* Dave McKinney and Tina Sfondeles…
“I still stand by my statements that he is the strongest candidate to challenge J.B. Pritzker in November, but J.B. Pritzker has done a hell of a job interfering in the Republican primary, and it looks like he’s going to accomplish what he set out to get — the weakest of the bunch,” said House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, who serves as Irvin’s campaign co-chair. […]
But with victory possibly in his grasp, Bailey told his Facebook followers over the weekend that his candidacy will usher in a new era of conservatism that will transform Illinois and Chicago.
“Look back into Illinois and find out when the last time Illinois had a conservative, Republican governor who actually stood and did something. It’s been a long, long time,” he said. “And I can assure you that ever since those days, Illinois has plummeted. We’ve become a laughing stock. … Friends, those days are coming to an end.”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:33 am:
Durkin is going to burn it all down… as the multi-prong conspirators wait till December… if Durkin stays that long.
Unlike Bill Brady, Durkin is gonna know that days are fewer
- Real - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:34 am:
Time for Dukin to retire. Big difference between a moderate and a charlatan that says things on each side of every issue.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:35 am:
=it looks like he’s going to accomplish what he set out to get=
Durkin knows that for all intents and purposes that he’s irrelevant once Bailey secures the nomination. And Pritzker’s “interference” ignores the role that Uihlein, Proft, and Trump played in Bailey’s campaign. And those are the folks Durkin will be contending with after today. His comments only serve to inflame and insult the base of his own party.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:35 am:
“We’ve become a laughing stock. … Friends, those days are coming to an end.”
For Bailey, yes, on or about November 8th, 2022.
- Langhorne - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:40 am:
How long before Bailey refers to Durkin as “one of the elites”?
- Strategy Geek - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:40 am:
Let me finish Bailey’s quote for him:
“…as we move from laughingstock to guffawingstock.”
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:43 am:
===.Let me finish Bailey’s quote for him ===
Is that you, Richard Irvin?
- Ainsley Hayes - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:47 am:
I think we can split the difference between Jim Durkin and Darren Bailey. Hopefully somebody can bridge that gap, but that person is yet to be identified.
- Lord of the Fries - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:48 am:
The lack of self-awareness is unreal. When Bailey/Proft/Ives get shellacked in November they’ll blame everyone under the sun except their grifting selfs.
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:51 am:
“Look back into Illinois and find out when the last time Illinois had a conservative, Republican governor who actually stood and did something. It’s been a long, long time,” he said. “And I can assure you that ever since those days, Illinois has plummeted. We’ve become a laughing stock.”
Bailey is right. Just look at 2015-2019 when we had a Republican Governor who made us a national laughingstock for failing to enact budgets for more than 2 years, oversaw bond status to near junk, and created a bill backlog of nearly $17 billion. Does anyone want that again?
- Tood Aloo - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:51 am:
Maybe we are a laughing stock in Mississippi or Alabama. Irony.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:51 am:
“Friends, those days are coming to an end … when we re-elect JB Pritzker.”
Fixed it for ya.
- DougChicago - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:56 am:
Looks like ILGOP is headed for an Alan Keyes style fall election. That was another Dan Prof(i)t spectacle by the way.
- Chris - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:56 am:
Honest question that hopefully someone will answer:
Who was the conservative Republican governor Darren was alluding to?
- Peoples Republic of Oak Park - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 11:57 am:
I am probably the only Democrat who thinks this but it’s not 100 percent that Bailey loses. It is likely and gun to my head I would say JB is going to win and honestly I felt this same way about Trump in 16.
I think Durkin is out of f’s to give and his party is not his anymore.
- Kramer Craig - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:07 pm:
Durkin went all in to save Welter and that looks to be the nail in his political coffin. Bailey is already the new ILGOP leader, once Trump anointed him it was Durkin’s official exit.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:09 pm:
I have looked back into Illinois history to try to figure out which mythic conservative, Republican governor he is talking about as having put Illinois at its highest point.
Thompson, Edgar, Ryan, Rauner were all pro-choice.
Ogilvie gave us a state income tax.
Stratton had the state spend a bunch of money building expressways around Chicago and got indicted for tax evasion.
Dwight H. Green expanded government-run public transportation in the Chicago area.
Emmerson created a motor fuel tax.
Len Small was possibly the most corrupt Illinois politician of all time, including giving state jobs to jurors who acquitted him on charges of embezzling state money, and pardoned mobsters and Communists as governor.
Maybe he means Lowden who supported death penalty, opposed League of Nations during his term (1917-1921)?
- MoralMinority - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:11 pm:
==Who was the conservative Republican governor Darren was alluding to==John Riley Tanner. Bailey’s school of indoctrination occupies the homesite of the former governor on the north edge Louisville.
- Big Dipper - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:14 pm:
Today on his FB DeVore was denying being a Trump conservative. It really is Alice in Wonderland.
- Big Dipper - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:16 pm:
==I felt this same way about Trump in 16==
Trump lost the popular vote, we don’t have an electoral college.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:20 pm:
===Trump lost the popular vote, we don’t have an electoral college===
It’s critical to realize, Illinois isn’t going to face a statewide election that’s similar to an electoral college counting.
