JB for lacking self awareness. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 12:57 pm: ==voters who justifiably have other things on their minds== Things like public corruption, which is the actual subject of the ad? - OTPhj - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 1:10 pm: B. Only because no one knows who Ken Griffin is but undoubtedly knows who Madigan is. I’m sure this will spark Griffin to throw in even more money against Pritzker. It seems like the Gov is nervous about facing Irvin in a General. - MyTake - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 1:17 pm: == It seems like the Gov is nervous about facing Irvin in a General. == Not really. Just that he wants the less expensive and bigger win against Bailey. If Irvin wins the primary, this helps define him early. Totally rational and a smart use of his plentiful campaign funds. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 1:18 pm: ==It seems like the Gov is nervous about facing Irvin in a General. == Tim Anderson just hit a double, the White Sox must be scared of the Royals. - PublicServant - Thursday, May 26, 22 @ 5:31 pm: Irvin is much more scared of Pritzker than vie-versa, lol. You guys need to stop watching Fox “News”. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.