* The Pritzker-backed Illinois Future PAC is out with a new broadcast TV ad supporting Juliana Stratton. Press release…

Today, Illinois Future PAC announced the launch of a new broadcast and digital ad titled “Endorse,” featuring Gov. JB Pritzker giving his strong endorsement to Juliana Stratton for United States Senate.

The new spot underscores the leadership Illinois has shown over the last seven years under Gov. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Stratton. From strengthening gun safety laws, expanding paid leave, and standing up to Donald Trump, the ad highlights how JB and Juliana have delivered for working families.

* The spot…

Script…

Gov. Pritzker VO: Illinois deserves a United States Senator who knows how to fight for us. Who will never cower when the moment calls for courage.

Narrator: No one knows Juliana Stratton better. Over the last seven years, she and JB Pritzker have strengthened gun safety, delivered paid time off, stood up to Trump and his MAGA donors, and held the line against ICE.

And now…

Gov. Pritzker VO: I’m proud to endorse Juliana Stratton for United States Senate.

* Raja is also out with a new TV ad…

* Politico…

And Indivisible isn’t endorsing in the [US Senate] race after Illinois Indivisible organizations pushed back at efforts by the national arm to back Stratton. Here’s the message emailed to members.

* Evanston Now recently reported that 9th CD candidate Kat Abughazaleh accepted $7,000 from a billionaire, despite pledging in a new ad that her campaign is backed by “no billionaires, no corporate PACs.” Yesterday, her campaign sent this email to supporters…

AIPAC’s newest AI ad against me is really weird.

They made a six-figure ad buy to try and smear me as a… REPUBLICAN? ME? […]

They accuse me of being “funded by donors to Republicans and Donald Trump.”

Our campaign has the most grassroots supporters out of anyone in this race, and I don’t take money from billionaires, corporate PACs, or Republican donors. Unlike others in this race.

Friend, we can’t let AIPAC smear us and possibly depress turnout. We’re just 2 weeks away from Election Day. Can you help us counter AIPAC by chipping in today to fund our GOTV efforts and ads?

But a rival campaign sent me records showing that an Abughazaleh donor contributed $7,000 to her campaign in June and $3,400 to the Trump National Committee in 2024. Abughazaleh’s press secretary J. Ramiro Sarmiento’s response to questions about the contributions…

Kat has pledged not to accept money from Republican donors. We are currently reviewing the contribution to determine whether it is the same individual referenced. If it is, the campaign will donate the funds to a local food pantry.

* The Forest Park Review…

Progressive activists in Oak Park and the West Side are split in whom they are supporting in the wide open Democratic primary race to succeed Danny Davis as the congressperson from the 7th Congressional District. Four young progressive activists are running in the 13-candidate field in the March 17 Democratic primary. They are Kina Collins, who at the age of 34 is making her fourth run for Congress; 32-year-old Oak Park native Reed Showalter; 32-year-old labor leader Anthony Driver and 28-year-old Anabel Mendoza.

Collins seems to have the most support among Oak Park progressive activists. Last week nine Oak Park elected officials, including two Oak Park Village Board members and five members of the Oak Park Public Library board endorsed Collins.

“I think she has the campaign infrastructure and the strategy to win and I think in such a crowded race I think that’s an important factor to consider,” said Oak Park Village Board member Derek Eder who is supporting Collins along with his colleague Jenna Leving Jacobson. […]

But supporters of Showalter, Mendoza and Driver say that while they like Collins, her past losses, and the new faces in the race, has convinced them that it is time to move on to someone new. Mendoza, an immigration rights activist, and Showalter, a lawyer who has worked for the House Judiciary Committee, the Department of Justice and the FTC have both impressed many activists with their knowledge, energy and commitment.

* More…

* Block Club | 15 Candidates Vying To Replace Danny Davis, Represent 7th Congressional District: Now, 13 Democrats and two Republicans are facing off in this month’s primaries to be the official representative for their respective parties in November’s general election. […] Biographies were prepared based on two candidate forums attended by Block Club Chicago and the candidates’ campaign websites. Candidates are listed alphabetically.

* Daily Northwestern | Mayor Daniel Biss isn’t afraid to make waves. Now, he’s aiming for Washington: While his critics in Evanston and elsewhere have accused Biss of political opportunism, the mayor called such allegations “genuinely preposterous,” citing his controversial approaches to lowering housing costs and addressing climate change. Biss acknowledged that his push for affordable housing, including the city’s Envision Evanston 2045 initiative, has been politically costly, adding that his mayoral reelection campaign was “tougher and more vigorous because of it.”

* The Daily Northwestern | Laura Fine looks to ‘get things done,’ emphasizes legislative record in congressional bid: In previous statements to and interviews with The Daily, Fine’s campaign has compared ECW’s activities to the outside spending of groups like 3.14 Action Fund, a hybrid PAC that has endorsed and paid for advertisements promoting the Biss campaign. When asked to elaborate on that comparison, her campaign stated it cannot speculate on differences between the two outside groups.

* The Daily Northwestern | ‘I didn’t want to wait’: Kat Abughazaleh looks to upset congressional status quo: Mia Festo, the creative director for Abughazaleh’s campaign, added that these strategies all serve to differentiate Abughazaleh from the 14 other Democratic candidates in the race. Festo, who grew up in Evanston, said they want the Democratic Party to “take notice” of the priorities of a “new generation” of voters. “Our strategy is to stand out,” Festo said. “We want to look different. We want to sound different. We want to feel different. And every decision that we make stems from that. Every conventional wisdom that politics has given us has failed us. And so why not try something different?”

* The Daily Northwestern | ‘I’m going to fight for everybody’: Mike Simmons centers Chicago upbringing, legislative record in congressional bid: Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education member Leah Piekarz said she originally planned to back Mayor Daniel Biss but chose to back Simmons after she was impressed by his performance at a candidate forum last year. After the event, she approached Simmons, whom she told The Daily is “very genuine,” and offered to volunteer for his campaign.

* Press release | Mike Simmons for Congress Endorsed by Skokie District 73.5 School Board Member Vicki Wolfinger: State Senator Mike Simmons’ Congressional campaign in Illinois’ 9th District has been endorsed by Vicki Wolfinger, elected member of the Skokie School District 73.5 School Board. Wolfinger joins fellow District 73.5 board member Elana Jacobs with her support for Senator Simmons. “I am honored to endorse Mike Simmons for 9th Congressional District. Mike is a dedicated, committed and unrelenting champion for his constituents. Mike has first-hand experience of many of the challenges his constituents are facing today,” said Wolfinger. “Mike is unafraid to take on challenges like housing affordability, access to healthcare, violence prevention, reproductive health care, mental health, education, refugee support and child advocacy. On these issues and more, Mike has a proven record of advocacy, successful legislation and volunteerism. It is with great pride that I endorse Mike Simmons for Congress.”