* Chicago Tribune…

In Rick Heidner’s very first campaign commercial, the Barrington Hills businessman dubs himself a “Trump Republican For Governor.”

But in his very first public forum as a politician, the onetime-embattled video gambling operator did something President Donald Trump would never do: He apologized.

Participating with the three other major Republican candidates for governor running in the March 17 GOP primary, Heidner found himself on the defensive Thursday night when opponent Ted Dabrowski criticized Heidner’s business operation contributing $2,500 to the campaign of former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and $25,000 to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson — two progressive Democrats frequently targeted by Republicans.

Heidner, who has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrats and Republicans over the years and does a lot of business in Chicago, told the audience in a central Illinois auditorium that he contributed to Johnson’s campaign as a favor to a friend who, in turn, could get Heidner access to the mayor. But as for the money to Foxx, who Republicans have criticized for spearheading efforts to vacate wrongful convictions and end cash bail, he said that was “a huge mistake.”

So, he admitted that he was essentially attempting to buy access to Mayor Johnson. That says quite a lot.

* Meanwhile, WGLT had a good writeup about the forum, including this…

Dabrowski wants to move to a portable 401K style, defined contribution fund for all new state workers.

Bailey does not support that idea.

“I used to think the 401K plan was the answer, but it’s not. It actually ends up costing you more. So that’s not going to work,” said Bailey.

Bailey criticized past lawmakers for kicking the can down the road and using state money that should have gone to pensions on other things.

Bailey said “the men and women who are earning these pensions, who are living off of these, they’re going to have to come to the table, and we’re going to have to cut a deal that we can live by.”

Heidner said new hires might have to work longer or get less in a defined benefit pension plan. Heidner shied away from trying to change anything for current state employees.

Interesting policy switch by Bailey.

Also, Heidner appears not to have heard about Tier 2, which may have to be changed because at least some member benefits aren’t up to Social Security standards.

* WMBD…

Bailey also championed withholding money from cities in the state if they did not follow immigration law, and declare themselves a sanctuary city.

Illinois’ status as a sanctuary state was a main focus of Mendrick, along with the SAFE-T Act, the cashless bail law in Illinois. He says both are costing the state a lot of money.

“We have 700,000 people that’s been brought into Illinois, and we have no means to care for them,” Mendrick said. “But we’re also violating federal law, losing $2 billion in federal funding for doing it. Because when there’s a conflict between state and federal laws, the federal law prevails. And we’re not letting it prevail.”

Mendrick also touted a lot of his accomplishments at the debate. He says his experience in running and auditing a budget of $80 million with more than 450 employees in DuPage County can help him balance the state budget. Mendrick also says the state is losing money by not accounting for how much is spent on NGOs and illegal aliens.

WGLT actually fact-checked Mendrick…

Mendrick claimed there are about 700,000 undocumented immigrants in the state and ICE is getting perhaps 15 people a day in raids. He said gaining access to the 92 jails in the state would increase the tally to 200 people per week. A recent study by the Pew Research Center said there are fewer than Mendrick estimated. Pew estimated there are 550,000 undocumented immigrants in Illinois.