* Juliana Stratton’s campaign over the weekend…
Today, with just three days left before Election Day, the family of Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, announced that he had personally endorsed Juliana Stratton for United States Senate. The reverend made his final endorsements and shared those preferences with the family before his passing in February. He is joined by his son, Yusef Jackson in endorsing Stratton.
Isabel covered this earlier today at the top of her morning briefing. Basically, the Jackson family was perplexed by the whole thing.
* And now Yusef Jackson, who is specifically named in the Stratton release, is walking it all back…
I’ve asked the Stratton campaign for comment and will update if I hear anything back. But, wow, what a mess.
…Adding… This sample ballot was apparently being handed out by Operation PUSH folks on Saturday at a headquarters event…
More pages here.
…Adding… Juliana for Illinois campaign…
Juliana spoke on Saturday at Rainbow PUSH for a Women’s History Month event and officials told her she received the endorsements. Organizers shared the sample election ballot that was already being distributed and encouraged her to share the news.
Juliana is spending the final hours of this campaign talking to voters and making sure every Illinoisan hears how she plans to take on Donald Trump and bring their voices to Washington.
…Adding… Yusef Jackson has released another statement…
Over the past 48 hours, there has been a lot of commotion about who my father, Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. endorsed before his passing -just over a month ago. Among my Father’s proudest achievements was expanding civic participation and electing leaders who protected our democracy and advanced justice.
Earlier this year, despite ongoing challenges with mobility and his declining health, Reverend Jackson began the process of reviewing candidates and identifying those he intended to support in the upcoming primary election. However, he did not live long enough to finish the process.
Out of respect for my father, we decided not to publicly release his intended selections given the process had not been finalized. However, due to an internal miscommunication, a draft sample ballot was released by a staff
person who did not have authorization.
This unintentional error has set off unforeseen controversy. One that has unfortunately revolved around one candidate in particular.
I want to be very clear. We did not withdraw or retract our endorsement of any one candidate. Instead, we made clear that the document shared this weekend was not final and out of respect for my late father and in our family’s time of bereavement, we would not be confirming nor issuing political endorsements in this cycle.
I am disheartened that the topic of today’s political chatter has been focused on this instead of the issues that matter to everyday voters. Issues like affordability, healthcare, quality education, justice and equal rights. Those are the issues our family has spent decades fighting for and those are the issues voters should keep top of mind when they cast their ballots.
Please respect this as my final comments on this matter and please, in my father’s memory, VOTE. Our ancestors put their lives on the line so that we could participate in our democracy - to elect leaders who share our values, who will protect our democracy, and who will faithfully serve the people.
…Adding… Rep. Jackson walks his own comments back…
- Annon'in - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 11:45 am:
Double flub from the lite gov. and friends. Could be a factor in close race…if it is really close.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 11:47 am:
Even if the “endorsement” was true, the campaign/Stratton should have known that the Jackson family is heavily political and would not appreciate his name being attached to any candidate without their blessing. They walked right into a mess that even if she wins, the family won’t soon forget about.
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 11:54 am:
Claiming a posthumous endorsement is of questionable taste. Falsely claiming a posthumous endorsement is repulsive.
- Todd - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 11:57 am:
so we go from the dead voting to the dead endorsing, Chicago politics at it’s finest
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:00 pm:
===a draft sample ballot that was in development was released without authorization.===
Interesting use of the passive voice there. Stratton is taking the heat, but it still isn’t clear who released the “draft sample ballot” that had her name on it.
- Responsa - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:04 pm:
== unfortunately this weekend a draft sample ballot that was in development was released without authorization.==
So, mistakes were made by–somebody? Feels like Yusef has waay more ’splainin’ to do.
- Annon'in - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:15 pm:
The double flub Jackson and Obama might have been problem if there was more time and some media left to amplify. Time will tell about aftermath.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:22 pm:
==Feels like Yusef has waay more ’splainin’ to do.==
Yusef pretty clearly is trying to cut a deal for himself, I agree. But he’s not running for Senate tomorrow — Juliana is. She has the responsibility to vet this stuff.
And, let’s be honest, Stratton (or at the very least people very close to her) have been in the room with the Rev in the past couple years and know that he just wasn’t there mentally toward the end. She has a responsibility to do much, much better.
She knew how this would look — and did it anyway. That’s pretty unbecoming.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:37 pm:
===That’s pretty unbecoming.===
Somebody shows you a sample ballot with your name on it and I can understand how that would be seen as an endorsement. Ask any ward committeeman in Chicago how much trouble they get if there are any shenanigans with their sample ballots. In fact, in some wards, if you aren’t on the sample ballot, you were not endorsed, even if the committeeman told you they were with you.
So far, the only thing we know was that there was a sample ballot with Stratton’s name on it. Again, in Chicago, that means something. Now that the Jacksons are walking it back, it’s a mess. I don’t fault Stratton for the mess.
- Old IL Dude - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:44 pm:
“I was endorsed by the ghost of Jesse Jackson” brings me back to Jim Oberweis’s helicopter over Soldier Field ad … and not in a good way. I feel much better about voting for Kelly tomorrow, but fairly confident that Raja wins.
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:45 pm:
- I don’t fault Stratton for the mess. -
Come on. She’s running for US Senate, and she trots out a deceased person’s endorsement without making absolutely sure it’s real? That’s on her.
