* Excerpt from an Eric Sorensen fundraising pitch. Sorensen is a Democrat running for US Rep. in the 17th District…

I knew that attacks would be coming our way, but I didn’t expect this:

Over the weekend, we got word that some unmarked mailers had made their way to voters’ mailboxes. They contained some pretty heinous attacks on “E.R.I.C” — an “Extreme Radical Indoctrinating Children” — I wonder who that might be?

The obvious implication is that because I’m gay, a vote for me means a vote for “sexual perversion” against children. Oh, and they threw in an illustration of a terrified kid for good measure

This is sickening, but it’s not shocking — and I’m not holding my breath for my opponent Esther King to comment about this homophobic attack.

The truth is that the GOP has a longstanding policy of embracing this kind of hateful rhetoric. I grew up in an era when homophobic scare tactics were normal. It’s a shame we’re reverting back to this sort of shameful bigotry.

I’ve got thick skin, [name redacted]. If anything, this a reminder that our campaign is bigger than just flipping a House seat — this is about standing up to the extremism and hate that’s only grown in recent years. We need to restore some decency to the halls of Congress. That’s why I’m running, and it’s why I need your support:

The mailer…

If you’re having trouble reading the text…

Extreme Radicals Indoctrinating Children (E.R.I.C) is what democrats do. Goal to teach your children hate via CRT, life has no value via Abortion, that sexual perversion (homosexuality, lesbianism, transgender, bestiality) is normal. Democrats do not care about your safety or financial future. Extreme gas, food prices, taxes are all E.R.I.C offers. A vote for E.R.I.C is a vote against innocent children, for killing babies, a vote against your safety, financial well being, and for America’s downfall.

* Press release…

Today, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) announced their endorsement of Judge Elizabeth Rochford in the race for the Illinois Supreme Court’s Second District. Following a decisive victory in the Democratic primary, Rochford continues to build support for November’s general election campaign. She also received a general election endorsement last month from Personal PAC.

“It’s an honor to receive the support of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and its hardworking educators and education professionals. My mother was a special education teacher, so this endorsement is especially meaningful to me,” said Judge Elizabeth Rochford. “Throughout my career, I’ve dedicated myself to literacy and education efforts for our young people, and I’m grateful to the Illinois Federation of Teachers for their belief in my campaign for the Illinois Supreme Court’s Second District.”

IFT represents over 100,000 members throughout the state including a broad spectrum of professionals in four membership divisions, including teachers, paraprofessionals and school personnel; higher education faculty, staff, and graduate employees; and public employees in Illinois state agencies that govern education, in addition to retirees in each category.

“Judge Elizabeth Rochford knows how important it is to support our educators and education professionals. She has worked throughout her distinguished career to advance literacy programs for our children, and will bring her commitment to equity and fairness to the Illinois Supreme Court,” said Daniel J. Montgomery, President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. “The Illinois Federation of Teachers is proud to endorse Judge Rochford, the daughter of a special education teacher, in this race and look forward to seeing her elected in November.”

The newly redrawn second Supreme Court District encompasses DeKalb, Kendall, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.

* Standing up for nanny employers…

Bailey recently criticized Pritzker for increasing regulations on casual workers such as nannies and caregivers. “The last thing we need in Illinois is more red tape, more rules and more regulations. If we want to grow our economy and be a leader for jobs and opportunities in the Midwest, we need to prioritize policies that will create jobs, not jeopardize the ones we have. Pritzker’s priorities are misguided. Silly bureaucratic rules won’t grow our economy. Families are wondering how to afford to gas up their cars and purchase basic household necessities and the focus of the Pritzker administration is making sure people fill out time sheets for their nannies? It is no wonder we are losing jobs and opportunities here in Illinois,” Bailey said

* Politico…

Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic nominee for secretary of state, is pushing for legislation to protect abortion-care data that could be threatened by anti-abortion groups known to use license plate scanners to get information about patients.

He’s working with state Reps. Kelly Cassidy (D-14th) and Ann Williams (D-11th), who have pledged to sponsor the proposed legislation in Springfield.

“Illinois must enact protections to ensure the data is not used to target women seeking access to abortion services or employing it as a surveillance system to track them,” Giannoulias said in a statement.

What the legislation would do: Giannoulias wants to limit the purpose for which Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) can be used, such as to locate drivers involved in serious crimes and stolen vehicles. Giannoulias also is calling for legislation that specifies ALPRs cannot be used to track individuals seeking abortion care or individuals assisting them and nor should information be shared with other states.

* Media advisory…

Congressional candidate for Illinois-14 and Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder is announcing today a joint media availability with U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Salvi on the impact of Democrats’ IRA bill on Illinois manufacturing.

Gryder and Salvi will be touring manufacturing plant Maze Nails in Peru, meeting with business executives, employees and stakeholders, then holding a media availability directly after to discuss the state of manufacturing in Illinois and what ramifications will occur from Democrats’ IRA bill.

Full details are below:

Thursday, August 11, 2022
IL-14 candidate Scott Gryder and U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Salvi hold joint media availability
Town Square - Maud Powell Plaza
Peru, Illinois
2:30 p.m.

…Adding… SGOP Leader McConchie is up against Democrat Maria Peterson. Here’s the most recent McConchie fundraiser pitch…

It seems every day, whether we like it or not, we are reminded about the stakes involved with this November’s election. As I meet with families in Algonquin, Barrington, Lake Zurich, Palatine, and Wauconda, I am committed more than ever before to ensuring that we have a strong check on the abuses of power of Governor JB Pritzker and his enablers.

As the Republican leader in the Illinois State Senate, I have been working hard to get Republicans out of the super minority and to bring balance back to our state government. There is a long way to go, but we are making real progress and I am encouraged by the support we have received thus far.

To that end, Springfield insiders have decided that I am a threat and have determined that I need to be given the treatment of their political machine this November.

Too much is at stake to let that happen, so I am reaching out to let you know about upcoming opportunities that you can help this campaign.

Take a moment to learn about some of the upcoming events that my campaign is organizing, learn about how you can make a difference in your neighborhood in this important race, and share this information with your neighbors, friends, and family in the area.

If you have any thoughts or questions for me, please send me an email at info@danmcconchie.com.

Thank you for all of your prayers, advice, and support, we simply cannot do it without you!

* More…

* Raspanti touts previous Park Ridge political experience in State Senate run challenging Sen. Murphy: Raspanti said he doesn’t expect to outraise Murphy, who had almost half a million dollars in the bank at the end of the second quarter. As of Aug. 9, he had $10,000 in funding, half of which came from a loan to himself. But, he said, “I think contested elections are good for the district. I think they’re good for taxpayers. And so that motivates me.”