* Dave McKinney takes a look at the two Illinois Supreme Court races…

Democratic losses could imperil existing state and local laws dealing with abortion, gun control and union rights and throw a wrench into a potential second term for Gov. JB Pritzker should he defeat Republican Darren Bailey this fall. […]

In a fundraising pitch to donors earlier this month, the state Republican Party went so far as to say the court elections are “MORE important to fixing our state” than even elections for governor or Congress — a concession, perhaps, that Bailey and the GOP’s congressional prospects in Illinois may be looking iffy this fall and that the court is where all the political marbles are at. […]

Indeed, the same culture wars that have divided the electorate could wind up before a newly constituted state Supreme Court.

On guns, for example, justices might again wade into whether the state firearms owner identification card is constitutional after punting on that question in 2020, sending the matter back to a local court. Legal challenges also have been threatened against a crackdown by Naperville this month on the sale and possession of high-capacity rifles and ammunition like those used in the Highland Park mass shooting on July 4.

And on abortion, a new court ultimately could be confronted with litigation from anti-abortion advocates that seeks to dismantle a landmark state law Pritzker signed in 2019 that requires health insurers cover abortions and that repealed a 1975 law criminalizing abortions. That case is pending in Sangamon County Circuit Court.

* Center Square…

Republican candidate for Illinois treasurer Tom Demmer continues to push against his opponent, Mike Frerichs, and vows to stop any possible taxing of retirement income in the state.

Demmer, a Republican state representative from Dixon, faces Frerichs, the incumbent Democrat, in the November election.

Demmer has campaigned against a proposed retirement income tax, which he says his opponent will implement. Frerichs’ campaign says that simply isn’t true.

Demmer spoke Wednesday in Edwardsville alongside Illinois State Rep. Amy Elik, R-Fosterburg, candidate for the Illinois House 112th District Jennifer Korte, and candidate for the Illinois Senate 56th District Erica Harriss.

It was the second news conference Demmer’s held on taxing retirement income.

“Retirement income tax is something that Mike Frerichs during the debate in 2020 said we should have a discussion about,” Demmer said. “Well, if that discussion is going to happen, then we are going to show that a majority of people are against taxing retirement income.”

But Frerichs’ campaign said Demmer’s statements aren’t true.

“Mike Frerichs has never proposed taxing retirement income. He opposes it and will not support it,” his campaign manager, Lauren Young, said in an email to The Center Square. “Anything that contradicts this statement simply is untrue. Anyone who contradicts this statement should be asked, ‘why are you lying?’”

* Center Square’s take on the BGA report…

An investigation has revealed that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s investments include companies that earned more than $20 billion in state business since he took office.

In 2019, Pritzker promised to divest his personal fortune of investments in state contractors and to transfer his portfolio into what he calls a “blind trust.”

The nonpartisan watchdog Better Government Association found in some cases, state dollars flowed to companies that were registered to lobby Pritzker, who as governor could influence the outcome of the contracts.

“We found that three of the companies had lobbyists registered to lobby Pritzker directly,” BGA reporter David Jackson said.

* ILGOP…

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Kathy Salvi announced today that she has accepted the invitation to attend the first Senate debate, hosted by WTTW, WBEZ, and the Chicago Sun-Times. Kathy Salvi called for two additional debates with Senator Duckworth, consistent with the three debates held by Duckworth and then Senator Mark Kirk in 2016 as well as in keeping with Illinois’ “long tradition of monumental political debates,” as said in the Salvi campaign’s press release.

“Senator Duckworth should accept Kathy Salvi’s invitation to debate. Illinois families are facing a triple-threat from Washington; record inflation caused by out-of-control government spending, unprecedented pain at the pump from anti-energy policies, and looming tax-hikes at the worst time. The fate of the US Senate could very well hinge on this seat, and Senator Duckworth owes voters the same transparency that she demanded of her 2016 opponent. She must answer for her support of the reckless Biden administration policies that have fueled gas and groceries inflation, handcuffed US energy producers while enriching foreign energy producers, and hired 87,000 IRS agents to harass Illinois taxpayers ,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy.

* DeVore tells the Tribune why he busted the campaign caps in the AG’s race…

“I am all in for the fight against Kwame Raoul, JB Pritzker and the overbearing political class that protected power at the expense of hardworking families and businesses in this state,” DeVore said in a statement. “I’m all in for the people of Illinois.”

Under state law, contribution limits are lifted when one candidate for statewide office gives their campaign more than $250,000. Until then, limits range from $6,000 for individuals to $239,900 for political party contributions to statewide candidates.

The move to lift contribution limits in the race is a gamble for DeVore, who prior to the loan had raised just under $122,000, including previous loans he made totaling $28,500, state campaign finance records show. DeVore started July with less than $16,000 in his campaign fund after winning a GOP primary in which he was vastly outspent by one of his two opponents.

Raoul, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, had more than $1.1 million in the bank at the beginning of July.

* Brady press release…

A common-sense, cost-and-time effective solution to a longstanding problem was authorized by the Illinois General Assembly 21 years ago, but two decades later taxpayers are still waiting for that long-promised relief. Illinois Secretary of State candidate Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, pledges to make the implementation of that solution one of his top priorities once he’s sworn into office.

“We’ve been waiting far too long for the Electronic Lien and Title system in Illinois, and as Secretary of State I will implement this system as soon as possible,” Brady said. “We need more than just discussion on this system, we need action. Neighboring states with this system are only too happy to snatch away our business for every day we delay its implementation.”

The Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) system in Illinois will make the switch from an expensive, time-consuming, and less-than-secure paper system of tracking vehicle title liens to an electronic system that will be faster, safer, cheaper, and easier to access for both businesses and consumers.

The Illinois General Assembly passed a measure in 2001 that authorized the Secretary of State to develop and implement the ELT system. The deadline to do so has been extended several times, most recently to July 1, 2022. That most recent deadline was also not met.

“The Secretary of State issues millions of paper vehicle titles every year, more than half of which contain a lien holder notation, and they must also process hundreds of thousands of lien release letters each year,” Brady said. “This terribly outmoded paper system means delay, expense, and many opportunities for mistakes and fraud. It’s time we helped our vehicle lenders and buyers by moving Illinois into the 21st century with the ELT, a system we’ve been waiting on for more than two decades.”

“An ELT system will expedite the validity and release of liens and help to ensure against the fraudulent release of liens,” Brady said. “Title holders, lenders, purchasers, dealers, and the State of Illinois will all benefit from this up-to-date system.”