Projecting that phony fear is unhelpful
- jim - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:21 pm:
Hey Rich, do you put those quotes in there so your readers’ heads will explode? I can always tell when you’re going to get some morally outraged, fiery and angry denunciations of the target of the day. It’s quite entertaining.
- Nagidam - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:25 pm:
Someone said it in a prior comment…Durkin has zero F’s to give. He is by far the most moderate HGOP left in that caucus. If he loses Welter or a few others I don’t see Durkin sticking around. Why would he. Call for a caucus leader vote this summer and let Bailey and his minions sink with the ship. In November if nationally the Republicans take the House and then all hell breaks loose here in Illinois…Bailey and his crew will still not understand what happened.
- Another Vote - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:44 pm:
Bailey’s largest contributor, JB, is getting everything he paid for. I don’t look forward to the BAILEY camp (grifters mostly) believing they won it through strategy or Proft did it with Uline. Clearly the DGA know the republican base better that they do because they made this happen. Train wreck coming.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:54 pm:
Durkin has little room to lecture on how to win elections.
- Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 12:55 pm:
Jim Durkin, stay in politics.
You couldn’t manage a Burger King.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 1:00 pm:
=Trump lost the popular vote, we don’t have an electoral college.=
And the last time Trump was on the ballot in Illinois, he lost by 17 points. That’s the over/under Bailey will be confronting.
- Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 1:01 pm:
Man, oh man.
Rauner did a number on that party, but good.
- Just Me 2 - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 1:04 pm:
“Look back into Illinois and find out when the last time Illinois had a conservative, Republican governor who actually stood and did something. It’s been a long, long time,”
He isn’t making the point he thinks he is making.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 1:10 pm:
“Clearly the DGA know the republican base better that they do because they made this happen.”
Republican voters are responsible for whatever happens, happening. Unless you are asserting that republican voters are just empty vessels who are going to vote according to the last TV commercial they saw before leaving the house.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 1:15 pm:
=He isn’t making the point he thinks he is making.=
Lol, you are so correct. I doubt Bailey knows enough about Illinois history to articulate a factual response.
I feel no empathy for Durkin. He helped create this disaster of a state party that is detached from reality and now lifts up the kooks who used to be laughed at as their party standards bearers. Had he repudiated these folks when he could have made them go away, we might be looking at Kirk Dillard for governor. He didn’t.
I have lived in rural Illinois for the last 20 years and loved so much of the experience. But politics is changing that for the worse. It has brought out the worst of our rural communities and
stoked racism and paranoia. Bailey and Miller are the apex of the sick movement with a few others not to far behind. I hope this changes soon or my retirement will be spent on making things right.
- Another Vote - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 1:19 pm:
Larry, voters make decisions based on messaging. DGA knew what dog whistles to use and when to use them. All Bailey could do is whine about all the negative attacks until the Uline and JB ten got into the mix. Again, absolute train wreck. If I remember right, the only House district that Allen Keys won was David Reis (baileys area). Bailey may do slightly better. Lol
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 1:23 pm:
- Another Vote -
It’s quite comical that you are glossing over that…
=== …dog whistles to use and when to use them===
… a party that responds to such things… is good?
The mere fact it worked… that’s on the party, lol
- Lurker - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 2:33 pm:
Coke receiving and spending over $50M to become New Coke is sad that his supporter abandoned him before the election but at least Durkin is standing behind him to the end. And, the end, is what this is for Durkin too, I hope.
- cermak_rd - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 3:14 pm:
Durkin literally has no reason not to burn it all down as he exits. Heck it could help him be more marketable in his future post-politics career.
- jackmac - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 3:14 pm:
==BAILEY: “Look back into Illinois and find out when the last time Illinois had a conservative, Republican governor who actually stood and did something.”==
No such creature exists in living memory (and Rauner does not count).
- Chris - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 3:31 pm:
So in response to my q (who’s this conservative Guv), we have:
One vote for Lowden
One vote for Tanner
A couple implied suggestions of “no one”
Thanks! (I’d probably put myself among the “none” camp)
Funny thing about Tanner I discovered—his first wife was Lauretta Ingraham.
- Wheaton Warrior - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 4:22 pm:
Honest question: Has the number of self-identified Republicans decreased in the burbs over the last 4 years or increased? I know many who stopped affiliating / stopped serving as GOP precinct committeemen because they no longer align with the party’s leadership.
- cermak_rd - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 4:51 pm:
Wheaton Warrior,
DuPage has voted purple the last couple elections so could be seeing some change. There’s been some demographic change too, though so I don’t konw if the change was caused by people changing their affiliation or the fact that new people moved in with a different affiliation.
- Just Sayin - Tuesday, Jun 28, 22 @ 5:40 pm:
==Thompson, Edgar, Ryan, Rauner were all pro-choice.==
Don’t forget that all except Rauner took advantage of the Bill Cellini friends and family plan in state hiring. Plus Edgar and MSI.