* A Darren Bailey campaign official told me today that the candidate and his running mate are making bus stops in every county in the next two weeks. Either Bailey or Stephanie Trussell or both will stop in all 102 counties, they claim.
Also hearing lots of chatter that former president Donald Trump’s operation is considering the Adams County fairgrounds for a late June event. So far, the only non-Trump focus of the possible event is US Rep. Mary Miller, who’s in a primary race against US Rep. Rodney Davis.
*** UPDATE *** Today…
* Meanwhile, here’s Decatur Tribune Editor Paul Osborne…
• Congressman Rodney Davis was at the Tribune one morning last week and we couldn’t help but reminisce about the first time we talked when he was running in the Republican Primary ten years ago. I remember Rodney telling me back then that, if he was fortunate enough to win election to Congress, he would always stay in touch. He has kept his promise and has always been willing to talk to me about any issue over the years. In fact, it is usually his office calling to see if I have some time, or some questions, to meet with him. That’s unusual in my long experience as a newspaper editor. Usually, the only time a candidate is available is when they are running for re-election.
• Rodney is running for election in the 15th IL District, against Congresswoman Mary Miller. Like the Macon County Sheriff’s race, the Republican Primary winner in the 15th is the same as being the winner of the General Election in November. While Rodney has always been available, Mary Miller has been almost invisible in Decatur and Macon County. I’m not sure why. Although I’ve received several news releases from her campaign, I have not talked with her, or even met her, which is highly unusual in my decades of experience in writing about candidates for office.
I have contacted one of her district offices and her office in D.C. and was finally told to send an email to her communications person, which I have done but have not yet received a reply. Other reporters I know have mentioned to me that Miller is a difficult interview to land. She has also never appeared (at least as I am writing this column) on my friend Brian Byers’ WSOY Byers & Co. program, which always has an open mike to candidates regardless of their views or party affiliation.
Hopefully, Miller will open up the lines of direct communication soon, because the primary election is less than three weeks away.
* In other news…
* Politico…
An effort to add a Workers’ Rights Amendment to the Illinois Constitution has received $4.7 million in donations. The proposal says employees have a fundamental right to organize and bargain collectively about wages, hours, and working conditions. Among the big donations: $1 million each from Liuna Chicago, International Union of Operating Engineers, and Fight Back Fund, which advocates for union families. In a statement, IUOE Local 150 President and Business Manager James M. Sweeney said: “Illinois workers have had enough of politicians in Springfield playing games with our livelihoods. The Workers’ Rights Amendment will ensure that workers have a voice.” Full list of donations. […]
Alexi Giannoulias is reporting nearly $637,000 today, including $250,000 from SEIU Illinois Council, $150,000 from Liuna, $59,900 from the Plumbers and Pipefitters union, $25,000 from UFCW 881, $25,000 from Chicago attorney Bob Clifford, and $10,000 from Grosvenor’s Paul Meister. […]
Karin Norington-Reaves has been endorsed by the Tribune.
* Milhiser…
In a Chicago Tribune story published yesterday, Secretary of State Candidate John Milhiser lays out exactly why the last thing Illinois needs is another career politician as Secretary of State.
From the Tribune:
“Instead, he emphasized a need to “restore faith in government,” something he said he learned was needed, in part, from his most recent job teaching at the Lawrence Education Center in Springfield.
“What that has taught me is that students don’t trust government,” Milhiser said. “They think everybody’s corrupt. They read the headlines.”
…“When you look at the Democrats’ side with the two front-runners, Anna and Alexi, who are pointing fingers at each other, arguing who’s less ethical for the position … we don’t need a secretary of state coming in with this cloud of ethical concerns,” Milhiser said.
Milhiser is a career prosecutor with experience overseeing a large office covering 46 counties in Illinois. He has prosecuted public corruption, Republicans and Democrats, across Illinois including a case involving an employee of the Secretary of State’s office. Milhiser knows what to look for when it comes to cleaning up state government.
More career politicians won’t solve the problems in Illinois’s state government. A career prosecutor will.
* CD1…
Democratic candidate for the 1st Congressional District, State Senator Jacqui Collins, announced new endorsements today from the following elected officials:
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, (D-Peoria)
Rep. Latoya Greenwood, (D-East St. Louis)
Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, (D-Chicago)
Rep. Camille Lilly, (D-Chicago)
Rep. Anna Moeller, (D-Elgin)
Iris Martinez, Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court
“I’m running for Congress to be the first Congresswoman in the 1st Congressional District, and I’m grateful to my fellow female colleagues for their support,” said State Senator Jacqui Collins (D-Chicago). At a time when our rights as women are facing existential threat, it’s more important than ever that we continue to elect women to office with strong records of fighting for justice.”
…Adding… What in the world is this dude thinking?…
* More…
* Illinois Secretary of State Race: 4 Democrats and 2 Republicans Look to Succeed Jesse White
* Watch now: Rep. Rodney Davis on his reelection bid
* Beyond the Podium: Rodney Davis, candidate for 15th Congressional district
* Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s opponents are trying to link the incumbent to crime spikes, but their biggest issue is just staying on the ballot
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:25 am:
-More career politicians won’t solve the problems in Illinois’s state government. A career prosecutor will.-
Jumping on the Scott Drury and Lori Lightfoot train is an interesting choice. I realize the DMV is boring but can this guy at least pretend he has some interest in the job he is running for?