- Old IL Dude - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:53 pm:
==Come on. She’s running for US Senate, and she trots out a deceased person’s endorsement without making absolutely sure it’s real? That’s on her.==
I know, right? Eggs are way too expensive these days to waste on your own face.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:05 pm:
==Somebody shows you a sample ballot with your name on it and I can understand how that would be seen as an endorsement.==
I totally get your point, I really do. And I feel like Stratton most likely didn’t do this maliciously. But I’d just say two things about it
1) Trusting Yusef Jackson is a risky gambit on small matters, much less one of this magnitude. She’s been around long enough to know that.
2) She and her team absolutely needed to do more due diligence on this before letting her go out there and announce it as fact.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:05 pm:
Stratton had but lost my vote through the campaign she ran. Now this? Character matters - desperate to win at any cost doesn’t line up well with public service IMO
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:05 pm:
I’d also be curious to see what Pritzker thinks of all of this, guessing he’s hiding in a bunker somehwere until polls close tomorrow to avoid being asked about it. Talk about a no-win scenario.
- Leslie K - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:15 pm:
==I feel much better about voting for Kelly tomorrow, but fairly confident that Raja wins.==
Exactly how I feel. I was starting to think Stratton was a better anti-Raja vote than my actual preference for Kelly. But with this latest, I can’t bring myself to vote for Stratton (who isn’t my choice for many other reasons). Even if Stratton and team sincerely believe this endorsement is true, how could they not see that they should not be the ones announcing it?
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:26 pm:
=== I feel much better about voting for Kelly tomorrow, but fairly confident that Raja wins.===
Same. Rich commented on this potential late surge last week and I’ve agonized over the decision. Interesting to see how it shakes out.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:27 pm:
Alright, but who did Jimmy Carter endorse?
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:32 pm:
===Trusting Yusef Jackson is a risky gambit on small matters, much less one of this magnitude.===
Agreed. Plus he has one brother already a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and another brother aspiring to rejoin it. The CBC is staunchly pro-Kelly, for understandable reasons.
Should Stratton have known better? Fair point. But any of the other candidates would have reacted the same once they were given the PUSH ballot.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:40 pm:
After seeing a sample ballot that was being hand d out at PUSH I can understand why she said it and maybe she should have double checked but it certainly doesn’t sound as bad as it first did. I wonder if anyone else on that sample ballot is claiming Reverend Jackson’s endorsement
- Responsa - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:46 pm:
== Should Stratton have known better? Fair point. But any of the other candidates would have reacted the same once they were given the PUSH ballot.==
I’m surprised you feel comfortable making that accusation about the other candidates’ ethics.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:56 pm:
===the other candidates’ ethics.===
I’m pretty sure it’s spelled t-a-c-t-i-c-s.
- Jocko - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 2:08 pm:
Jessie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2015. That alone, not to mention his passing away a month ago, should have kept Juliana from using this “endorsement” (air quotes).
- NIU Grad - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 2:29 pm:
After seeing the update, I understand more where she was coming from and am agreeing more with 47th Ward’s perspective. That being said, it’s strange that she didn’t lead with that sample ballot and the campaign should have seen this coming without knowing there was unity within the family about it.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 3:17 pm:
The circular firing squad of the dem primary was formed and started by Stratton. But it was JB’s silence on tactics that made it ok. Let him know when the bunker doors open. Not a good look.
- Shytown - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 3:40 pm:
Late to the party here but let’s be honest - if any of these senate candidates got endorsed by the Reverend, even posthumously, they would have taken it in a heartbeat. This has more to do with infighting within the family than Stratton getting it wrong. Probably should have done a real gut check on this, but nonetheless any of the others would have done it.
- Shytown - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 3:43 pm:
== Jessie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2015. That alone, not to mention his passing away a month ago, should have kept Juliana from using this “endorsement” (air quotes).==
But, he’s endorsed multiple times post-2015, but this one isn’t ok? Tell me you’re not team juliana without saying you’re not team juliana.
- twowaystreet - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 4:06 pm:
The only thing that could have made this more entertaining is if the sample ballot had not included Jesse Jackson Jr.’s endorsement for IL-2.
The entire thing seemed off when I first saw it announced. You’d think for something like that, they would have done a bigger announcement if it was legit. I get that things have been insane in the last few days of the campaign, but this is definitely something you need to be absolutely certain about.
Also, a fun fact. I’ve been using Cap Fax for over a decade. I learned today that I can adjust the comment box size in the bottom-right corner.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 4:18 pm:
@two way street
Omg, I’ve also been on for a little over a decade, and had no clue. I feel so much freedom (banned puncuation) you blew my mind
- low level - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 4:28 pm:
Every passing day I become more and more satisfied with my vote for Raja.
- Frida's Boss - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 4:46 pm:
The Stratton team is lucky that this only had half of yesterday and today to be a part of the race. The problem is, instead of holding a GOTV rally tonight, she’s getting peppered with questions and going to be featured in a bad light today and tomorrow morning.
Controversy in the Stratton campaign is not a good headline the day before the election.
- Chris in ChiTown - Tuesday, Mar 17, 26 @ 7:49 am:
Okay. A great man has his staff work 80 hours a week to do campaign fundraising for him.