- MisterJayEm - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:27 am:
New Sun-Times/WBEZ poll of likely Republican voters shows Darren Bailey with a double-digit lead over Richard Irvin
https://www.wbez.org/stories/illinois-governors-race-poll-shows-darren-bailey-with-a-big-lead-over-richard-irvin/c547f40a-2ff0-4181-8cc5-35a7b1cffc52
– MrJM
- vern - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:31 am:
The Aurora parade is more evidence that the Irvin campaign is closing up shop. Irvin isn’t gonna try squeezing any more statewide Republican cred out of Aurora. Certainly not worth the lawsuits that we’re gonna result on this one.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:38 am:
-Certainly not worth the lawsuits that we’re gonna result on this one.-
It is interesting how sufficient security for the parade magically appeared once more money was offered, and once the issue was set to leave the confines of the City of Aurora and head to federal court.
- Demoralized - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:43 am:
Milhiser realizes he’s running for Secretary of State and not Attorney General right?
- Norseman - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:48 am:
Well, I’m just tickled pink that Decatur Tribune Editor Paul Osborne gets calls from Davis. That Davis is feeding him a line of farm byproduct doesn’t matter so long as he still gets to talk. Well Osborne, ask your phone buddy about his promised gig attacking the 1/6 Committee. Democracy doesn’t matter so long as you get a phone call returned.
- JS Mill - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:53 am:
= magically appeared=
You may be on to a great theme for the parade. “Magical”
The whole episode is pretty disgusting. Trying to stifle free speech in order to pander to a voting base is the epitome of GOP authoritarianism and hypocrisy.
To use the uniform issue as a foil was pretty sad. Aurora PD could have said sorry, our PD will be in uniform (at least those on duty) but whatever. Way to pick another loser.
- Concerned Dem - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:56 am:
While I’m happy Mr. Milhiser decided to use his free time to be a substitute teacher, I’d caution against him painting “all students” with such a broad brush. His classroom experience is very brief and very non traditional as Lawrence focuses on adult education and a limited number of students working to complete courses they couldn’t complete in their regular high school. Also, if I check my notes, his resume is heavily dependent on being a person that was elected (or appointed by people that were elected) to a job which I believe makes him a politician with a career.
- PublicServant - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:57 am:
Man, Uihlein is gonna need to kick in more cash for those gas-guzzling Bailey Campaign busses.
- Norseman - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 10:59 am:
=== “What that has taught me is that students don’t trust government,” ===
Students reflect what they hear from their environment. Unfortunately, too many students are hearing lies from politicians like Milhiser at their homes. School is where they used to get exposed to facts that broaden student prospectives. That’s why Milhiser’s party is attacking education and teachers to prevent them from getting these facts.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 11:00 am:
“bus stops in every county”
With the maintenance track record of that bus, they probably won’t be voluntary stops. It just wont’ be able to go any farther without breaking down.
- Pundent - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 11:13 am:
=More career politicians won’t solve the problems in Illinois’s state government. A career prosecutor will.=
Great message, wrong office. Jesse White has been the Secretary of State for over 20 years and has been in politics for nearly 50. He remains the most popular politician holding office in this state regardless of party affiliation. And that’s because he’s done a solid job in running the SOS office. Obviously there’s always room for improvement. But arguing there’s a problem to be solved because of “career politicians” is a bit detached from reality.
- Steve Rogers - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 11:45 am:
Milhiser seems to be running against Madigan.
Madigan sure lives in a lot of R’s heads.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 11:45 am:
-Trying to stifle free speech in order to pander to a voting base-
Given the timing and desire to get the issue resolved I can’t blame the organizers for taking the deal, but personally I would have been rooting for a federal judge to enjoin the city’s permitting practices and eventually strike them down for giving the police de facto control over speech and assembly in the city. Instead, that issue lives for another day, or next Pride, or if and when someone wants to hold something like a march against police brutality in Aurora and has to find security for it.
- Huh? - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 11:50 am:
“bus stops in every county”
Does stopping at the stop sign at the head of an interstate ramp count?
- SomeGuy - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 12:13 pm:
Meanwhile, Jesse Sullivan’s mother is going door to door in Petersburg to solicit votes.
- low level - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 1:20 pm:
“More career politicians won’t solve the problems in Illinois’s state government. A career prosecutor will.”.
Thats why you decided to take big bucks from a guy who gives to career politicians and decided to be on a ticket with… wait for it
Career politicians. Makes sense to me, John.
- Dirty Red - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:25 pm:
= Congressman Rodney Davis was at the Tribune one morning last week and we couldn’t help but reminisce about the first time we talked when he was running in the Republican Primary ten years ago. =
I miss that Rodney.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:50 pm:
While the Decatur comments do have an element of “at least Davis will come in and kiss the ring” to them, they do seem to say quite a bit about Miller. She thinks she is on a bigger stage than humble East-Central Illinois and has no time for it - whether it be the local media, constituent service, actually getting things done legislatively for her district, etc. If that’s what people want, that’s their decision.